Recollecting the numerous examples of Qatar’ successful mediation efforts over several years, HE the Assistant Foreign Minister for Regional Affairs Dr Mohamed bin Abdulaziz bin Salih al-Khulaifi, reiterated on Tuesday that Qatar is a reliable, impartial and successful international mediator.
“My country has been recognised globally for its role as an international mediator in a varieties of disputes between states, with high cooperation from regional and international partners. Qatar itself has benefited from the mediation it has participated in,” he explained at the Global Security Forum 2023 held under the theme 'Reshaping the Global Order: Conflicts, Crises and Cooperation.'
Qatar’s foreign policy relies on strong bilateral and multilateral alliances and finding solutions to complex issues through dialogue and mediation, Dr al-Khulaifi noted.
“Qatar respects and honours all international treaties and conventions in which it is a party. Nowadays mediation is explicitly referred as a means of dispute resolution leading to bilateral and multilateral treaties. Mediation is the second most used diplomatic way of peaceful means of dispute resolution with the first one being the direct negotiations between the parties,” he explained.
Dr al- Khulaifi pointed out that Qatar's long experience in the field of mediation helped the country gain the confidence and recognition from the international community after its successes in resolving many conflicts.
He highlighted Qatar's contribution to the conclusion of a truce in Yemen 2008-2010, in addition to the country's hosting of the Lebanese national dialogue, and its assistance to the governments of Djibouti and Eritrea to conclude a peace agreement to settle the border dispute between them and secure the release of prisoners.
“Qatar has been successful in the Darfur file through the signing of the Doha Document for peace in the region. Our mediation contributed to facilitating the peace agreement between the transitional government in Sudan and the armed movements signed in South Sudan. Another major mediation effort was the hosting of the talks between the United States and the Taliban that concluded with the signing of the peace agreement by the two parties,” continued, the minister.
The minister went on to highlight other mediation efforts of the country such as the negotiations between the Chadian parties, which culminated in the signing of the Doha Peace Agreement by the Chadian parties. He pointed out that the foreign policy of Qatar relies on strong bilateral and multilateral alliances, and finding solutions to disputes through dialogue and mediation while respecting the sovereign rights of all countries.
The minister called upon the international community to strengthen strong regulatory frameworks that favour mediation in international relations and work to address regional conflicts and disputes with wisdom and patience, with the aim of advancing the sustainability of international peace and security.
“A trusted and neutral mediator can play a very important role by bringing the parties together, by listening to them carefully and proposing peaceful settlement to the conflicts. Sustainability of the agreement is also important. One of the crucial lessons that Qatar has learned during these times is the importance of sustaining the agreement,” added Dr al-Khulaifi.
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