Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani

77
Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani bigraphy, stories - Former Emir of Qatar

Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani : biography

17 September 1932 –

Emir Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Muhammed Al Thani GCB GCMG (born 1932) (Arabic" خليفة بن حمد الثاني) was the Emir of Qatar from 27 February 1972 until he was deposed by his son Hamad bin Khalifa on 27 June 1995.

Coup

While Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani was staying in Geneva, Switzerland, in July 1995, his son Hamad bin Khalifa took the throne. He lived in France until he returned to Qatar in 2004.

Views

He was more conservative than his son, but in general he is thought to be the one who began the country’s process of modernization.

Marriages and children

Sheikh Khalifa has five sons and ten daughters from four wives.

  • Sheikha Amna bint Hassan bin Abdulla Al Thani
    • Abdelaziz bin Khalifa, Petroleum and finance minister (1972–1991)
    • Shaikha Noora bint Khalifa
  • Second wife from Al Atiyyah family
    • Hamad bin Khalifa, Emir of Qatar from 1995 to 2013.
    • Shaikha Hisssa bint Khalifa
    • Shaikha Amina bint Khalifa
    • Shaikha Jafla bint Khalifa
    • Shaikha Amal bint Khalifa
  • Sheikha Rudha bint Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani
    • Abdullah bin Khalifah Al Thani, Prime Minister (1996–2007)
    • Muhammed bin Khalifa
    • Shaikha Aisha bint Khalifa
    • Shaikha Mouza bint Khalifa
    • Shaikha Maryam bint Khalifa
  • Mouza bint Ali bin Saud Al Thani
    • Jassim bin Khalifa
    • Shaikha Al Anud bint Khalifa
    • Shaikha Nouf bint Khalifa

Career

In 1957, Khalifa was named as the minister of education. Then he was appointed the deputy Emir. He was named as the heir apparent on 24 October 1960. In the 1960s he also served as the prime minister and the minister of finance.

On 22 February 1972, Sheikh Khalifa became the Emir of Qatar, seizing power from his cousin and then emir Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani. His initial activity was the process of the reorganization of the government. Next he appointed a foreign minister and an adviser to himself regarding the day-to-day affairs. On 19 April 1972, he amended the Constitution and expanded the Cabinet by appointing more ministers. Diplomatic relations were also established with a number of the foreign countries at ambassadorial level.

On 18 July 1989, the cabinet was reshuffled for the first time, replacing most of the previous ministers and making it consist of 15 ministers. The Cabinet was again reshuffled under his premiership on 1 September 1992, expanding it to 17 members.

The state revenue from oil sector had increased as the result of the rising of a number of production sharing agreements with foreign oil companies. Two production-sharing agreements were signed with the Standard Oil Company of Ohio in January 1985 and Amoco in February 1986. In January 1989, another production sharing agreement was signed between Qatar and the France State owned oil company Elf Aquitaine. In the middle of 1991, production of gas in the Qatar North Field, the world’s largest single field of non-associated gas commenced, which has proven gas of reserves of around 250 trillion cubic feet and probable reserves of 500 trillion cubic feet. While the search for finding more oil deposits in Qatar continued, Qatar built an industrial base in order to reduce dependence on the oil sector.

Early years

Sheikh Khalifa was born in Rayyan in 1932. He was the son of Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani and grandson of Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani.