Qatar’s Minister of State for Interior Affairs, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, will be the country’s new prime minister, sources have told Al Jazeera.
The expected appointment comes a day after Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani took over the reins of power from his 61-year-old father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who ruled the country for 18 years. Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani will replace Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, who also held the foreign minister’s portfolio and was considered to be a driving force behind the Gulf state’s rise to global prominence.
Sheikh Tamim, 33, the new emir, is due to to make the announcement in his first major public speech before the country’s consultative council, and will also announce other changes to the government installed by his father. Among those changes will be the appointment of Dr Khalid Bin Mohammad Al Attiyah as Qatar’s new foreign minister, a portfolio that was also previously held by the outgoing PM. Dr Al Attiyah is currently Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Sheikh Tamim, will speak before the Consultative Assembly at around 6:00pm (15:00GMT) on Wednesday to present his new cabinet.
Peaceful transition: The hand over of power in a peaceful transition is seen as a rare moment in the Gulf. “I declare that I will hand over the reins of power to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and I am fully certain that he is up to the responsibility, deserving the confidence, capable of shouldering the responsibility and fulfilling the mission,” Sheikh Hamad said on Tuesday, in an address to the nation.
