London: HE Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, a central figure in Qatar's energy sector and international diplomacy, passed away on Wednesday in London. His career, marked by more than fifty years of dedication, significantly bolstered Qatar's regional and global influence.
According to Qatar News Agency, HE Al Attiyah was born on December 5, 1952, in Qatar and began his professional journey in 1972 at the Ministry of Finance and Petroleum. From 1973 to 1986, he led International and Public Relations at the ministry before becoming Director of the Office of the Ministry of Interior from 1986 to 1989. Later, he took on the role of Acting Minister of Finance and Petroleum from 1989 to 1992.
In 1992, he was appointed Minister of Energy and Industry, as well as CEO and Managing Director of Qatar Petroleum. His efforts were instrumental in advancing Qatar's energy industry and enhancing its global stature. In 1993, he took the helm of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as president and contributed to its production quota compliance committee.
His government roles expanded to include Second Deputy Prime Minister in 2003 and Deputy Prime Minister in 2007. Internationally, he served as President of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development in 2006 and chaired the 18th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP18) in Doha in 2012. His leadership was crucial in adopting the "Doha Climate Gateway" package, extending the Kyoto Protocol, and facilitating a roadmap for a new global climate agreement.
In 2009, HE Al Attiyah was elected President of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, leading it during its eighth ministerial meeting in Doha. In 2011, he was appointed Chief of the Amiri Diwan and held various key positions, including Chairman of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority and Chairman of the State Planning Committee. His final role was as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Al Attiyah Foundation.
HE Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah's contributions were recognized with numerous international awards. Among these were the Pendant of Independence from HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Order of Orange-Nassau from HM former Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, and the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun from HM the Emperor of Japan. He also received honorary doctorates from Texas A and M University and Italy's Tor Vergata University.