QATAR: Change in prime minister but not in policy

GULF COUNTRIES - In Brief 28 Jan 2020 by Justin Alexander

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The news today that Qatar’s Emir had replaced the prime minister came as a surprise, as did the selected replacement, Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdelaziz al-Thani. There was no indication that a change was coming and it seemed to catch many people in Doha off guard. To the best we can tell so far, the change was not due to any issues with Sheikh Abdullah bin Nassar al-Thani’s performance, but rather came at his request as a result of ill health. The Emir initially appointed him as PM and interior minister in his first cabinet in 2013 and he has provided a steady and often stern lead through the challenges of the oil price crash from 2014 and the regional blockade since 2017, including attending two summits in Riyadh last year in efforts to thaw relations with Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Khalid, who is similarly taking on the interior portfolio as well, is seen as another reliable implementer who will maintain a relatively low profile. He’s a familiar face, aged 51, who has headed the Emiri Diwan (the ruler’s office) since 2014 and already has established relations across government. We had previously wondered if the foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani might be next in line to become prime minister. His leading role managing relations with the US and Iran through recent turbulence and his promotion to deputy prime minister and appointment to key boards, including the Qatar Investment Authority, meant that he seemed to be developing a similar role to HBJ (Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani), who combined the roles of prime minister, foreign minister and QIA CEO at the peak of his influence in 2007-2013. This might still be in Sheikh Mohamad’s future, but his p...