Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah arrived in the Qatari capital on July 13 to deliver a message of condolence on behalf of Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the Kuwaiti people. He was received at Lusail Palace by Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani along with Minister of Transport Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdullah Al-Thani, Kuwait’s Ambassador Ahmad Abdulrahman Al-Shuraim and other embassy staff, according to a dispatch from the Kuwait News Agency. The Crown Prince later returned to Kuwait after completing the official engagement that formed part of a series of regional condolences following the announcement of the death.
The Kuwait News Agency reported that Sabah Khaled extended condolences to Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Thani and several senior members of the Al-Thani family including Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Sheikh Mohammad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and Sheikh Jassim bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Expressions of sympathy also reached Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Shura Council Speaker Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Ghanim, the wider Al-Thani family and the people of Qatar. The agency detailed the full scope of the meetings that took place inside the palace complex.
Accompanying the Crown Prince was a high-level delegation whose members included Sheikh Mubarak Duaij Ibrahim Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah and Minister of Amiri Diwan Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah. The group further comprised Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Head of Crown Prince Diwan Sheikh Thamer Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Minister of Defense Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, Sheikh Abdullah Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. KUNA listed each participant in its coverage of the visit.
Qatar’s Amiri Diwan announced on July 12 that the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani had died at the age of 74, a development confirmed across multiple regional outlets including Reuters which noted his role in transforming the country. Sheikh Hamad, who ruled from 1995 to 2013, oversaw the discovery of massive natural gas reserves that propelled Qatar onto the global stage as a major energy exporter and investor. The former leader stepped down in 2013 in favor of his son Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani yet retained significant influence as Father Emir until his passing.
The death prompted an immediate outpouring of condolences from across the Gulf and beyond with Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif among those who travelled to Doha, according to statements carried by the Qatar Tribune. Funeral prayers for Sheikh Hamad took place at the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque in Doha on July 12 before burial, as reported by Al Jazeera. The swift diplomatic responses underscored the respect commanded by the deceased across Arab and Islamic nations.
Kuwait and Qatar maintain close diplomatic ties that have deepened through shared membership in the Gulf Cooperation Council and mutual support during past regional crises. The Crown Prince’s visit aligns with similar gestures exchanged between the two countries in moments of national significance over the past decade. KUNA described the delegation’s safe return to Kuwait following the completion of all scheduled meetings in the Qatari capital.
