The former Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who ruled Qatar for 18 years, has died at the age of 74. This was announced by the Emir of Qatar's Diwan on its page.
The Diwan's statement emphasized that the former Emir is a great loss for the country and reported that he passed away this morning.
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was born in 1952 and became the leader of Qatar in 1995. His reign was associated with reforms and modernization processes in the country.
During his tenure, Qatar's first permanent constitution was adopted in 2004. The former Emir voluntarily abdicated the throne in 2013, handing over power to his son — the current Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
