Former Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has passed away at the age of 74.

In a statement, the Amiri Diwan said the late leader had served as Emir from 1995 until his historic abdication in 2013, when he handed the throne to his fourth son, the current Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

During the former leader's 18-year rule, several major events took place in Qatar, including the 2006 Asian Games, the 2012 UN Climate Change Conference, the Doha Agreement, the Fatah-Hamas Doha Agreement, and the decision to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.