Qatar and Belgium have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen co-operation between their police forces, Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin told 'Gulf Times' in an exclusive interview.
Minister Quintin, who announced the agreement following a meeting with Qatar’s Minister of Interior His Excellency Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, said: “Both countries would begin implementing concrete areas of co-operation in the coming weeks focusing on information exchange, training and joint efforts to combat organised crime, drug and weapons trafficking, and terrorism.”
“We are going a step further in this very concrete co-operation between our police services. The agreement would build on the strong existing relations between the two countries,” explained the Belgian minister.
The MoU, signed during Quintin’s visit to Qatar, aims to strengthen collaboration through information exchange, best-practice sharing, and training across various security fields.
The Belgian minister said he would work with his Qatari counterpart to ensure practical co-operation begins soon, emphasising that the agreement marks another step in a longstanding relationship.
“We have common interests. We are rather small countries but we both have access to the sea. That's a lot of opportunities but at the same time there can be a lot of threats that come with it. Qatar and Belgium are natural allies,” he explained.
As for relations between the two countries, Quintin noted that bilateral ties extend beyond government institutions to people-to-people connections and the two countries’ royal families. He said these longstanding connections provide a strong foundation for expanding co-operation in security and other areas.
The minister also highlighted the importance of translating bilateral agreements into practical action, saying the priority was to give tangible effect to the strategic partnership signed in 2024. “It’s good to sign the MoU. What’s more important is to give life to that,” he said, adding that he had returned to Qatar after a previous visit and had committed to strengthening co-operation between the two countries’ interior services.
Quintin’s visit also included engagement with the security industry, reflecting Belgium’s interest in learning from Qatar’s capabilities and exploring opportunities for co-operation with Belgian enterprises. “I am very much impressed by the security systems and expertise developed in Qatar, including those associated with Barzan Holdings. It also shows the potential for exchanging technical knowledge and exploring systems that could help strengthen Belgium’s security capabilities,” said the minister
Referring to the security arrangements implemented during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Quintin acknowledged the international recognition Qatar received for its security management and said both countries could build on that experience. The minister also pointed to energy as an important area of bilateral economic co-operation, while emphasising the growing potential for collaboration in security technology and expertise.
He also said that there will be some high-level visits between both countries that would help sustain the momentum in bilateral relations.
He said: “The Minister-President of Belgium’s Walloon Region is expected to visit Qatar next month with Belgian business delegates, while Belgium’s foreign minister, who also serves as deputy prime minister, is expected to visit Qatar in 2027.” “These engagements would contribute to advancing the strategic partnership and expanding co-operation across multiple sectors,” he added.
