President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has directed that the national flag be flown at half-mast across the Maldives for one day in honour of the late former Amir of the State of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
Under Presidential Directive No. 14/2026, the national flag will be flown at half-mast from 12:00 p.m. on Monday, 13 July 2026, until 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 14 July 2026.
According to the President’s Office, the decision reflects the longstanding friendship between the Maldives and Qatar and recognises the close relationship Sheikh Hamad maintained with the Maldives during his tenure as Amir. The directive also acknowledges his generous contributions and continued support for the country’s development and progress.
Sheikh Hamad, who served as Qatar’s Amir from 1995 to 2013, played a key role in strengthening bilateral ties with the Maldives. During his reign, Qatar supported several development initiatives in the country while cooperation between the two nations expanded across multiple sectors.
The former Amir was laid to rest with full state honours on Sunday.
President Muizzu departed for Qatar on Monday morning to attend the official mourning ceremonies and personally convey the condolences of the Maldivian people to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Qatari Royal Family, and the people of Qatar.
