Qatar prepares for leadership handover

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/24/qatar-prepares-leadership-handover-emir

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Qatar seems to be preparing its population of nearly 2 million for new leadership, with the emir and prime minister apparently ready to step down.

The tiny country, the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, is a global investment powerhouse, a growing force in international media and sport, and a financial backer of Arab Spring revolts.

The Qatari-owed al-Jazeera television channel said the emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, 61, would meet ruling family members and decision makers on Monday "amid reports that he intends to hand over power to his crown prince, Sheikh Tamim".

The satellite channel said it had learned of the news from "reliable Qatari sources", but provided no further details.

Diplomats said this month the emir was considering an orderly transfer of power that would probably begin with the departure of the powerful prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, 53.

Arab and Western diplomats said they understood the motive was the emir's desire to have a smooth transition to a younger generation. Such a transition would be unusual for Gulf Arab states where leaders usually die in office.

They said they expected the reshuffle to take one of two courses – either Sheikh Tamim would replace Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim as the prime minister until he takes over as emir when his father eventually steps down, or the deputy prime minister, Ahmed al-Mahmoud, would become the next prime minister when Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim steps aside.

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim has been prime minister since 2007 and has played a key role in positioning Qatar as a powerbroker in the region. He is also chairman of the board of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), a position he is expected to retain. QIA has estimated assets of between $100bn and $200bn.

The emir has elevated the country's international profile in recent years through the launch and development of the al-Jazeera television network, as well as its successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup.

The Gulf state has played a substantial role in promoting the Arab Spring, lending significant support to rebels who ousted former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and to the uprising seeking to topple the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad.

It has also hosted a delegation of the Afghan Taliban, which opened an office in Doha last week in preparation for an expected revival of talks with the United States.

Other political crises and wars Qatar has tackled include Yemen, Somalia, Lebanon, Darfur and the Palestinian territories, often hosting peace talks on its own soil to try to prove it can punch above its weight in international diplomacy.

Sheikh Tamim is only 33. But Eman Ebed Alkadi of Eurasia Group consultants wrote that she did not expect Qatari domestic priorities or foreign policy to change significantly with a change of ruler.

"Tamim has controlled key policies in Qatar for some time, and shares his father's views on political development in Qatar and economic diversification", Alkadi wrote.

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