The Government Communications Forum 2026, in its second deliberations, weighed in on the role of informed leadership in steering the communication system toward achieving national priorities, the importance of co-ordination among government agencies, as well as the role of transparency in building public trust.
The panel discussion on purposeful communication: leadership perspectives from the government sector explored avenues for building an enduring and adaptable corporate readiness with a sharp focus on the significance of communications based on clear-eyed goals and deepened values to promote interaction with the public and clarity in the long run.
HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports and Youth, Yasir bin Abdullah bin Ahmed al-Jamal, emphasised that strategic communications represent a core pillar in crafting national policies, highlighting that the ministry has pursued a participatory approach in fashioning policies, starting from the pre-decision-making phase through direct communications with targeted segments, and ultimately ending with measuring the impact to ensure long-term sustainability and social understanding.
Al-Jamal further pointed out that in 2024 the ministry launched an executive program aimed at achieving the outcomes of the National Youth Policy, including the Qatar Youth Delegates to the United Nations Program, which has served as a platform for young Qataris to amplify their voices in international fora, with over 50 young men and women representing the State of Qatar being graduated.
Al-Jamal noted that the national sports policy comprises an angle dedicated to sports communications and media, stemming from the belief that sports have no longer become a physical activity only, but a lifestyle and social behaviour that requires agile media discourse demonstrating the athletes’ accomplishments and sophisticated infrastructure, which reinforces awareness of the significance of sports as a national value.
For his part, HE Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari, clarified that strategic communications in diplomatic work has no longer become an option, but an imperative imposed by the rapid flow of information and the multitude of platforms.
Every single word uttered in the media space today is instantly transformed into a title that could directly affect the nation’s image and global narrative, Dr al-Ansari suggested. He elaborated that the ministry’s experience of press briefs has come as a response to a pressing need to proactively manage the national narrative, as well as to transition from reacting to creating the narrative, ensuring that the nation’s positions are conveyed with clarity and precision, while preventing the creation of alternative narratives outside the official framework.
Media is literally a fundamental partner, not an adversary, since forging a relationship based on trust and respect with journalists and media enterprises is a prerequisite for the success of any communications policy, Dr al-Ansari stressed, before noting the importance of never remaining oblivious to the national optics when addressing the world, because those optics are the prime pillar of national trust.
HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour, Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman al-Thani, suggested that the staggering challenge in communications facing the ministry lies in the diverse optics given the diversity of interests, prompting multilingual messaging and flexible communication approaches, without compromising the core of the message or altering its substance between domestic and international audiences.
She further emphasised that government communication is no longer unidirectional, but has become interactive and participatory, with feedback from the public and relevant stakeholders contributing to the development of policies, suggesting that trust is built when the optics feel their voice is heard and when solutions are crafted in partnership with them.
Sheikha Najwa also stressed the importance of unifying messages across government agencies, noting that issues related to the labour market intersect with multiple agencies and cannot be addressed through isolated communication. This underscores the role of institutional co-ordination and the Government Communications Office as the central reference for official messaging.
For his part, HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development and Family, Khalifa bin Issa bin Abdullah al-Kubaisi, affirmed that communication is a time-honoured part of the decision-making process, not a subsequent phase.
Al-Kubaisi pointed out that the ministry’s strategy motto, “From Care to Empowerment”, is not merely a media message, but a framework guiding decision-making and the design of initiatives.
Dealing with sensitive social issues requires a balanced humanitarian discourse that respects the dignity of beneficiary groups and enhances their integration into society, since true empowerment is achieved through social inclusion, not institutional isolation, he underlined.
Al-Kubaisi averred that transparency in broaching societal challenges has contributed to raising public awareness and preparing society to accept new policies and initiatives, emphasising that changing societal behaviours requires joint effort in the field of communication and broad partnerships with various media entities.
The forum proceeded with rich discussions focused on communication as a tool for influence, trust-building, and fashioning narratives capable of keeping up with rapid transformations both at home and abroad, affirming its role as a national platform for sharing leadership perspectives and weighing in on the role of strategic communication in supporting national priorities and enhancing societal impact.