HH the Amir Meets Ethiopian Prime Minister During Qatar's National Mourning

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met with the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Doha, according to The Peninsula Qatar. The meeting took place amid an extensive wave of visits by foreign heads of state and government to Lusail Palace, where Sheikh Tamim has been receiving condolences following the death of his father, Qatar's Father Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, on July 12.

Part of a Broader Wave of Condolence Visits

The meeting with Ethiopia's premier came alongside a series of similar high-level visits reported the same day, including meetings between Sheikh Tamim and Syria's President, Kazakhstan's President, and the Governor of Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. Other visiting dignitaries confirmed to have traveled to Doha to offer condolences in person include Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, who arrived Monday and was received at Hamad International Airport by Qatar's Minister of Transport and the Maldivian ambassador to Qatar, and the Prime Minister of Libya's Government of National Unity.

Qatar's Amiri Diwan has declared four days of official mourning following Sheikh Hamad's death, suspending government work and lowering flags to half-mast nationwide, with civil servants expected to resume duties on July 19. Sheikh Tamim is continuing to receive visiting heads of state, dignitaries, and citizens at Lusail Palace through the mourning period.

A Longstanding Qatar-Ethiopia Relationship

The meeting builds on a history of engagement between Qatar's leadership and Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali. The two leaders have exchanged phone calls on multiple occasions in recent years, including discussions on bilateral cooperation and regional stability, and Sheikh Tamim has previously sent cables of congratulations to Dr. Abiy following Ethiopian election results. In September 2025, the Ethiopian premier called Sheikh Tamim to express solidarity with Qatar following an Israeli strike on Doha, describing the attack as a flagrant violation of international law and praising Qatar's role in regional conflict mediation.

Qatar's Broader Diplomatic Moment

The condolence visits arrive at a particularly sensitive time for Qatar, which has separately condemned a fresh wave of Iranian attacks on Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait, as well as continued strikes on the Kuwaiti Consulate General in Basra, reaffirming its solidarity with fellow Gulf states amid the region's ongoing security tensions. Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called for a return to dialogue and de-escalation even as it continues to receive an outpouring of international condolences and support following Sheikh Hamad's passing.