“We do not expect any significant change in Qatari government policy,” S&P in a statement said.
Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, 33, is the fourth son of the emir, Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. He has been involved in day-to-day matters of state since being designated crown prince in 2003. “We understand that he broadly agrees with his father’s policies. He chairs the “2030 Vision” project, which outlines the country’s development goals, and the 2022 Supreme Committee that is preparing Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup,” S&P said.
“We expect executive power to remain concentrated in the hands of the emir, who is also head of state, supreme commander of the armed forces, and currently appoints all the members of the Advisory Council. As a result, we anticipate that the resulting institutional shortcomings in Qatar will remain in place. These include still-nascent public institutions, and limited disclosure, particularly with respect to government assets and their returns.”
“Over the coming months, we expect to gain a clearer understanding of the extent to which a change in emir will lead to a reshuffle of government and ministerial positions, and affect the elections to the advisory council, which are expected later in 2013.”