His speech was broadcast on Qatari television on Wednesday afternoon.

Later in the evening, a cabinet reshuffle was announced with Abdallah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani is the new prime minister, replacing the long-serving Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, according to Qatar news agency.

Meanwhile Khalid al-Atiyah has been announced as foreign minister and Ali Sherif al-Emadi  the new finance minister.

The 33-year-old promised he would continue his father’s “path”

In terms of foreign policy, he said that his country rejects sectarianism in Arab societies while stressing  that Qatar was committed to the cause of Palestine, and would work to end Israeli occupation, according to Al Jazeera.

The news agency added that there wasn’t any mention of specific policies in places such as Syria.

Tamim is the fourth son of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the second child of the Emir with his second wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned.

His father, Sheikh Hamad came to power in a coup when he overthrew his own father Sheikh Khalifa in June 1995 while he was in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Emir is famous for helping to establish the first Arab international news network, Al Jazeera.

Qatar holds the world’s third largest natural gas reserves and is the single largest supplier of liquefied natural gas. Qatar is also a member of OPEC and is a significant net exporter of oil.

On Sunday the Qatar-owned Al Jazeera television news channel reported that the sheikh “will meet Monday with the royal family and advisors.”

“The planned meeting comes amid news about the intentions of the emir to transfer power to his heir apparent, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani,” said the Qatar-based news channel.

Sheikh Hamad is due to address the nation on Tuesday.

Sheikh Hamad came to power in a coup when he overthrew his own father Sheikh Khalifa in June 1995 while he was in Geneva, Switzerland.

He will either hand over power to Sheikh Tamim or appoint him prime minister in the place of powerful premier Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr al-Thani, according to AFP.

Tamim is the fourth son of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the second child of the Emir with his second wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned.

Qatar took part in the armed intervention in Libya and is actively supporting rebel forces in Syria.

The Emir is famous for helping to establish the first Arab international news network, Al Jazeera.

Qatar holds the world’s third largest natural gas reserves and is the single largest supplier of liquefied natural gas. Qatar is also a member of OPEC and is a significant net exporter of oil.

“The criminal court’s decision to acquit five online activists could become a victory for free speech,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Kuwaiti authorities should take a cue from this decision and revoke sentences and drop charges against others accused of offending the emir.”

Authorities should suspend and then abolish laws that criminalize peaceful criticism of public officials because they violate international human rights standards, Human Rights Watch said.

Since October 2012, the Public Prosecution Office has charged at least 35 individuals, including online activists, with offending the emir, the defendants, their lawyers, and human rights activists told Human Rights Watch. Criminal courts havesentenced at least six of them, including the three former members of parliament, to prison terms. Al-Enzi, acquitted in this case, is currently serving a two-year prison term for “offending the emir” in a different case.

“The Kuwaiti judicial system is clearly at odds with itself, sentencing some for offending the emir, while freeing others,” said Whitson. “The court needs to set clear and unequivocal precedent that offending the emir is not a legitimate charge.”