Rwanda’s Kagame Pays Tribute to Qatar’s Father Amir Sheikh Hamad

Kagame calls Qatar's Emir "my brother" in a message of condolence, as ties between the two countries deepen through a $2 billion airport project and a possible stake in RwandAir 

Rwandan President Paul Kagame extended his condolences to Qatar's ruling family and people on Sunday following the demise of Sheikh Hamand bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir of Qatar, who died at the age of 74. In a statement posted on social media platform X, Kagame addressed Qatar's current Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, describing him as his "brother" and extending sympathies to the family and the nation. 

"His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani will be remebered as a visionary leader who transformed Qatar into the remarkabe nation it is today", Kagame wrote. "His legacy of service to his people and commitment to friendship and cooporation among nations will endure for generations." The Rwandan leader added that he and the people of Rwanda stand in solidarity with Qatar during its period of mourning. 

A Deepening Bilateral Relationship
Sheikh Hamad's death comes as relations between Rwanda and Qatar continue to deepen, particularly through major investments in aviation and infrastructure. Qatar Airways holds a 60 percent stake in the $2 billion Bugesera International Airport project outside Kigali Rwanda's largest infrastructure investment, a partnership  formalized in 2019 in the presence of President Kagame and then-Emir Tamim. Once completed, the airport is expected to handle 7 million passengers annually in its first phase, rising to 14 million in a later expansion. 
Qatar Airways has also been discusssions to acquire a 49 percent stake in RwandAir building on an existing codeshare partnership and direct flights between Kigali and Doha that suppoer Rwanda's ambitions to become a regional aviation hub. Kagame and Sheikh Tamim, described as close strategic allies, met as recently as May 2026 in Doha to discuss cooperation in development, trade, and regional affairs.

Qatar's Own Mourning Period

Qatar's Amiri Diwan announced Sheikh Hamad's death in a statement carried by the Qatar News Agency, declaring four days of national mourning with flags flown at half-mast across the country and funeral prayers held Sunday in Doha. "With hearts steadfast in faith in God's decree and destiny, the Amiri Diwan mourns the great loss to the nation," the statement read.

A Legacy Recognized Globally

Born in Doha on January 1, 1952, and educated at Britain's Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Sheikh Hamad rose through Qatar's military and political ranks before assuming power in 1995 and ruling for 18 years. During his tenure, Qatar became the world's leading exporter of liquefied natural gas and one of the wealthiest countries by income per capita. He established the Qatar Investment Authority, which built a vast global investment portfolio, while also pursuing major domestic reforms, including Qatar's first permanent constitution in 2004 and expanded opportunities for education, research, and women's political participation.
Kagame's tribute joins a wide array of condolences from world leaders following Sheikh Hamad's death, reflecting the scope of the late Father Amir's influence on regional diplomacy and global affairs well beyond the Middle East.