HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Jean-Noël Barrot, co-chaired the third annual Qatar-France Strategic Dialogue in Paris on June 12.
Qatar and France welcomed the holding of their third Annual Strategic Dialogue and reviewed the important progress made since the state visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to France in February 2024, which resulted in new co-operation initiatives in the fields of security, defence, economy, trade, investment, and education. Both countries affirmed the strength of their bilateral relationship and pledged to further develop it by expanding their strategic partnership on key issues.
Political and diplomatic co-operation: Both ministers reaffirmed the commitment of Qatar and France to upholding a rules-based international order and international law, promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East, and to close co-operation in relation to regional and global crises.
Palestine-Israel: Both ministers called for a ceasefire, the release of all remaining hostages, and a long-term political solution that will offer the best hope for the victims of this conflict on all sides and achieve a pathway to a two-state solution.
The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs expressed France’s deep appreciation for Qatar’s mediation efforts, including those to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The ministers called for full, unhindered humanitarian access to allow aid for the Palestinian population to enter Gaza. They further stated that the politicisation of humanitarian assistance, threats of forced displacement, or Israel’s plans to remain in Gaza after the war are unacceptable. The two ministers stated that the Israeli government’s restrictions on essential humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population of Gaza are totally deplorable and breach International Humanitarian Law. They further highlighted that Israel is duty-bound to meet all its obligations to ensure an immediate, massive, and unhindered flow of aid to Gaza — this includes engaging with the UN to ensure aid delivery is in line with humanitarian principles.
The ministers reiterated their opposition to any forced displacement of Gaza’s Palestinian population, which would be a serious violation of international law and a major destabilising factor for the entire region.
Qatar welcomes France’s endorsement of the Gaza reconstruction plan formulated by the League of Arab States in March as a serious, credible basis for immediately meeting reconstruction, governance, and security needs in the aftermath of the war in Gaza. It guarantees respect for international law and maintains Gaza’s future within the framework of a future Palestinian State.
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar welcomed the holding of the French-Saudi jointly chaired international meeting on June 18 for the implementation of a two-state solution. The two ministers declared such efforts as the only way to bring durable peace and security to Israelis and Palestinians while ensuring the stability of the wider region.
They stressed that the High-Level International Conference on the peaceful resolution of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution, decided by UNGA resolution A/RES/79/81, would contribute to this goal by designing a credible roadmap for the implementation of this solution in which the two countries would be able to live side by side in peace within their internationally recognised borders. Both ministers stressed that the future Palestinian state would have sole responsibility for the rule of law, including policing primacy.
Syria: The ministers acknowledged the historic transition process underway in Syria. They emphasised the importance of an inclusive political dispensation that protects the rights of all, irrespective of ethnicity, sect, religion, or gender. They reiterated their support for the reconstruction of a new Syria — free, stable, and sovereign — that respects all components of society. They agreed that stability and security in Syria are paramount for all its citizens as well as the surrounding region. To that end, the ministers committed to working together wherever possible to provide humanitarian assistance, support economic development, and facilitate long-term reconstruction.
They welcomed the lifting of international sanctions on Syria’s economy and encouraged foreign investments in the country. Qatar welcomed French support for the recent EU decision to lift economic sanctions on Syria and the recent meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Such support and initiatives enable Syria and the Syrian people to undertake a transition to stability, peace, and prosperity. The ministers condemned violations of Syria’s territorial integrity and warned of escalation tactics designed to destabilise the region.
Lebanon: Qatar welcomed France’s hosting of the International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s People and Sovereignty in October 2024. Progress toward political and economic reform in Lebanon is welcomed by both countries.
Qatar and France support the territorial integrity and sovereign rights of the Lebanese people. The two ministers called on all parties to honour the commitments made under the ceasefire reached in November 2024. To this end, they called for a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, the complete deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces, and their ongoing support to ensure security and achieve a state monopoly on arms, assisted by UNIFIL and the supervision mechanism of the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, in which France, alongside the US, participates.
They emphasised their support for the process of change that has begun under the new Lebanese government, aimed at putting Lebanon back on the path of reconstruction, recovery, and stability. They expressed their continuing support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), whose action is essential to guarantee the stability of South Lebanon.
Iran: The ministers reaffirmed Qatar and France’s support for a diplomatic solution leading to an agreement that addresses and resolves all international concerns related to Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, to preserve the global non-proliferation architecture as well as stability and de-escalation in the Gulf region. They reiterated their support for the ongoing talks between Iran and the US. They also called on Iran to fully and effectively co-operate with the legitimate requests and work of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Rwanda and eastern DRC: The two ministers emphasised their shared commitment to peace, stability, and security in the Great Lakes region. France commended Qatar’s mediation efforts between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and between Congolese authorities and AFC/M23. They stressed the need for parties to continue working toward the conclusion of a ceasefire, as called for by UN Security Council Resolution 2773 (2025). Following its participation, along with the US, DRC, Rwanda, and Togo, in the Doha meeting on April 30, France recalled its continued support for Qatar’s peace efforts.
Sudan: The ministers resolved to further work together to address the devastating conflict in Sudan. Qatar and France recalled UN Security Council Resolution 2736 (2024), demanding that the Rapid Support Forces halt the siege of El Fasher and calling for an immediate de-escalation. They reaffirmed their support for the unity of the country and called on the warring parties to immediately cease hostilities, abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and guarantee full, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access.
UNOC: Both ministers welcomed the organisation of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, from June 9 to 13, inter alia, to support a blue carbon economy and the fight against illicit fishing. They praised the treaty on marine biodiversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction on the high seas (BBNJ) as a milestone in the collective protection of the high seas.
Economy, Trade, and Investments: Qatar and France emphasised the importance of their growing economic, trade, and investment partnership, with total trade of more than €1.3bn in 2024. The ministers highlighted that bilateral trade makes a significant contribution to supporting jobs, innovation, and economic development in both countries.
The two ministers reviewed progress on Qatar’s 2024 landmark engagement to invest €10bn in key sectors of the French economy. Qatar’s investment will cover mutually beneficial sectors, ranging from food security, digital economy, AI and IT, semiconductors, energy transition, space, intellectual property, health, tourism, hospitality, and culture.
They also welcomed the forthcoming Qatar-France Business Forum as an opportunity for mutual trade growth and investment. They discussed ways to further strengthen their investment partnership and underlined their willingness to facilitate co-operation between the Qatari and French private sectors. They also explored areas of common interest, such as fiscal policy, sustainable finance, and public-private partnerships (PPPs).
Qatar’s innovative investment in France’s semiconductor industry highlights its role in key technology subsectors, including supply chain developments that are also propelling digital and green transformations across vital industries such as AI, mobility, and consumer technology.
Both sides discussed ways to further develop their trade and investment partnership through a Roadmap focused on strategic areas in alignment with the framework of the economic diversification goals stated by Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and in accordance with the economic plan “France 2030.” The French minister praised Qatar’s ongoing commitment to ensuring continued and reliable supplies of energy to Europe, including France, thus contributing to the country’s energy security.
Defence, Security, and Counterterrorism: Qatar and France reaffirmed the importance of defence and security as a cornerstone of their partnership. This was illustrated by the increase in official-level visits in the last 12 months and the deepening co-ordination on an operational level.
The ministers welcomed the implementation of a joint defence operational partnership, including joint planning, training, and military exercises, most recently the Pegase, Al Salam, and Al Koot exercises, as well as joint projects in defence industries and innovation and ongoing defence acquisitions, including co-operation through both nations’ air forces, facilitated by the common possession of Rafale combat aircraft.
They praised the strategic convergences between Qatar and France, which contribute to enhancing bilateral interactions between the two military institutions. Qatar and France are keen to explore ways to develop new synergies between their armed forces for future defence capabilities.
They also explored ways to build on existing links and expand activities on common strategic interests, particularly as they contribute to de-escalation and security in the Gulf and the Red Sea.
Both ministers welcomed the robust and long-lasting partnership between their respective security forces, including co-operation and important knowledge-sharing on Mega Sports Events, Crisis Management and Major Event Management, Air and Aviation Security, Cybersecurity and Digital Investigations, and mutual professionalisation and capacity-building.
They commended the friendship and trust between the Qatari Lekhwiya and the French Gendarmerie, celebrating in 2025 the 20th anniversary of their co-operation. They also welcomed the development of a strategic partnership between the French and Qatari national police forces and the establishment of a High Police Committee. They emphasised building on this co-operation.
The ministers emphasised that the fight against terrorism remains a key bilateral realm for co-operation. They said that such co-operation is crucial in preventing and countering terrorism and ensuring the safety of their citizens. These efforts reflect the need for a co-ordinated approach to deal with an ever-evolving set of terrorist threats that transcend national borders. They also agreed to continue their strong partnership in cybersecurity and in combating terrorism, countering violent extremism, and illicit financial flows.
Humanitarian and Development Co-operation: On humanitarian and international development co-operation, the two ministers affirmed the continuing success of programmatic bilateral co-operation and co-ordination between their respective implementing agencies, including QFFD, EAA, Silatech, and AFD.
Regarding development, they welcomed the renewal of their bilateral co-operation in this field, building on the signing of two major agreements between the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Qatar Fund for Development, the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, and Silatech in February 2024.
They expressed their appreciation for the first co-operation between AFD and QFFD for an ambitious project to renovate and expand Saint Joseph’s Hospital in East Jerusalem. They welcomed that QFFD and the AFD Group (AFD, Proparco, and Expertise France) renewed their commitment to co-finance development projects and agreed to raise the co-financing target from $50mn to $100mn for the duration of the MoU.
In the short term, QFFD and the AFD Group commit to operationalising the partnership in the following countries where there are pressing needs and discussions have already started on joint priorities: Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. They welcomed that QFFD and the AFD Group will also, in the medium term, work on joint global advocacy activities and expand the partnership to innovative finance.
The two ministers praised the ongoing discussions between the Qatar Fund for Development and the Crisis and Support Centre of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs to explore possible new areas of dialogue and joint funding, including in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, as well as in the field of humanitarian logistics.
Following the joint commitment by His Highness the Amir and the French president to dedicate $200mn in 2024 to humanitarian relief in Gaza, the two ministers expressed the necessity of addressing without delay the urgent needs for aid there. They also commended the humanitarian impact of joint health relief efforts in Gaza, including medical evacuations, delivery and flow of humanitarian aid, medicines, and ambulances. Additionally, they highlighted joint relief efforts in Lebanon to support conflict-affected populations. Recalling these recent successful joint humanitarian operations, the ministers support a new joint emergency operation to supply medical equipment and medicine to Afghanistan.
Such co-operation is the embodiment of the longstanding strategic partnership as well as the commitment of Qatar and France to stand by conflict-affected populations.
Education, Health, and Sports: The ministers lauded the strong co-operation in the fields of education, health, and sports. On education, they addressed the growing partnership in the field of education, in particular knowledge-sharing and research agreements between Qatari and French Institutions of Higher Education (HEI), including Sciences Po and Doha Institute.
Co-operation on research and innovation has been boosted by the strong collaboration between Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council (QRDI) and French HEIs, including Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), and HEC Paris. Under the Qatar Open Innovation Scheme, French companies have also received QRDI awards and are working in collaboration with Qatar-based SMEs and institutions to make strides in Agricultural Sciences and Medical Healthcare.
Qatar and France are looking forward to the signing of the 8th executive programme enhancing bilateral co-operation, particularly in French language learning, technical, professional, and higher education, and mobility of students and teachers. This agreement aims at establishing a steering committee dedicated to learning French from the 9th (third French) class in Qatari public institutions, as well as a steering committee related to the development of university co-operation. Both sides expressed their mutual intention to strengthen their co-operation in higher education and research, promoting exchanges of students and researchers, as well as further exploring joint training and programmes that enable students to achieve their personal and professional goals.
Qatar and France also expressed their wish to strengthen the sharing of expertise between the medical communities of the two countries through the rapprochement or exchange of researchers. The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs expressed his appreciation for Qatar’s help with the recent opening of the World Health Organisation Academy in Lyon. HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs congratulated France on its hugely successful hosting of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Both sides expressed their willingness to share expertise and knowledge and to continue their co-operation on the positive impact and legacy of hosting mega sporting events. In particular, they addressed the ways in which strong commitments in terms of social and environmental issues, including emissions reduction and carbon absorption, opportunities to promote inclusion and diversity, and combating hate speech, racism, and other forms of prejudice and discrimination, are offered by sport.
Culture, Art, and Heritage Co-operation: Both ministers welcomed the deep institutional and people-to-people connections forged through shared ties in culture, art, and heritage. They recalled the visit in April, at the invitation of the Qatari authorities and HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, of Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture of France.
The visit came as part of framework commitments made in the MoU signed in June 2024 between HE Sheikha Al Mayassa, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, and Rachida Dati, on behalf of the French Ministry of Culture. Both ministers welcomed the signing of six partnership agreements in April 2025 between Qatar Museums, the French Ministry of Culture, and the cultural institutions of both countries, pertaining to a broad range of areas of co-operation, in particular training, exhibitions, loans, research, artist residencies, development of image education workshops for young audiences, development of co-productions, and support in the creation of a cinémathèque. Qatari and French cultural institutions are currently working on the implementation of these agreements.
The accords include a framework agreement between the French Ministry of Culture and Qatar Museums for professional training in the cultural sector; an agreement between Qatar Museums and the Établissement public du musée d’Orsay et du musée de l’Orangerie — Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, including research projects, joint exhibition projects, and academic and educational projects. Qatar Museums and the Musée Guimet will proceed with collaboration that includes research, conservation, and educational projects dedicated to Asian arts.
Qatar Museums also proceeded with a partnership agreement with Manufactures nationales — Sèvres and Mobilier national, dedicated to the design and crafts sectors, aiming to strengthen links between French and Qatari designers and craftspeople. Under the framework, further Qatar-France agreements include a memorandum of understanding between the Doha Film Institute and the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée, as well as a memorandum of understanding between the National Library of Qatar and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.
They also welcomed the increased co-operation between the Qatari and French Ministries of Culture, in particular through the forthcoming renewal of the co-operation agreement between the two ministries of culture. The two ministers reiterated the commitment of their nations to heritage protection, especially in conflict areas, and respect for all relevant international agreements of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
A Shared and Responsible Future: Qatar and France emphasise the importance of their continued partnership, which benefits the interests of both countries and consolidates co-ordination towards a shared and responsible future. The two countries look forward to reviewing progress in these areas at the fourth Strategic Dialogue to be held in Doha in 2026.