Salam, Joumblatt pay tribute to Qatar’s late Amir, flags lowered at Baabda, Grand Serail

BEIRUT — Lebanon lowered its flags at the Grand Serail and the Presidential Palace in Baabda on Monday to mourn the death of Qatar’s former emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, as Prime Minister Nawaf Salam traveled to Doha to offer condolences and Lebanese political figures paid tribute to the late leader.

Qatar's government on Sunday announced the death of its former leader who led the country from 1995 to 2013. He passed away at age 74, according to a government website.

Salam arrived in the Qatari capital at the head of a ministerial delegation that included Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, and Justice Minister Adel Nassar, to offer condolences following the passing of Sheikh Hamad, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office. He was welcomed at Doha International Airport by Qatar’s Minister of Transport, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Thani, the Grand Serail said on X Monday.

The Lebanese government lowered flags at the Grand Serail to half-mast following a memorandum issued by Salam, according to a post by the Grand Serail on X. The presidency said in a separate post that the Lebanese flag at Baabda Palace had also been lowered to half-mast and that the official mourning period would continue through Wednesday.

Former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt sent condolences to Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, describing the death of the former emir as "a great loss for the State of Qatar and the Arab and Islamic worlds."

Joumblatt praised Sheikh Hamad’s record as "an exceptional statesman" who played a role in supporting Arab and Islamic causes and promoting dialogue and stability. He said Lebanese people would remember the late emir’s support for Lebanon during difficult periods, including his "political, humanitarian, and development assistance," and his commitment to preserving the country’s stability and unity.

In a separate message to Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Joumblatt said Sheikh Hamad had left behind "a distinguished political and humanitarian legacy," adding that Lebanon would remember his support for the country and his efforts to promote regional cooperation.

Qatar has provided sustained support to Lebanon, notably contributing $60 million in 2022 to fund military salaries and following up with additional grants of $20 million and scores of military vehicles. In early 2026, Doha also announced a $434 million assistance package targeting the energy sector and armed forces.

Following the July 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon, the Emir of Qatar visited Beirut’s southern suburbs and pledged extensive financial backing. Qatar bankrolled the reconstruction of several heavily destroyed southern villages and later provided hundreds of millions of dollars to aid the Lebanese electricity sector.