With her son Tamim on the throne, former first lady Sheikha Mozah can feel secure.
With her son on the throne, former first lady Sheikha Mozah can feel secure.
Her name was not mentioned in the heartfelt dedication to the parent, which the newly crowned son delivered, addressing the nation. She did not appear during the broadcast of the oath taking by thousands of Qataris
to the new emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad a-Thani and the "emir-father".
But Moza bint Nasser al-Missned was at the heart of the palace drama in Doha, a drama that culminated this week when her husband abdicated in favor of her son in an unprecedented moment in the modern history of Gulf monarchies.
What happened was not just the transfer of the throne to her son - one of the 24 children of Sheikh Hamad from three wives. It also culminated in her struggle with the Sheikh's worst enemy in the Byzantine world of Qatari politics, Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Yassim, who had been ousted from power.
With her chiseled profile, her famously glamorous togas, and her unusual public role in the ultra-conservative Gulf, Sheikha Mozah, 53, has secured her place in Qatar's history - nothing less than as the emirate's matriarch. One of her allies said of the coronation: "It was her finest hour."
Her husband's resignation also means she will have to adjust to a more modest role - after decades of being the most recognizable woman in the Gulf. Meanwhile, Sheikh Tamim has yet to name one of his two wives as crown consort.
Salman Sheikh of the Brookings Doha Center comments: "I'm sure Sheikha Mozah will now go into the shadows. But just like her husband, she will continue to be a stabilizing influence on what's going on around her."
The elegant Sheikha was behind a Qatari investment fund's purchase of Italian fashion label Valentino last year. She also attracted the attention of fashion journalists - along with other first ladies - Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni.
At home, she attracts attention, and at the same time, is a source of irritation. In the Gulf, where the first ladies are not seen, her appearance - she wears a hijab but refuses to wear a veil, and her economic and social activity is shocking.
Sheikha has managed to create a base of support for herself - through the Qatar Foundation - an organization dedicated to education and research. About 15 years ago, she founded Education City - with chapters in prestigious institutions such as Georgetown and Weill Cornell.
This desire for enlightenment and development contrasts sharply with her commitment to Qatari autocratic traditions. In 2008, Sheikha Mozah was behind the creation of a free press center in Qatar. It was led by the former head of Reporters Without Borders, Robert Menard. Less than a year later, Menard left, cursing "the rejection by some Qatari officials of the center of a free press."
Sheikh is considered to be extremely hardworking, loyal, firm and physically strong. She is said to enjoy spinning. Those people who have encountered the Qatar Foundation headed by her characterize the organization only as a "snake pit".
Sheikha was born in Qatar in 1959, the son of a wealthy merchant. Her father quarreled with the emir and went into exile - to Egypt and Kuwait. Rumor has it that she met Hamad, whom she married at 18, when he was trying to negotiate terms for her clan's return to Qatar. And for her, the 1995 coup, when Hamad removed her father from power, was nothing more than a personal revenge for the hardships experienced by her family.
Despite the fact that she is only the second wife of the emir, and the third wife was arranged specifically in order to limit the influence of Moza, no one doubts that she is the first lady.
According to her fans, the Sheikha, like the emir, has an independent mindset. After her marriage, she returned to Qatar University and completed her education with a degree in sociology.
It is said that the partnership between Sheikha and Hamad is very strong: during meetings with foreign guests, one often finishes a phrase begun by the other.
It was Sheikha Mozah who convinced her husband to intervene in Libya on the side of the rebels in 2011, when Muammar Gaddafi could take Benghazi. This was a defining moment in the new history of Qatar, the beginning of its coming to the fore. Moza's connection to Libya dates back long before the war - her father was a trading partner of an important clan in Benghazi.
Despite this, analysts predict that her son will change his position on the fire raging in the region, and, above all, the Syrian war. The reason for this is a chorus of accusations of meddling in the internal affairs of other states, meddling that will help jeopardize the future of the Gulf monarchies.
The sheikha's influence will be greatest in her homeland, where she, along with her husband, leads the elite, carrying out political, cultural and educational reforms, the purpose of which is to adapt the nation to the changes it is experiencing. Some of the decisions made by the emira were reversed - for example, an attempt to make English the main language in educational institutions. Prince Tamim is said to have insisted on the cancellation.
Many expect that the new ruler will emphasize the preservation of the national identity and traditions of the country, 85% of whose population are migrants. With her victory assured, Sheikha Mozah must adjust to new realities. Mr Sheikh of the Brookings Doha Center says: "She will need to be careful about how she projects her influence now. And she will be careful."
Sheikha Moza, matriarch of the modern Gulf. Simeon Kerr and Roula Khalaf, Financial Times. June 28, 2013
A thick curtain threatens to fall again between West and East. One of the most powerful women in the world Mose bint Nasseral al Missned once already managed to prove: it's not forever. Is repetition possible when the love of high fashion brings the worlds closer together?
To choose the country's next sovereign, to remind her husband to buy the House of Valentino, to make the Arab world a new face - Sheikha Moza's family concerns have long been concerned not only with a small, but also a fabulously rich peninsula in the Persian Gulf. The second wife of the third, now former Emir of Qatar, turned her style into a mission, becoming the most famous Muslim woman and global fashion trendsetter. The style revolution, according to Her Highness, was supposed to unite women in different parts of the world.
Sheikha Moza's style revolution
Most of the indigenous women of Qatar today prefer to dress like their Arabian great-grandmothers: a spacious abaya hides the body from the chin to the feet, a niqab, a wide bandage on the forehead with two scarves, leaves only the eyes visible. Shariah regulations allow showing the face and hands in public, but many ignore even this assumption. Given by the Sheikh the opportunity not to wear traditional clothes, Qatari women are in no hurry to use it, as well as the right not to work and vote on an equal basis with men. The country's constitution still calls the observance of national traditions and customs the duty of every citizen. The husband must approve of his wife's style of dress, political parties in the emirate are out of the question.
With much more enthusiasm, Moza's compatriots responded to permission to drive. Almost every Arab family can afford a staff of servants, but driving alone for another Prada handbag through Doha, melting from the heat, means freedom, not burdened with guilt.
First outrageous public appearance
Moza, who first appeared in public without a hijab in 2002, made a lot of noise. The al-Thani dynasty has ruled the territory of modern Qatar since the eighteenth century, since then Sharia law has been the only thing that can limit the power of the emir. And now the Sheikh, the main status element of the public life of the monarch, shows the entire honest world the avrat - parts of the body that Sharia prescribes to cover. And if the naked neck, doubly luxurious framed by a platinum necklace from Cartier, is no longer a reason for dispute, then what to do with the silhouette? All curves of the body, brought to full compliance with Western standards of beauty, are carefully outlined; the waist and chest are emphasized. The face with fashionable make-up is open, only the hair is pulled back with a cloth. Was this woman covered up properly, or was she literally naked?
The image of Her Highness without a hijab, only a dotted line indicating Muslim traditions, with all its European elegance, leaves no doubt that we have the second of the three wives of Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.
Giant custom-made platinum necklaces (the most famous of them cost the emir almost a million dollars), sparkling diamond belts, chandeliers playing with emeralds and sapphires, precious brooches - jewelry masterpieces, along with the invariable turban, remained an integral part of her costume. For business receptions, Mosa usually chooses a string of pearls, which Dior would probably consider to be large.
In a part of the world where the display of luxury has long gone out of fashion, openly admired the style of the first lady of Qatar. Let Sheikha wear a fortune on her wrists and neck, it is obvious that her true passion is the precious collections of Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Chanel. For the first time since the reign of Farah Pahlavi, proclaimed by her husband the Empress of Iran, a female voice from the East sounded loudly at the receptions of world royal dynasties, and the protocol boredom of official visits was dispelled by the alluring spirit of haute couture with a sultry character.
Impact on the fashion industry
Today's role of Sheikha Mozah in the fashion industry is largely due to expensive purchases - in addition to the house Valentino the al-Thani family owns the brand M Missoni, brand QELA(Moza design), stocks LVMH, Harrods and Tiffany&Co. However, she will go down in fashion history for her unique style, formed over the years, based on the experience of the most sophisticated first ladies in the world.
In the wedding photos, 18-year-old Qatar University student Moza bint Nasser, covered in a headscarf, looks confused. The daughter of an influential father, whose oppositional and largely pro-Western activities provided headaches for the emirate for many years, returned to her homeland as a dove of peace. The subsequent palace coup made Hamad al-Thani the new emir and allowed his wife Moza to take over family and education issues (and not only Qatar, but the entire Arab world - since 2003 she has been a Special Envoy of UNESCO), as well as wear what you like.
sources of inspiration
Initially, the experiments with the style of the new first lady are a direct adaptation of the latest haute couture collections to the requirements of her religion.
A special attitude towards Italians, in particular to Valentino, makes Mosa related to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis much more than the way you dress in general. Despite the label arab jackie oh”, even the desire to always emphasize the waist and make dark glasses part of the image has different origins for both first ladies. The silhouettes of Moza have little in common with Cassini during his collaboration with Jacqueline, she is closest to his work during the period of alliance with Grace Kelly. The image of the princess of Monaco most often flashes in the outfits of Moza. With the same obvious affection, she refers to the adored bettina blouses and successfully quotes Grace's casual style - shirt, wide trousers, straw hat, as during a trip to the Caucasus in the company of Ulyana Sergeenko last summer. Yes, and the famous turban of the Sheikh, too, seems to have been removed from the head of Kelly, who at one time re-introduced it into fashion in the footsteps of Hollywood divas Gretta Garbo and Ava Gardiner.
Sheikha Moza's victories
The loss of the throne by Hamad al-Thani in 2013 upset fashionistas around the world - it is not so easy to give up the habit of following the stylish fights of Mozah and the first ladies of the West.
Sheikh has many well-deserved victories. Thinking through the outfits, she clearly studied the wardrobe features of her partner, with whom she would share the attention of reporters. In an embrace with Princess Maxima of the Netherlands, the contrast of white and black helped her catch her eye. The democratic simplicity of Michelle Obama's outfits has lost its charm against the backdrop of theatrical luxury. Unaccustomed to remaining in the shadows, Carla Bruni, clearly stung by the comparison in favor of Moza, tried to act as a strategist herself during the second visit of the al-Thani couple to Élysée Palace in 2009. Betting on her own elegance, she opted for a white flowing dress with bare shoulders - an impossible luxury for the Sheikha, but the pulsating shade of Moza's outfit literally made Karla disappear. Sheikha's choice was risky, as soon as the wife of the President of France noticed her rival's tendency to monochrome and preferred a combination of colors, Moza's figure would indeed look too bulky against her background in an overabundance of purple.
By 2011, Her Highness's turbans had moved straight to the catwalks, her favorite icicle heels in the form of a piece of people were firmly established in the wardrobes of followers. To the last official visit to London Sheikha Moza, a recognized trendsetter, prepared with great care, showing the best outfits for the entire period of the evolution of her style. To date, the only woman who has never been lost in the background of her brilliance is the 89-year-old Elizabeth II. Next to the too firmly and too long standing Queen of Great Britain, Mosa, Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, looks like a tastefully dressed, but ordinary woman.
A year after taking the throne, Moza's British-educated son Prince Tamim approved the launch of the Show Respect campaign, which requires women to dress appropriately when visiting Qatar.
On the other side of the world, at the same time, a Belgian official tore off the niqab from one of the Qatari princesses. And girls around the world are still closely watching Moza and her outfits.
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It is generally accepted that in Arab countries women always remain in the shadows. Sheikha Moza, the second of the 3 wives of the third Emir of Qatar, with her appearance defies all stereotypes about oriental women. Always in unique impeccable outfits, with a royal posture, she became not only an icon of style in the Arab world, but also the brightest public figure.
We are in website We are sincerely delighted with the history of the sheikh and we think that everyone should learn about it, and at the same time admire the exotic beauty of this stunning woman.
Sheikha Moza's story
Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Misned was born into a wealthy family. Her father was a prominent Qatari businessman. Moza's childhood and youth were reminiscent of an oriental fairy tale, and at the age of 18 she met the future Emir of Qatar, then Prince Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.
Contrary to the established orders in the East, the girl was in no hurry to become a housewife. She received a psychological degree from the University of Qatar, then went on an internship in the United States. Returning to her homeland, Moza, being the second wife of the Sheikh, gave birth to a child. The first years in the new status, the woman devoted to caring for children. In total, the sheikh gave her husband seven children. It was her son who became the heir to the throne and the 4th Emir of Qatar, although the sheikh had 25 children from three wives.
Sheikha Moza with her husband and son Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani - the 4th Emir of Qatar.
Sheikha Moza style
Sheikha Mozah has always been a woman of character. Even being not the first wife of the emir, she was able to achieve participation in public affairs, which could not but cause astonishment in Qatari society. Her outfits were even more striking: the sheikh allowed his wife not to wear a veil - only elegant turbans cover her head.
Left - journalist Nora Al-Hakbani (Saudi Arabia), right - Sheikha Mozah.
Her bold image gave impetus to change. The society began to discuss new, brighter and more modern outfits for respectable Muslim women. Since then, Moza has become a style icon, constantly demonstrating that an oriental woman can look decent, but at the same time be stunning. Sheikh wears dresses, skirts, and (horror!) trousers. All this before her was considered unacceptable in the Arab world.
Sheikha with Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.
At Harvard University (Massachusetts, USA).
Sheikh never seen in a boring outfit. Her images combine the elegance, brightness and femininity of a strong, self-confident woman. At the same time, Moza does not use the services of stylists - she selects all the images herself, considering this to be something like psychotherapy.
We would like to look into the dressing room of the Sheikh! She is the owner of countless haute couture outfits. A special place in the wardrobe of the royal person is occupied by images from Valentino (the controlling stake in the fashion house belongs to her family).
humanitarian mission
At a lesson in a school in the city of El Obeid (Sudan).
Among the Arab rulers, the third Emir of Qatar has always been considered a progressive leader - largely due to the humanitarian and charitable programs of his wife. Sheikh is an active public figure. She is the UNESCO Special Ambassador for Basic and Higher Education.
This is not just an honorary position, as you might think. Sheikha has spent years fighting for equal access to education for children. She traveled the planet with this important mission, met with state leaders and patrons, drawing attention to the problem. Her Educate a Child Foundation helps children living in the world's poorest places and victims of war and conflict get a chance at a better life by going to school.
Sheikha Mozah has invested $7.9 billion to build a hospital for women. Thanks to the Sheikha Mozah Foundation, 10 million children began attending school in 6 years.
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was born on June 3, 1980 in Doha, Qatar. Appointed heir to the throne in 2003, after the abdication of his elder brother Jassem.
Education
He studied in the UK at Sherborne School, Dorset (a copy of which he later reproduced in Doha). There he also graduated from high school, the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, served in the Qatari army.
"Topics"
"News"
Putin discussed the situation in the Middle East with the Emir of Qatar
Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed the situation in the Middle East and Syria during a telephone conversation. This was stated in the press service of the Kremlin.
“An exchange of views took place on key issues of the situation in the Middle East, in the Persian Gulf region, as well as on the situation in Syria, taking into account the current successes in the fight against terrorist groups and the prospects for a political settlement in this country,” the report says.
Qatar's Persian Gulf neighbors are tired of Doha's willfulness
On June 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, as well as the internationally recognized government of Yemen severed diplomatic relations with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism. In addition, states have announced that they are suspending air, land and sea communications with Qatar and Qatari citizens will be required to return home within two weeks.
Turkish President's visit to Qatar ended with the signing of cooperation agreements
DOHA, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan ended a two-day official visit to Qatar on Wednesday, during which the two countries signed more than 10 agreements and memorandums of understanding on cooperation.
According to the Qatar News Agency, these documents cover legal and financial areas, training, food security, tourism and port management.
Emir of Qatar for the first time publicly responded to the boycott of his country
The day after the issuance of the decree on the fight against terrorism, the Emir of Qatar made the first video message about the boycott by some Arab countries. Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani declared readiness for negotiations
The Kremlin announced the receipt of a message to Putin from the Emir of Qatar
Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin received a message from the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to President Vladimir Putin. Peskov told reporters about this, TASS reports.
Rosneft: Putin hit the big jackpot
Putin's personal contribution may indeed have been significant. Qatar cannot be called a traditional ally of Russia. Until the beginning of this year, relations between these countries were tense, and they are officially on opposite sides of the Syrian conflict. However, Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visited Moscow in January and spoke with Putin for two hours. This meeting was held behind closed doors, but we can well guess its content. Qatar is extremely interested in ending the Syrian war because it wants to supply gas to Europe through a pipeline that should ideally run through Syria. This is contrary to the interests of Russia, which is the main supplier of gas to Europe, and Russia's involvement in the affairs of the region makes this plan less realistic. However, although Putin is working closely with Iran in Syria, he does not want a direct confrontation with the Gulf states: he is interested in their investments and is ready to discuss with them the post-war future of Syria.
Glencore and Qatar buy a stake in Rosneft. What does this mean for Russia?
Nevertheless, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visited Moscow in January and talked to Putin for two hours. The meeting was held behind closed doors, but the agenda is not hard to imagine: Qatar is keenly interested in ending the Syrian war, as it would like to sell gas to Europe - and this is most conveniently done through a pipeline passing through Syrian territory.
After winning the election, Trump and future Vice President Pence held telephone conversations with the heads of 26 states.
Argentine President Mauricio Macri, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, British Prime Minister Theresa May, German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lekke Rasmussen, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, King Abdullah of Jordan have already spoken to the future US leadership. II, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Chinese President Xi Jinping , Colombian President Juan Calderon, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, New Zealand Prime Minister John Kay, UAE President Khalifa Al Nahyan, UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Republic of Korea President Park Geun-hye , President of Russia Vladimir Putin, King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister Turkish President Benali Yildirim, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, French President Francois Hollande and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Emir of Qatar vows to support Tunisia's economy
The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, said on Tuesday that his country will allocate $1.25 billion to help Tunisia's economy, Agence France-Presse reported.
Speaking at an investment conference in Tunisia, the Emir of Qatar said he would provide financial assistance to "support the Tunisian economy and strengthen the development process." He did not provide further details on the financial aid package.
A conference is being held in Tunisia, in which politicians and business representatives take part. According to the agency, the country's authorities hope that the participants of the event will help attract investments worth several billion dollars to the country, in particular, for the implementation of about 140 projects worth about $32 billion.
Emir of Qatar
Emir of Qatar since 1995, Prime Minister of Qatar (1995-1996). Before that - Supreme Commander of the Qatar Armed Forces (1972-1995), Minister of Defense (1977-1995), Chairman of the State Planning Committee of Qatar (1989-1995), Chairman of the State Committee for Youth Affairs of Qatar (1979-1991).
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was born on January 1, 1952. He became the eldest (according to other sources, the second in seniority) of the five sons of Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani (Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani) - cousin-nephew of the then ruling Emir of Qatar, Ali bin Abdullah al-Thani (Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani), representative the al-Thani dynasty, which has ruled the country since the middle of the 19th century,,.
After graduating from school in Qatar (having received a home education), Hamad continued his studies in the UK, where in 1971 he graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (Royal Military Academy Sandhurst). It was noted that many Middle Eastern monarchs became graduates of the same educational institution, including King Abdullah II of Jordan (Abdullah II) and the Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said al Said. Returning to his homeland, Hamad began serving in the Armed Forces of Qatar with the rank of lieutenant colonel and in 1971-1972 commanded the First Motorized Infantry Battalion, later named after him "Hamad Battalion",,.
In the same 1971, Qatar, which had been under British protectorate since 1916, became an independent state, and in February 1972 Hamad's father, having deposed his cousin Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani, became the Emir of Qatar. After coming to power, he began to implement reforms aimed at modernizing the country, cut government spending on the maintenance of the ruling dynasty, and directed a significant part of the proceeds from oil and gas production to support social programs. Hamad, in 1972 (some media mentioned 1975) was promoted to major general and appointed Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Qatar,.
In 1977, Hamad became the heir to the throne and the country's defense minister. Under his leadership, the modernization of the Qatari Armed Forces was carried out, during which the main attention was paid to the introduction of modern weapons and the training of personnel,. In 1979, Hamad became chairman of the State Committee for Youth Affairs, and in 1989 he headed one of the key departments of Qatar - the State Planning Committee, which was responsible for the development of the country's industry and agriculture,.
In 1991, the Qatar Armed Forces, led by Hamad, participated in the war for the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi occupation,. In June 1993, Hamad became deputy emir (deputy emir); it was noted that by this time most of the powers to govern the state were concentrated in his hands,,.
On June 27, 1995, when his father, who spent most of his time traveling abroad, was in Switzerland, Hamad declared himself the new Emir and Prime Minister of Qatar (a year later, he handed over the post of head of government to his brother Abdullah (Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani)) , , , . Upon learning of the coup, Khalifa bin Hamad publicly disowned his son and on February 14, 1996, launched an unsuccessful counter-coup attempt. After that, Hamad, by hiring the American law firm Patton Boggs and, with its help, having achieved the freezing of his father's foreign money accounts, secured himself against new encroachments on power. Khalifa bin Hamad was able to return to Qatar only in 2004 - after reconciliation with his son,,. At the same time, according to some reports, not all members of the al-Thani "family" recognized his authority and returned from exile.
Having come to power, Hamad, as noted by the media, became the youngest and most reform-minded monarch of the Persian Gulf. Surrounding himself also with young, Western-educated technocrats, he implemented a series of economic reforms, including the privatization of a number of state-owned enterprises in need of modernization. The Hamad government paid special attention to the development of the gas sector of the industry, primarily the production and export of liquefied natural gas: having started selling small volumes of LNG in 1997, by 2006 Qatar became the world's largest exporter of this type of raw material,.
In addition, Hamad undertook a major reform of Qatar's political system. In 1999, for the first time, direct elections were held in the country to the Municipal Council (an advisory body under the Ministry of Municipal Administration), and both men and women, who were granted voting rights by the Emir, could both vote and run for the council. In 2003, the Qatar constitution was adopted at a referendum, according to which a parliament was established, consisting of 45 deputies (two-thirds of them were to be elected, the rest to be appointed by the emir). However, parliamentary elections scheduled for 2007 have been postponed several times. In 2010, Hamad announced that parliamentary elections would be held at the end of 2013,,. As Western journalists have repeatedly noted, with all these changes, the state structure of Qatar remained far from democratic: there was a ban on the activities of political parties in the country, freedom of speech was limited, and the power of the monarch himself remained virtually unlimited,.
In its foreign policy, Qatar during the reign of Hamad took a moderate position and sought to maintain relations with all regional forces. Qatar has often acted as a mediator in resolving various political conflicts in the Middle East, including the 2008 government crisis in Lebanon, the conflict in Sudanese Darfur, the confrontation between the Palestinian movements Fatah and Hamas, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,,. Analysts noted Qatar's transition to a more aggressive foreign policy with the beginning of the "Arab Spring" (waves of popular uprisings in 2010-2011 in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria and other countries),; moreover, in the Russian official press, Qatar, headed by al-Thani, was called its "main sponsor and ideologist" . Qatar became the first Arab state to support the NATO military operation in Libya and sent six of its Air Force fighter jets there, later Qatar actively supported the armed opposition in Syria. In general, the media noted, Hamad had a reputation as a pro-American politician: in this regard, the press drew attention to the support of Hamad by the United States in 1995, as well as the fact that in 2003 the main US Air Force base in the region was moved from Saudi Arabia to Qatar (Al Udeid Air Base) , .
One of the most important tools of Qatar's influence in the Middle East, the media called the Al Jazeera news channel, which began operating in November 1996. Hamad co-founded Al Jazeera by decreeing a grant of $137 million to the television company for a five-year period. After this time, the government of Qatar continued to provide annual financial support to the television company,,.
In April 2007, Hamad appointed Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani as the new prime minister. At the same time, the new head of the cabinet retained the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, which he had held since 1992,,.
Arab media have repeatedly reported on the prevention of coup attempts to remove Hamad from power: in particular, such reports appeared in October 2002, August 2009 and February 2011,,. The latest conspiracy allegedly involved members of the royal family and the highest ranks of the Qatari army, including Chief of Staff Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah (Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah). Also in February 2011, a manifesto of the Qatari opposition was circulated, the authors of which (including 16 members of the al-Thani family) declared the Hamad regime illegitimate and declared support for the exiled brother of the Emir Abdul Aziz (Abdul Aziz bin Khalifa in Hamad Al-Thani) , accusing Hamad and his entourage of links with the US and Israel, anti-Arab politics and corruption,.
In September 2011, some Arab media reported an attempt on Hamad's life: according to reports, the emir's escort was attacked in Doha when Hamad was heading to his palace after meeting with the Russian ambassador (according to other sources, to meet with the ambassador). It was also reported that as a result of the assassination attempt, eight guards were killed, and the emir himself was injured. However, members of the emir's family later denied the information about the assassination attempt,.
Hamad is known for his interest in the development of sports: it was noted that he pays much attention to the development of the country's sports infrastructure and the holding of world-class competitions in Qatar. So, since 2004, one of the stages of the World Motorcycle Racing Championship (Qatar Grand Prix) has been held in Qatar, in 2006 the Asian Games were held in the country, and in 2010 FIFA satisfied Qatar’s application to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup - it was the first time must pass in one of the countries of the Middle East,.
Hamad has been awarded orders from dozens of countries around the world, including Oman, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Indonesia, Great Britain, France, Morocco, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, Senegal, Pakistan, Germany, Romania, Italy, Yemen, Cuba, Ivory Coast , Finland, Greece, Dominican Republic, Portugal, Croatia, Malta, Netherlands, Macedonia and Albania.
Hamad's personal fortune was estimated at $2.4 billion by Forbes magazine in 2010.
The media published information that Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani is sick with diabetes, a disease that is widespread in Qatar, for the indigenous people of which closely related marriages are traditional,.
Used materials
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P.P. Lvov. Qatar - a dwarf with the ambitions of a giant or a mirage in the Arabian Desert? Part 3. - Middle East Institute, 12.01.2012
Huda NV. Action plan to curb diabetes launched. - Doha Press, 27.11.2011
Hina Agarwal. Qatar to hold elections in 2013. - Arabian Gazette, 09.11.2011
Bill Wilson. World Cup 2022 challenges for Qatar to tackle. - BBC News, 06.10.2011
Meghan L. O'Sullivan. Tiny Qatar's Big Plans May Change Mideast: Meghan L. O'Sullivan. - Bloomberg, 04.10.2011
MotoGP to launch 2012 season in April: QMMF. - The Peninsula, 15.09.2011
Dina Pyanykh, Dmitry Tarasov. The family of the Emir of Qatar refutes the information about the assassination attempt on the head of state. - ITAR-TASS, 05.09.2011
Abortive assassination attempt against Emir of Qatar. - IRIB, 05.09.2011
Christopher M. Blanchard. Qatar: Background and U.S. relation. - Federation of American Scientists, 16.05.2011
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Report: Qatar emir foils coup attempt amid growing tensions. - Al Bawaba, 28.02.2011
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