How Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani built Qatar’s soft power

How Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani built Qatar’s soft powerThe leader known as Qatar’s father emir was able to redefine his nation’s position on the political map of the Middle East.From a tiny state struggling to survive to a country punching above its weight with soft power, wealth and influence felt in the region and beyond, Qatar and its success story were propelled by late Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.Sheikh Hamad, who died on Sunday aged 74, was able to redefine Qatar’s position on the political map of the Middle East, moving it from the margins of the Gulf to regional prominence in the political, diplomatic, national and humanitarian fields, relying on his vision that transcended the country’s modest size and narrow borders.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Former Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani dies aged 74list 2 of 3Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the architect of modern Qatarlist 3 of 3Key moments from former Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani’s lifeend of listThose who knew Sheikh Hamad said he was aware, even before assuming power in 1995, of his country’s lack of traditional elements of strength and understood the need to invest in soft power.From the early days of his reign, he implemented enormous projects in education, health, scientific research and sports in addition to the vital energy sector, transforming his country’s wealth into international diplomatic weight and not merely a source of prosperity for his own people. The former emir also understood the power of media when he created Al Jazeera, one of the most successful news channels in the Arab world, which later transformed into a powerful media network.Qatari diplomacy led fruitful mediations in complex disputes and conflicts across a vast geographic expanse from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Horn of Africa.Doha brought together leaders in Lebanon in 2008, concluding a historic agreement that quelled the risk of another civil war. Qatar sponsored negotiations that lasted 30 months between the Sudanese parties over the Darfur crisis, culminating in 2011 in the signing of the Doha Document for Peace.