He turned his country into the Switzerland of the Middle East: Who is Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani?
The ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel was largely achieved through Qatar's initiatives. In fact, all the details were announced by the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It did not surprise the world that Qatar took on the "mediator" role, which is generally attributed to Switzerland.
Behind this mediation success is the sheikh of the country.
There is a mediator in the Middle East that has come to the fore in recent years and has become almost indispensable: Qatar.
Qatar, which has played a role as a mediator in many conflicts and disputes to date, has once again asserted itself in the process that continued with the attack launched by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent operation launched by Israel against Gaza. After days of efforts, he enabled Hamas and Israel to exchange hostages.
This is not the first time Qatar has acted as a mediator between Palestinian groups and Israel. He had previously served as a mediator between Hamas and Fatah.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 3 June 1980) is Emir of Qatar, reigning since 2013. Tamim is the fourth son of former Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, born to his second spouse, Moza bint Nassir. He became heir apparent in 2003 when his older brother Sheikh Jassim renounced his claim to the throne. He became emir when his father abdicated in his favor in 2013.
Moreover, Qatar has been carrying out its mediation activities in a wide geography for some time; For example, he played a major role in the negotiations between the United States and the Taliban. Similarly, he acted as a mediator between the USA and Iran. The world owes the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine to Qatar, among other actors.
Qatar's interstate mediations include Somalia-Kenya, Eritrea-Djibouti, Algeria-Morocco.
This small Gulf country, which is the size of two Istanbuls, or 11 thousand square kilometers, and which hosts a total of 2.5 million people, of which approximately 300 thousand are its own citizens, has also carried out mediation activities between different groups in the same country, in Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan and Chad. as are.
Mediation as a constitutional duty
Qatar, which has a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of over 320 billion dollars, is a country that has set mediation as a constitutional goal.
Article 7 of the 2003 Qatar Constitution defines "strengthening the peaceful resolution of international disputes" as one of the country's aims. Accordingly, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the country's foreign policy principles as "international cooperation", "human rights" and "preventive diplomacy".
Who is Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani?
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was born on June 3, 1980 in Doha, the capital of Qatar on the Persian Gulf coast. When he came to power in June 2013, at the age of 33, he became one of the youngest Emirs in the history of Qatar.
He took over this position after his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, resigned from the 20-year rule of the country.
The Emir of Qatar, who studied in England, attended Sherborne School, Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, which he graduated in 1998. In the same year, he served as a lieutenant in the Qatar Armed Forces.
He has undertaken very important roles, including the chairman of the Qatar National Olympic Committee, the Deputy Commander of the Qatar Armed Forces, the chairman of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Organization Committee, the Chairman of the Higher Education Council, and the chairman of the Qatar Investment Authority, the country's largest wealth fund.
His father, Sheikh Hamad, said the following when handing over the administration of the country to his son in 2013: “It is time to open a new page in the history of our nation and for the new generation to take responsibility with their innovative ideas. I hand over power to Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. "I'm sure you can be trusted for this mission."
Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, who gained experience in state administration and prepared for the task since the accession to the throne of his father, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, who seized the power of Qatar from his grandfather in a bloodless coup in 1995, became the crown prince instead of his brother in 2003.
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was one of the first to congratulate Qatar Emir Thani, who officially took over the government in 2013.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also praised this handover, calling it the "depth of brotherly relations" between the countries.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has a total of 9 children from his 3 marriages.
He has a fortune of 335 billion dollars!
A report prepared on the family known as the Emir or ruler of Qatar stated that the current net worth of the family is 335 billion dollars.
Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned, wife of the former Emir of Qatar from the royal family, bought a mansion in Cornwall Terrace for 80 million dollars. Later, she paid $40 million for 2 more properties.
According to the report, the mansion has seven bedrooms, 11 reception rooms, nine bathrooms, beauty treatment areas, a gym and an indoor swimming pool.
Qatar's royal family undoubtedly loves sports, too. Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is known for promoting the desert nation's international reputation through sport.
In addition to his presidency of the National Olympic Committee, the Royals also fulfilled Qatar's bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The family played a critical role in the acquisition of Paris Saint-Germain football club.
Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani, a member of the Qatari royal family, bought Spanish club Malaga for $44 million in June 2010.
WHO IS TAMIM EL SANI? - SUMMARY
Born in Doha on June 3, 1980, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, which is considered the most prestigious military school in Europe, in 1998. Sheikh Tamim, who spoke English and French, was famous for his diligence at the Royal Academy. Tamim, who was appointed Crown Prince on August 5, 2003, chaired many commissions in the Shura Council, from natural resources to environment and urban planning, from education to sports. Sheikh Tamim has two wives. His first wife is his cousin Sheikha Cevahir bint Hamad bin Suhaym El Sani, with whom he has four children, and his second wife is Sheikha Anod bint Mana El Hajri, the mother of his two children.
The prominence of Sheikh Tamim, one of the four sons of the Emir of Qatar and one of the two sons with the title of Crown Prince, is due to the fact that he knows politics better than the other sons of the Emir and that he is more respected than others by his mother and the Emir's Second Wife, Sheikha Moza. depends on its support.