In his accession speech, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who was handed power by his father on Tuesday in a rare example of a hereditary Arab ruler stepping down, said that the Gulf state would not “take direction” from anyone.
The new emir’s first address as head of state coincided with a cabinet reshuffle that saw Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, a force behind Qatar’s support for the Arab Spring revolts, replaced as premier and foreign minister, but he is expected to retain his powerful post as vice-chairman of the Qatar Investment Authority, a wealth fund worth between $100-$200bn.
Sheikh Tamim, 33, added that sectarianism threatened to weaken Arab unity at a time when Syria’s war has raised communal tension. “As Arabs we reject splitting countries on a sectarian basis... because this split allows for foreign powers to interfere in the internal affairs of Arabs and influence them.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies