24 June 2013 Last updated at 10:34 ET
The Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani is to announce he is ceding power to his son, reports say.
Rumours had been circulating for days that Crown Prince Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, 33, was being prepared to take over leadership of the Gulf emirate.
The Qatar-based al-Jazeera television station reported that Sheikh Hamad told a meeting of the "ruling family and top advisers" of his decision on Monday.
A formal announcement is expected on Monday evening.
Source: BBC News - Business http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23026870#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
