Expatriates from different nationalities and walks of life have heaped praise on His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani for his historic speech at the UN General Assembly, highlighting its significance in shedding light on the unjust siege imposed on Qatar as well as the resilience and firm stance of the people of the country. Here are some of them sharing their views with Gulf Times

Palma Libotte
Chairperson, Italian Chamber of Commerce in Qatar

The recent address of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the 72nd Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly was remarkably explicit. It made us all proud to be residents of this country. With that calm unpretentious manners and features that distinguish a true leader, he was able to depict the scenario of the blockade that Qatar is facing and its consequences without condoning or condemning anyone and yet he put everyone in their places. His visits to several European countries and the US as well as his meetings with various world leaders at the UN also highlighted his keenness in resolving the present crisis.
Having lived in Qatar for over 10 years and witnessed the country’s exceptional growth and the capacity to redefine strategies and improve its plans, I believe that Qatar has repositioned itself once again with a positive spirit.
As HH the Emir stated, “The spirit of solidarity, harmony and defiance frustrated the hopes of those who banked on the opposite side because of their ignorance of the nature of our society and our people.”
The expat community stands with Qatar and we are proud of the bravery and achievements of this small but mighty country. We understand the ruler of Qatar is votively striving to balance everyone’s needs with utmost respect and open-mindedness.

Prof Ramesh Prasad Koirala
Nepal's ambassador to Qatar

Qatar is demonstrating its economic strength, diversity and resilience to weather the blockade. The Gulf dispute should be swiftly resolved and all sides should come together around the negotiating table as soon as possible. Under the leadership of HH the Emir, Qatar is developing very fast and is one of the strongest economies in the world.

P N Baburajan
Vice-President, Indian Community Benevolent Forum

The recent overseas tour of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani can be termed as the biggest diplomatic mission of Qatar to highlight the unjust blockade by some Arab countries. During his interaction with the American president, HH the Emir was vocal about Qatar’s friendship, trade, and military and security co-operation with the US. It was a commendable move by HH the Emir to meet and interact with the world leaders while he was in New York for the 72nd UN General Assembly.
In his interactions, HH the Emir was quite clear about the stand of his country as well as what nationals and expatriate communities expect from him. It was also quite generous of him to express his love and appreciation for the people of the country while addressing the UN General Assembly, which speaks volumes about his care for residents of the country. It is an undisputed fact that Qatar has achieved a diplomatic victory on the current issue over the blockading countries.
The land, air and sea blockade by some Arab countries could have affected Qatar’s economy and growth but for the quick, wise and proactive steps taken by the dynamic leadership to overcome the situation. The expatriate community is proud to live under such a wise leadership in an ambitious country such as Qatar.

Girish Kumar K R
Former President, Indian Cultural Centre

The visit of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and his accompanying delegation to the United Nations has enhanced the image of Qatar as a country that stands on principles for its honour.
In his address at the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, HH the Emir thoughtfully exchanged his views on the most important regional and international issues, including the status of the ongoing Gulf crisis. It is very important to note that HH the Emir reaffirmed that the country’s foreign policies were based on the salient features of constructive co-operation, mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries as well as promoting and strengthening peaceful co-existence.
I truly admire and value the statement of HH the Emir, who unequivocally stated that Qatar was ready for unconditional dialogue with the blockading countries with mutual respect for sovereignty. He also highlighted the humanitarian crisis and hardships that several of the people had been undergoing on account of the separation of families and friends living in the blockading countries, since June 5 this year.
The world is witnessing the wisdom, brilliance and patience of Qatar under the wise leadership of HH the Emir, as is evident from the strong support that several nations have extended to Qatar. We expatriates truly admire the vision and qualities of this wise leadership.

Raj Regmi

Entrepreneur

As always, His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has spoken the truth and addressed global issues with transparency and objectivity. In his comprehensive and clear speech at the UN General Assembly, His Highness urged the whole world to address with full responsibility and legality the problems faced by some countries in the world. I am grateful to His Highness the Emir for expressing pride in and appreciation of expatriates from different nationalities and cultures for resisting the siege and rejecting external dictations with dignity and determination. He is an iconic leader with a solid vision and firm stance to protect the nation, the people living here and sovereignty. Today, Qatar is an important country not only economically but also politically. We, the more than 400,000 Nepalese living here, have always respected Qatar as our second home. Recently, we organised a programme to show our solidarity with Qatar. The catchphrase of the programme was “We love Qatar, We support Qatar, We are in Qatar, and Qatar is our Second Home”. We thanked Qatar for providing secure and rewarding jobs to Nepalese brothers and sisters who support their families and the country. The Nepalese will be always on the side of Qatar. HH Sheikh Tamim renewed the call “for unconditional dialogue based on mutual respect for sovereignty”, which proves that Qatar wants peace and dialogue in resolving the crisis.

Joppachen Thekkekuttu
General Secretary, Overseas Indian Cultural Congress

It was great to watch His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani addressing the UN General Assembly. He was calm, composed and eloquence personified as he delivered a direct and positive message about the current Gulf crisis and the unjust siege imposed on Qatar. He made it clear to everyone that Qatar was ready for any unconditional negotiation with the siege countries, respecting each other’s sovereignty. The message was well received by the world leaders as US President Donald Trump noted that the crisis might be resolved very soon.
It is indeed a privilege for the expatriate community to live under the generous patronage of such a visionary leader who is keen about the welfare of all residents of his country. His words come straight from the heart as he said in his speech that he was proud of the people of the country - both nationals and expatriates. We, the expatriates, are always ready to line up behind him for the progress of this mighty nation.

C K Menon

CEO, Behzad Group; first Doha resident to receive the Indian civilian honour, Padma Shri, as well as Pravasi Bharatiya Samman

For more than 40 years now, Qatar has been a home away from home for me and I, as an entrepreneur, have seen and experienced how this country and its leaders have overcome difficult phases and tougher times effectively through their sheer hard work, perseverance and above all with lots and lots of His blessings.
As one who is looking at developments in a positive manner, I'm sure that the difficult times would not last long and there is a strong belief that Qatar and its people would soon overcome whatever hurdles they are experiencing these days on account of the blockade. I'm optimistic that many residents would echo similar feelings and there is room for more hope than before after the successful visits to Germany, France and Turkey by His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and his team of diplomats.
His address at the United Nations (UN) on the issue and the world's response to it have rekindled the expectations of our people.
Qatar has grown remarkably during the last three decades, and its development has become a role model for many other countries in this region and the world outside. Backed by large reserves of LNG and strong exports of petroleum products, the country's economy has accelerated its pace of development in the last 25 years.
As an optimist, I have enough reason to firmly believe that the country would soon return to its usual self and life would be the same as it was before the blockade or even better for its residents sooner than later.

Sanjeev Ranabhatt

President, Nepal football team, Qatar

His Highness the Emir's careful but bold address to the UN appealed to the international community to do more for addressing the unjustified blockade against the sovereign nation of Qatar. During his speech, he mentioned that Qatar was condemning the boycott imposed on his country, saying it fitted one of the definitions of terrorism and that the siege nations had been trying to destabilise the country by enforcing an unjust embargo. Moreover, it appears to us that the diplomacy and advocacy during his recent visit to Turkey, Germany, France and the US were also exemplary. As members of the Nepalese community, we feel safe, secure and continue to enjoy working here in Qatar. It would not have been possible without the bold and courageous leadership of His Highness. We the Nepalese community in Qatar extend our prayers and support to Qatar and ask our government/ international community to be on the side of truth and justice.

Rajeswar Sundaresan
Board Member, Past President, Institute of Internal Auditors - Qatar

The charismatic leader of Qatar, His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, in his UN General Assembly address and the subsequent meeting with US President Trump, conveyed critical concerns with his characteristic composure, confidence and calibre. Qatar’s call for dialogue as a route to resolving the extinguishing of consanguineous relations, in the presence of the US president, affirmed that the allegations against the State are blatantly baseless. It also signaled the highest level of international support to Qatar.
The UN General Assembly address stood out on many counts, and was devoid of commonplace utterances and clichéd statements. At the outset, the address affirmed that international peace and security is a priority in foreign policy. A call to action for the international community not to leave those who are exposed to repression to face their fate alone was very powerful. Various humanitarian, sentimental issues and breach of values as part of the ongoing siege against Qatar were elucidated for the world to know.
Middle Eastern regional issues related to Palestine, Syria, Libya, Yemen and Iraq found the right place in the address with the need for action. “Qatar will remain, as is always the case, a safe haven for the oppressed and will continue its mediation efforts to find just solutions in the conflict zones” - these words portray statesmanship beyond boundaries befitting the stature of a tall leader.

Prem Lamsal

Member, Nepal Engineers’ Association - Qatar Chapter

We, as residents of this country, are very grateful to the Government of Qatar and especially to His Highness the Emir for their efforts to make our lives easy and comfortable despite the unjust blockade by the Saudi-led bloc. Initially, when the blockade was imposed, there was uncertainty among the residents, but it did not last long. Through the efforts of government agencies, things became normal. We never felt any scarcity in daily supplies and, even after more than 100 days of the blockade, life is continuing as usual. His Highness the Emir’s appeal on ending this unjust blockade is highly appreciable. We are confident that his remarkable and historic speech at the UN General Assembly will prove very helpful in making world leaders understand the unjust blockade imposed on Qatar. We are also confident that His Highness the Emir’s efforts and strategy will definitely bring the siege to an end very soon.

Gopal Subramanium

Partner, Head of Audit, KPMG Qatar, and Head of Oil and Gas (Middle East and South Asia)

I read on social media about HH the Emir of Qatar's address at the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly in New York last week, and prior to that his visits to Turkey, Germany and France.
I also read the full text of his address at the UN. Surely, His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani spoke with great passion and conviction, touched on all important matters and perfectly met with the theme of the 72nd session, which focused on people, striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet.
I believe HH the Emir's discussions with government leaders in Turkey, Germany and France will further strengthen bilateral co-operation, investment and trade.

Til Bikram Thebe

Journalist

The Nepalese community in Qatar is proud of His Highness the Emir’s speech at the opening session of the 72nd United Nations General Assembly. The people of Qatar, including hundreds of thousands of expatriates from different countries and creed, are proud of his wise leadership. Also, there have been no ups and downs during the blockade. After the speech of His Highness at the UN General Assembly, the world is aware that Qatar is always in favour of good relations with its neighbouring countries as well as other nations. The world has seen that the State of Qatar's support to other countries for development in various sectors is commendable indeed. His Highness also reiterated that the country's sovereignty should be respected and unconditional dialogue is always welcome.

Dr Dev Kaji Dangol

Nepalese community leader

His Highness visited Turkey, Germany France and the US, and addressed the UN General Assembly, stressing the need to end the economic blockade. Justice should be done on behalf of the great nation, Qatar. His Highness Emir stands firm for the sake of the country as well as expatriates from around the world staying in Qatar. We all support him and are sure the blockade will end as soon as possible.

(As told to Ramesh Mathew, Joseph Varghese and Usha Wagle Gautam).
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