UNITED ARAB EMIRATES PERSPECTIVE

Abu Dhabi, July 13, 2026. The United Arab Emirates has declared four days of national mourning following the death of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the father of Qatar's emir, who passed away on Sunday, July 12, at the age of 74. The UAE Presidential Court announced that flags will be flown at half-staff at all official institutions in the country, as well as at Emirati embassies and diplomatic missions abroad, from Sunday until the end of the day on Wednesday, July 15. An official statement presented condolences to the Al Thani family and offered prayers for the rest of the deceased's soul.

This gesture is part of a broader regional solidarity movement. Kuwait has also announced four days of official mourning, with Emir Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah ordering flags to be flown at half-staff across the country and at Kuwaiti representations abroad. Qatar, for its part, has suspended the activity of ministries and public institutions starting from Monday, July 13, with employees set to return to work on Sunday, July 19, according to the Emiri Diwan.

Qatari authorities specified that the funeral prayer for Sheikh Hamad will be held after the Maghreb prayer at the Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab Mosque, before his burial at the Lusail cemetery. Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will receive condolences from heads of state, the ruling family, and dignitaries at the Lusail Palace on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Sheikh Hamad, born in 1952 in Doha, had taken power in 1995 before peacefully transferring it to his son Tamim in 2013. His reign is associated with the modernization of the Qatari state, the adoption of the permanent Constitution, and the launch of the "National Vision 2030," which focuses on a knowledge-based economy.

For Abu Dhabi, the protocolary scope of the tribute - flags at half-staff even in embassies, official condolences addressed directly to the Al Thani family - reflects the importance given to diplomatic balances in the Gulf, where Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE regularly coordinate their positions. The official Emirati message remains centered on solidarity between monarchies, without revisiting the deceased's political legacy.