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Qatar’s Emir appoints foreign minister as premier
On Tuesday Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani of Qatar named the country's foreign minister as the new prime minister in a cabinet reshuffle.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, foreign minister since 2016, was appointed by Qatar’s emir as the new prime minister and will continue on as foreign minister.
The Qatar News Agency says Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was sworn in as the new head of government on Tuesday March 7th, replacing Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdelaziz al-Thani, who had been in the position since 2020.
As is often the case in Gulf countries, Qatar’s ruling Emir appoints top government officials and other key positions from members of the ruling family.
The appointment of Qatar’s foreign minister as premier signals the Gulf state’s focus on diplomacy, foreign policy and its desire to build upon its international profile. The new premier helped steer the country through critical times, the blockade and the scrutiny underwent over the World Cup.
Sheikh Mohammed was the public face of Qatar as it navigated nearly four years of economic boycott by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain that only came to an end in January 2021.
All rulers but Bahrain’s visited Doha during the World Cup in a show of support and renewed relations with Gulf neighbours.
Gas-rich Qatar kept Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari as Finance Minister and Saad al-Kaabi as Energy Minister, reappointed to their positions by the emir who also named the chief of 2022 World Cup security as interior minister.
The country’s $450 billion sovereign wealth fund, Qatar Investment Authority, also saw the appointment of the Governor of the central bank, Sheikh Bandar Bin Mohammed Bin Saoud Al-Thani as its chairman, replacing Sheikh Mohammed.
