Former British Major General lauds Qatar’s visionary leadership

Qatar, under the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, has conducted itself “in a most dignified way since the blockade started and is now pursuing a resolution to this unfortunate standoff ... and this when all the Gulf countries should be pulling together,” a retired British military official has told Gulf Times.
The recent Arabian Gulf Cup was a “very encouraging event and a hopeful sign that sense would prevail in the political arena as well,” according to Major General Arthur Denaro CBE DL, who was the Commandant of Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He was also Middle East Adviser to the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence for six years until 2002.
Denaro’s distinguished career began when he was commissioned into the Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars; his life as a young officer included commanding tank troops in the British Army and being involved in clandestine operations worldwide with United Kingdom Special Forces. Prestigious appointments during his career included commanding his Regiment in the War to Liberate Kuwait, and becoming Chief of Staff of 44,000 troops during the Balkans conflict.
Denaro noted that Qatar has and is embarking on a whole series of far-sighted events within the global arena: the Doha Forum focused on diplomacy, dialogue and diversity and it also highlighted the need for international co-operation in the areas of global warming and migration.
“Qatar Airways is considering how best to offset carbon emissions by planting trees for every passenger that flies with them,” he said, noting that they would be the first international airline to do so. Denaro said, “This consideration of a wide spectrum of global challenges has been generated by the very strong and direct rule of the young Amir,” who was a cadet at Sandhurst during Denaro’s time, through these difficult times.
Denaro is visiting Qatar for its National Day parade, which has allowed him to catch up with several of his former cadets, in particular, Qatar’s ambassador to Russia, Fahad bin Mohamed al-Attiyah. “I’ve kept in touch with all of them and they remain great friends,” he said. When reflecting on the changes that have been taking place in Qatar since his first visit in the early 90s, he commented on how he was deeply impressed by the vision of Qatar Museums Chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani,” which she must have inherited from Qatar Foundation Chairperson Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.”
“The vision of the two ladies has been incredible,” Denaro stressed, adding that “Qatar has many other interesting developments besides architecture such as in the world of technology and education.”
“There is so much going on here which is not just good for Qatar but for the whole region. I also admire hugely all the other endeavours and foundations in Qatar that support countries which are less fortunate,” he said.
Turning toward the FIFA World Cup in 2022, Denaro was pleased to know how much support is being given by the UK. He greatly admired of the “astonishing preparations” that are all too evident and some of which are being practised on this week for the Club World Cup.
“From my point of view, security is of utmost importance. The planning for, equipping, training and practising for every eventuality are all being carefully developed,” Denaro said.
“Over the years in Qatar, you have put on incredible international events and always seem to do so with such ease ... and yet I know what an enormous amount of work has to go into these well organised and safe events, which is what everybody wants,” he said.