HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani ascended as Emir of Qatar at the age of 33 after his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, abdicated in June 2013. Qatar is the richest country in the world with a GDP per capita of $77k. It has under 400,000 citizens whilst the rest of its population of 3 million are expatriate workers. It is the top exporter of liquefied natural gas and the site of the third largest natural gas reserves in the world.

Family and Education: Sheikh Tamim is Sheikh Hamad’s fourth son and was chosen as Crown Prince in August 2003. His mother is the powerful Sheikha Moza, who still plays a prominent public role as an advocate for social and educational causes. Sheikh Tamim completed his studies at a private school in the UK before going on to graduate at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst (in 1998). During his time as Crown Prince (2003-13), Sheikh Tamim had exposure to a wide range of posts including security (he was deputy commander of the armed forces), economics (chairman of the Qatar Investment Authority) and sports. He supervised Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Blockade: In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt, with the backing of the Trump administration, cut all relations with Qatar and imposed trade and travel bans. This drastic action resulted from various claims that Qatar was supporting terrorism and had violated a 2014 agreement with GCC countries. Its good relations with Iran and its hosting Al Jazeera TV network were also factors in this tense situation which saw foodstuff imported from Iran and Turkish soldiers called in to help safeguard Qatar assets. A further complicating factor in this feud was that Qatar hosts the largest American base in the Middle East and all the blockade partners are close allies of the US. The 43-month blockade was finally lifted in January 2021, having made little impact.

Major Assets: Qatar continues to increase its influence through major investments globally. The Qatar Investment Authority has over $557bn in assets ensuring it is a major player in global finance. In addition, Qatar runs the Al Jazeera media network, which was virtually the only global media organisation reporting credibly on the Gaza genocide.

Peace Broker: Qatar has positioned itself into the role of peace broker. It hosted the historic signing of a peace deal between the US and the Taliban in 2020 which led to the full withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. It has facilitated the return of prisoners and hostages between Russia and Ukraine. In November 2023, it brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas which led to the release of about 700 Palestinian and 100 Israeli hostages. Doha has also been home to several rounds of negotiation for a ceasefire in the Gaza genocide. It has adopted a strong position of proactive engagement through dialogue with regional neighbours. Qatar has also funnelled billions in aid to Gaza, easing the humanitarian crisis. Sheikh Tamim was the first head of state to visit Damascus after the fall of the Assad regime, and Qatar was the second country (after Türkiye) to reopen an embassy there.

Peace Talks Attacked:  On 9 September 2025, Israel carried out an airstrike on Doha targeting Hamas leaders. The strike occurred during ceasefire negotiations which Qatar had initiated and was widely condemned as a violation of sovereignty and international law. Casualties included members of Hamas and a Qatari security official. The Israeli attack risked undermining ongoing mediation efforts.

The Gaza Genocide: Emir Tamim has overseen significant aid deliveries to Gaza, working closely with humanitarian organisations. Qatar has also continued its diplomatic outreach to pressure aggressors and advocate for civilian protection, reflecting a proactive stance in mitigating the crisis.

President Trump with the Press on Air Force One, Oct. 12, 2025: They {Qatar} really helped us with this deal. And the Emir is an amazing man who really helped us. Qatar was a tremendous help to getting this done. I hope people can realize that it’s very, it was very tough and very dangerous for Qatar. They were very brave, and their leader, the Emir, was very, brave, and Qatar should start getting some credit.

over 5 Million visitors in 2024
over 500 Billion sovereign wealth fund