The Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore (NUS) hosted HE Assistant Foreign Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lolwah bint Rashid AlKhater in the annual '2020 S R Nathan Distinguished Lecture' event, which hosts an elite of academics, experts, specialists and diplomats.
HE AlKhater gave an online lecture entitled 'Small States in a Contested Era: A Qatari Perspective', which shed light on many regional and international issues, the challenges facing the small states in a multipolar world and the extent of their ability to prosper and progress amidst issues of development, globalisation, security and pluralism, while preserving independence and identity in the face of external threats.
The assistant foreign minister touched on the effective tools that a small country may possess to be able to find its way through and determine its position, and the extent to which that country has benefited from history to create a prosperous future, as well as the areas in which that country can co-operate in and the mechanisms to achieve this, inferring the vital and important role carried out by Qatar Airways during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, which received appreciation and praise from various countries around the world.
HE AlKhater highlighted the ability of the State of Qatar to face challenges, citing the progress and prosperity that Qatar has achieved despite the ongoing unjust blockade imposed on it for more than three years, stressing the pioneering role of Qatar in the international arena, whether in the political or economic fields, as one of the largest exporters of liquefied natural gas in the world, as well as the active role it plays in mediating regional and international conflicts.
At the outset of her lecture, HE AlKhater said that the world has entered a new era of structural changes, by moving from bipolarity to multipolarity, pointing to the role of technology in the transformation into a world more interconnected than ever before. Despite this fact, there is a lot of division in an unprecedented way, and this division leads to a state of chaos. She added that the challenges facing the small country are different, although there are commonalities, indicating that climate change and natural disasters are a common concern for all countries of the world.
HE AlKhater highlighted the experience of the State of Qatar in facing the unjust blockade imposed on it, and how Doha succeeded in dealing with it since June 2017, referring to the remarkable successes in self-reliance, foiling all plans that targeted the nation and overcoming the difficulties caused by the blockade. She noted the well-deserved successes which Qatar has achieved in dealing with the repercussions of the blockade, pointing out that Qatar's gross domestic product (GDP) increased in 2017 after the blockade, and it is constantly increasing.
HE AlKhater said that Qatar is a major contributor to the global energy market, specifically through the supply of LNG to all parts of the world. She indicated that Qatar Petroleum is partaking in huge global projects, some of which are located in the blockading countries, such as the project in Egypt which was operational in 2019, and it continues to supply the UAE with LNG despite the differences, based on the strategic position Doha adopts on de-politicising energy, gas supplies and energy projects.
The assistant foreign minister said that some believed that Qatar would surrender within weeks of the blockade, which did not happen. The steps undertaken by Qatar were distinct, and the first three decisive steps which Qatar took were "preventing military intervention", "political flexibility", and "prompt direction toward alternative supply chains", and most importantly, strengthening unity and solidarity on the domestic front, and the realistic and rational approaches have proven to be more effective in the long term.
HE AlKhater affirmed that Qatar has completely succeeded in managing this file. Once the immediate challenges were addressed, Qatar resorted to the international law to obtain its rights and prove the fairness of its position. In the long term, Qatar has focused on diversifying resources and bilateral relations, and promoting important and vital areas such as food security. She highlighted the vital role of Qatar in all crises, including the coronavirus pandemic, where Qatar Airways remained operational during the pandemic in transporting people and goods, and transporting relief, medical and humanitarian aid to the brotherly and friendly countries; therefore, it is considered the most prominent international company that made such efforts, which was highly appreciated worldwide.
In response to a question about whether there is an end to the Gulf crisis in the future, HE AlKhater assured that it could be, but it will take time, and that the solution will be gradual. Commenting on a question about the recent agreements signed between some Arab countries and Israel, HE AlKhater stressed that the Palestinian issue must be viewed in its historical depth, therefore peace can only be based on a just and sustainable solution, and no solution or peace can exclude the Palestinians.
On the United States' elections and the impact of the next US president on the US policy in the Middle East, HE AlKhater said that Qatar has continuously worked to reduce polarisation in the region, and will continue to push this message to all governments in friendly countries. She stressed that it is important for the Gulf states to have unified and consistent positions towards issues related to the Gulf security and coexistence, independent of any changes occurring outside the region.
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