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| Joseph LeBaron: “I was thrilled when Qatar won the (2022 World Cup) bid” |
The US Ambassador in Doha, Joseph LeBaron, has always had a close personal and professional bond with Qatar.
He began his diplomatic career in Doha in 1980, and he will conclude it at the end of next month, having returned here to serve another three-year tenure in 2008.
After leaving in 1982, LeBaron served in various posts around the region, and during an interview with Gulf Times ahead of his departure, the ambassador discussed the changes that the country has undergone in that time and the current state of the relationship between Qatar and his homeland.
The ambassador said that he prepared to leave Qatar with “a great sense of satisfaction and gratitude,” noting the various areas in which relations between the countries have been strengthened during his time here.
LeBaron described bilateral relations between the US and Qatar as being at their strongest level, which he attributed to the recent visit of HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani to the US earlier this year as well as clearer communication between the two countries’ governments.
LeBaron explained that a large portion of his time here was spent working with his counterpart in Washington to arrange the Emir’s visit to the US, and that the event was probably his proudest achievement during his tenure.
He also put down the increased level of understanding between Washington and Doha to the new administration of President Barack Obama; Vice-President Joe Biden; Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and Assistant Secretary of State for Eastern Affairs Jeff Feltman and their willingness to open up to a closer relationship with Qatar.
“Friends will always disagree from time to time, but Qatar and the US have a lot in common, and I think that is now understood much better,” he said.
LeBaron spoke about the strong military relationship between the countries, the increase in trade and the establishment of the local chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce as well as the continued strong ties in education.
Although during his time here he has witnessed steady improvements in already strong bilateral relations, LeBaron admitted that the main challenge associated with his job has been ensuring clear communication between both governments.
“The main difficulty has been in making sure that Washington’s points of view were made clearly by the right people, to the right people, and to make sure that the Qatari government reached the right people as well,” he said.
“This flow of communication is critical,” he said, “with greater understanding comes greater acceptance, and with greater acceptance comes a relationship that cannot be broken by events in the region - that can withstand these kind of difficulties.”
LeBaron referred to co-operation between the two governments on Yemen, Darfur, and Libya, claiming that regional conflicts have helped to bring the US and Qatar together and highlighted the common interests and goals that the countries share.
He explained that Qatar had increasingly become a closer partner in addressing issues in the region, and suggested that this partnership will continue to grow in coming years.
During his tenure, LeBaron witnessed many major milestones and achievements in Qatar’s history, but undoubtedly, one of the most significant events was the award of the 2022 World Cup after the successful bid last year.
“I was thrilled when Qatar won the bid,” he said, adding “the soccer world understood the importance of bringing the sport to the Arab World, and choosing a country that could host that World Cup in the best of traditions.”
“To me, the Word Cup represents a major element in Qatar’s vision of development, and the development of an economy based on culture and sport,” noted LeBaron.
“I expect the World Cup to be just one, perhaps the greatest one, of a series of international sporting events which will be held here in the future,” he added.
President Obama has nominated Susan Ziadeh as LeBaron’s replacement, and the current Deputy Chief of Mission in Saudi Arabia’s nomination has now been passed to the Senate. Their response will dictate when she arrives in Qatar, although LeBaron expressed his hope that it will be as soon after his arrival as possible.
Her arrival will signify the latest ambassador to help the “flow of the stream” of relations between Qatar and the US, something LeBaron said he had tried to do throughout his career.
“It has been a stream to which I have tried to contribute,” he said, “ambassadors can help improve the flow, but the stream is much greater than any single ambassador.”
The ambassador will look back fondly on his time here as he prepares to leave government when he relocates to the US, but he certainly intends to return here in the future: “I want to remain involved in what I think is a very exciting story of development and progress.”