Governante do país entre 1995 e 2013, emir estabeleceu laços estreitos com Israel e Irã

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has died at age 74. The state-run Qatar News Agency reported his death without offering a cause.

Sheikh Hamad, who ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, was a key architect of the energy-rich Gulf country's development.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former emir of Qatar who transformed the Gulf nation into a global hub for diplomacy, media and investment, has died at 74, state media…

It was also during his tenure, in 1996, that Al Jazeera, a Qatar-funded global news organisation, was established.

His reign saw the launch of Al Jazeera and Qatar's emergence as a regional power