World leaders arrive in Doha for mourning of Qatar's former emir

World leaders continued to arrive in Doha on Wednesday as Qatar observed the third day of national mourning for Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The former emir, who ruled from 1995 to 2013, died on Sunday at the age of 74. The visits have turned the capital into a focal point for diplomatic condolences, with senior figures from Europe, the Middle East and Africa paying respects to Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

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Among those expected in Doha is Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, whose visit comes as tensions between Tehran and Washington remain high after renewed military exchanges in the Gulf. Several European figures were also reported to have travelled to Qatar, including French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili and Britain's Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward. Earlier on Wednesday, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Jordan's King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in the capital.

Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye also arrived on Wednesday, underlining Qatar's ties with African heads of state. The latest arrivals followed visits on Tuesday by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Swiss Vice President Ignazio Cassis, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani also flew into Doha on Tuesday, adding to the scale of the diplomatic gathering.

The mourning period has highlighted Sheikh Hamad's long-standing relationships across the region and beyond. During his 18-year reign, he oversaw a major expansion of Qatar's liquefied natural gas production, helping turn the country into the world's largest LNG exporter. He also secured Qatar's successful bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup and expanded the country's role in diplomacy and international media, developments that helped raise its global profile.

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Qatar declared four days of national mourning after Sheikh Hamad's death, with flags flown at half-mast and government offices closed throughout the period. Thursday is the final day of the official mourning period, although further visits by international dignitaries are still expected. The continuing arrivals show how the former emir's death has prompted a broad diplomatic response, but the full list of attendees has not been confirmed.

What remains unclear is whether any additional leaders will travel to Doha before the mourning period ends and how many more condolence visits are planned. The immediate focus is on the final day of official mourning and the continuing flow of foreign delegations. Further updates are likely to centre on the remaining arrivals and any formal statements made during the visits.

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