DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Qatar's ruler said Monday he plans to transfer power to his 33-year-old son, the Gulf nation's crown prince, a report said, in what would mark a rare transition of authority in a region where most leaders remain until death.
The report by Qatar-based Al-Jazeera gave no other details, including whether health issues of the 61-year emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, played a role in the decision. The network was founded by Qatar's government and closely reflects its views on internal issues.
Such a transfer will jolt the ruling fraternity across the Western-backed Gulf Arab states by ushering a new generation into leadership ranks dominated by old guard figures, such as the 90-year-old King Abdullah in Saudi Arabia.
It also appears to signal a pro-active response to the Arab Spring upheavals — and their emphasis on giving voice to the region's youth. Under Hamad, Qatar, a small Gulf nation with a population of around 17 million — only around 225,000 of whom are citizens — has used its vast energy riches to catapult itself into one of the world's most politically ambitious countries. It has served as a powerful player in the Middle East, including key support for rebels in Libya last year and now in Syria and for the Muslim Brotherhood, which rose to political dominance in Egypt.
No major policy shifts are expected when Hamad steps down. The British-educated crown prince, Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, has been closely involved in all key decisions in recent years and the emir is likely to play important roles from the wings.
"The emir may be giving up power formally, but he is not giving up his oversight," said Christopher Davidson, an expert in Gulf Affairs at Britain's Durham University.
Qatar's reach is further extended by its global investment strategies — ranging from sports clubs such as football's Paris Saint-Germain to aid for debt-burdened Greece and Italy — and its role as mediator in conflicts such as Sudan's Darfur region and regional disputes including Palestinian political rifts. Qatar this week hosted a Syrian opposition conference attended by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and is the venue for possible U.S.-led peace talks with Afghanistan's Taliban.
Such a power transfer would become the first major shift of rule among the Western-allied Gulf Arab states since a contentious transition in Kuwait in early 2006.
