UN Secretary-General Guterres honors Qatar's late Father Emir at UN ceremony

UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres issued a formal tribute on Monday to Qatar’s late Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who died at the age of 71. The statement, released through the United Nations’ communications office, expressed “deep sorrow” at the loss of a leader who had been a prominent partner of the UN system for decades.

Guterres highlighted Sheikh Hamad’s role in modernising Qatar’s infrastructure, diversifying its economy and championing diplomatic initiatives that aligned with the United Nations’ development and humanitarian agendas. The former emir’s tenure from 1995 to 2013 saw Qatar host several high‑profile international conferences, increase contributions to UN peace‑keeping operations, and launch substantial aid programmes for refugees and disaster‑affected populations. The Secretary‑General noted that these efforts had “strengthened the fabric of multilateral cooperation” and left a lasting imprint on the nation’s global engagement.

The tribute concluded by affirming the continued partnership between Qatar and the United Nations, and by offering condolences to the Qatari people and the Al Thani family. The UN pledged to honour Sheikh Hamad’s legacy through ongoing collaboration on development, climate action and humanitarian assistance.