Key moments from former Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani’s life
Former Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, has died at age 74. During his 18-year reign, he transformed Qatar into a prosperous nation, significantly increasing its GDP through the expansion of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, making it the world's largest exporter by 2006. Sheikh Hamad also implemented sweeping economic, social, and cultural reforms, including the adoption of Qatar's permanent constitution in 2004 and the launch of the Qatar National Vision 2030. He is credited with abolishing press censorship and founding the Al Jazeera Media Network in 1996, which became a prominent global news outlet. Sheikh Hamad also introduced democratic measures such as municipal elections where women could vote and stand as candidates.