UAE Delegation Arrives in Doha to Offer Condolences on Passing of the Father Amir

A senior United Arab Emirates delegation traveled to Doha to offer condolences in person following the death of Qatar's Father Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who died Sunday at the age of 74. Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, received UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Lusail Palace, where the Emir has been welcoming a steady stream of regional and international dignitaries during the country's mourning period.

A Written Message From the UAE's Leadership

The in-person visit followed a series of written condolences from the UAE's top leadership. President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a phone call with Sheikh Tamim, expressing his sincere condolences, and separately said in a message posted on X: "I extend my sincere condolences and sympathy to my brother Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his family on the passing of his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. May God grant him mercy, rest his soul in eternal peace, and bring comfort to his family during this difficult time."

Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum called the Father Amir's passing "our collective loss," while Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan extended condolences "to our family in Qatar." Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed and Ras Al Khaimah Ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi were among other senior Emirati figures who offered their sympathies.

Four Days of Official Mourning

The UAE's Presidential Court announced four days of official mourning over Sheikh Hamad's death, with flags flown at half-mast at all official institutions across the country, as well as at its embassies and diplomatic missions abroad. The gesture mirrored identical four-day mourning declarations from fellow Gulf states Kuwait and Bahrain.

Part of a Global Procession of Mourners

The UAE delegation's visit came amid an extensive procession of leaders traveling to Lusail Palace. Among those received by Sheikh Tamim were Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and the Crown Prince of Ajman Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, among many others.

Qatar's Amiri Diwan declared four days of national mourning, with government work suspended and flags at half-mast until civil servants resume duties on July 19. Sheikh Hamad was laid to rest at Lusail Cemetery following funeral prayers held in Doha on Sunday evening.

Sheikh Hamad's Legacy

Sheikh Hamad ruled Qatar from 1995 until his voluntary abdication in 2013, when he handed power to Sheikh Tamim in one of the Gulf's rare peaceful transitions of leadership. Under his rule, Qatar became one of the world's wealthiest countries per capita, driven by a boom in liquefied natural gas production, the 1996 launch of Al Jazeera, and the country's successful bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.