HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani has stressed that Qatar plays a prominent international role, and possesses active diplomacy that enabled it to occupy a distinguished position at the global level, and enjoys great confidence from the international community. In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), HE Sheikha Alya said that the confidence that Qatar has gained worldwide enabled it to establish a close partnership with the UN, which has developed over the years to reach a very advanced stage, to be embodied in the opening of the UN House in Doha earlier this week, coinciding Qatar's hosting of the 5th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5). The opening of the UN House, which includes 12 international organisations and agencies that have a close partnership with Qatar, reflects the importance of Qatar, which has active diplomacy in the multilateral framework, and a prominent role in several files such as mediation and dispute resolution, she said.
The UN House in Doha highlights the close and strong partnership between Qatar and the UN, which was confirmed during the opening ceremony with the UN Secretary-General having said that the UN House indicates the depth of the relationship between the UN and Qatar in several aspects. The UN House provides an ideal model for a number of countries to follow Qatar's model in upholding the distinguished position of the UN's role in the region, because its offices do not only serve the efforts of the state, but also serve the regional and international dimensions, HE Sheikha Alya quoted the UN Secretary-General as saying.
She said that Qatar has carried out many humanitarian relief efforts in the field of humanitarian work, in addition to the great role it played during the crisis in Afghanistan, acting at that time as a transit point for many evacuees from Afghanistan who headed to a number of countries, noting that work is still being done to this day to enhance Qatar's humanitarian and developmental role.
Qatar has a lot to offer in the international framework, and the best example of this is its hosting of the LDC5 conference, which is witnessing a large and high-level international participation. Qatar's hosting of LDC5 reflects its pioneering role in the multilateral forum, she said, stressing that the conference hosted 166 countries and more than 4,500 participants from Member States, the private and academic sectors, civil society, media professionals and youth representatives, which confirms Qatar's distinguished position.
She pointed out that the conference recorded very important numbers, as it was attended by 36 heads of state and heads of government, five vice-presidents and 130 ministers, according to the statistics of the UN Secretariat, while the number of bilateral meetings held during this week reached 450 bilateral meetings between countries and institutions or between countries and the private sector and between countries and investment institutions, exceeding the number of bilateral meetings held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
She stated that these numbers indicate that Qatar has become an essential international forum that attracts any international organization that wants to achieve success on the technical and political levels, as Qatar is a successful model for hosting huge international conferences and major sporting events, the latest of which is the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. HE Sheikha Alya said that the LDC5 is the largest international conference to be held after the Covid-19 pandemic, in terms of size, responsibilities and international interest, adding that the conference works to enhance the capacity of the LDCs to withstand and face the economic challenges, especially after the pandemic and the crises that afflicted the world, such as wars, economic and environmental challenges, and climate change.
She expressed her optimism about the success of the LDC5's activities, especially after the high-level participation it witnessed. At the beginning of the LDC5, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held a meeting with all heads of UN agencies in Doha, for the first time outside New York, which gives the impression that there is great interest and tangible positivity achieved in Qatar to support the LDCs — a group of countries most in need today to be supported to face the challenges related to food security, energy and various economic challenges.
She also highlighted His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani's opening of the LDC5 on Sunday and the election of His Highness as president of this edition as a strong impression on the keenness of the leadership at the highest level to be present and give the first basic impulse to support the LDCs. This was confirmed by the Amir in the inaugural speech where His Highness announced that Qatar would provide $60mn in aid to LDCs — the first signal from Qatar as the host country, setting a model for other developed countries to follow Qatar's financial and moral support to the LDCs, she said, citing that the move really caused a movement manifested in talks with many Western delegations. (QNA)
HE Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani speaking to QNA.
