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Gold has staged a dramatic rally this year as the US Trump administration’s unorthodox economic policies sent investors and central banks reaching for safe-haven assets. Right now, however, it’s silver that’s stealing the spotlight.A squeeze in supply of the precious metal had catapulted it to a 100% gain as of early December, while gold was up 60%. Both have been experiencing a surge in demand from investors seeking to hedge against political turbulence, inflation and currency weakness.Unlike gold, silver isn’t just scarce and beautiful: It also has many useful real-world properties that make it a valuable component in a range of products. With inventories near their lowest on record and investors still scrambling for more, there’s a risk of supply shortages that could impact multiple industries.Silver has soared this year. Who needs silver?Silver is an excellent electrical conductor that’s used in circuit boards and switches, electric vehicles and batteries. Silver paste is a critical ingredient in solar panels, and the metal is also used in coatings for medical devices. Sustained high prices could erode the profitability of industrial users and spur efforts to substitute silver components for other metals.Like gold, silver is still a popular ingredient for making jewellery and coins. China and India remain the top buyers of silver, thanks to their vast industrial bases, large populations and the important role that silver jewellery continues to play as a store of value passed down the generations.Governments and mints also consume large quantities of silver to produce bullion coins and other products. As a tradable asset, it’s much cheaper than gold per ounce, making it more accessible to retail investors, and its price tends to move more sharply during precious metal rallies. What makes the silver market unique? Silver’s varied uses mean its market price is influenced by a wide array of events including shifts in manufacturing cycles and interest rates and even renewable energy policy. When the global economy accelerates, industrial demand tends to push silver higher. When recessions loom, investors can step in as alternative buyers.The market is thinner than with gold. Daily turnover is smaller, inventories are tighter and liquidity can evaporate quickly. The silver stored in London is worth just shy of $50bn, while the gold is worth $1.2tn, though much of both are not available to borrow or buy for investors. For gold, the London market is underpinned by around $700bn of bullion held mostly by the world’s central banks in vaults of the Bank of England. This can be lent out when a liquidity squeeze hits, effectively making the central banks lenders of last resort — but no such reserve exists for silver. Why has silver rallied so much this year? Silver often moves in tandem with gold, but with more violent price moves. After the yellow metal surged in the early months of 2025, some investors pointed to the stretched ratio of prices between the two metals of more than 100-1. Silver’s apparent cheapness relative to gold was enough to encourage some investors to pile into the white metal.Heavy debt loads in major economies such as the US, France and Japan and a lack of political will to solve them also encouraged some investors to stock up on silver and other alternative assets this year, in a wider retreat from government bonds and currencies dubbed the debasement trade.Meanwhile, global silver mine output has been constrained by declining ore grades and limited new project development. Mexico, Peru, and China — the top three producers — have all faced setbacks ranging from regulatory hurdles to environmental restrictions.Global demand for silver has outpaced the output from mines for five consecutive years, while silver-backed exchange-traded funds have drawn in new investment. What was the silver squeeze that hit the market this year? Speculation earlier this year that the US would levy tariffs on silver led to a flood of the metal into vaults linked to the Comex commodities exchange in New York, as traders sought to take advantage of premium prices in that market.That contributed to a dwindling of available silver stocks in London, the dominant spot trading hub. Those stocks were further eroded as more than one hundred million ounces flowed into ETFs backed by physical bullion.With a spike of demand during the Indian festive season in October, the market suddenly seized up. The cost of borrowing silver surged to a record, while prices jumped.That tightness pushed London prices above other international benchmarks, helping to ease the squeeze. Traders are still monitoring for any potential US tariff on silver after the precious metal was added to the US Geological Survey’s list of critical minerals in November. 

Pope Leo urges Lebanese leaders to persevere with peace effortsLeo says religions must unite to help stabilise countryLebanon faces economic crisis, conflict spillover, and migration wavesPope says prayer gives strength even amidst 'sound of weapons'Leo to visit Beirut port blast site Pope Leo urged leaders from Lebanon's many diverse religious sects Monday to unite to heal the country after years of conflict, political paralysis and economic crisis that have prompted waves of migration abroad.Leo, the first US pope, met members of diverse communities, and called on them to show that people of different traditions "can live together and build a country united by respect and dialogue".The Pope, who is on what he has described as a mission of peace, has urged Lebanon's leaders to persevere with peace efforts in the aftermath of last year's devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah, and continued Israeli strikes.The 70-year-old pontiff, elected in May, is visiting Lebanon until today on the second leg of his first overseas trip, which started in Turkiye.At Beirut's central Martyrs' Square near its large, blue-domed mosque, the Pope told religious leaders they must be "builders of peace", working to confront intolerance and overcome violence.Lebanese representatives of the Alawite and Druze communities, which have suffered through bouts of sectarian violence in neighbouring Syria this year, spoke at the event.In the crowd, Alawite Mohammed Saleh said his community needed peace, protection and dignity. "We ask him humbly to remember in his prayer the Alawite community in the Middle East," Saleh said.Leo also visited the tomb of St Charbel, a Catholic saint, before heading to Harissa, a Catholic shrine on a mountaintop overlooking the Mediterranean just north of Beirut.Before speaking at the shrine, Leo heard testimonies from people living in Lebanon. Loren Capobres, a Filipina migrant in the country for 17 years, told Leo about her experience living through war.The Pope said stories like hers show the need to "take a stand to ensure that no one else will have to flee from his or her country due to senseless and cruel conflicts".Lebanon has been rocked by the spillover of the Gaza conflict, as Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah group went to war, culminating in a devastating Israeli offensive.The country, which hosts 1mn Syrian and Palestinian refugees, also is struggling to emerge from a severe economic crisis following decades of profligate spending that sent the economy into a tailspin in late 2019.About 15,000 young people gathered for an event with the Pope Monday evening outside the Maronite Catholic headquarters.Israel says its continued strikes since last year's ceasefire agreement are to prevent Hezbollah from re-establishing military capabilities and posing a renewed threat to communities in northern Israel.Leo's schedule for today includes a prayer at the site of a 2020 chemical explosion at the Beirut port that killed 200 people, an outdoor Mass on the Beirut waterfront and a visit to one of Lebanon's few mental health facilities. 

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa has held discussions in Ramallah with Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen, focusing on political developments and the situation on the ground in Gaza, the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.Mustafa reiterated that the Palestinian Authority holds full mandate and sovereignty over all Palestinian territories, stressing that any future transitional arrangements must be co-ordinated directly with Palestinian institutions. His comments come as international actors explore post-conflict scenarios for Gaza.The prime minister welcomed global efforts to support relief, recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, highlighting the importance of the Arab-Palestinian recovery framework, which he said enjoys broad international backing.He also renewed his call for Denmark to recognise the State of Palestine, arguing that such a step would contribute to regional peace and stability.Rasmussen's visit is part of a wider European engagement with the region amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilise Gaza and revive political dialogue. 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held high stakes talks with a Ukrainian delegation in Florida Sunday, as the United States pushes to end Russia's war against its neighbour.The negotiations come as Kyiv faces mounting military and political pressure, along with the fallout from a corruption scandal. They could set the stage for next week's visit to Moscow by President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, who is expected to discuss Ukraine diplomacy."This is not just about peace deals. It's about creating a pathway forward that leaves Ukraine sovereign, independent and prosperous," Rubio said at the start of the negotiations.Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were also attending the meeting in Hallandale Beach, north of Miami.Ukraine's security council secretary Rustem Umerov led Kyiv's delegation, which also included Andrii Hnatov, the chief of staff of Ukraine's armed forces, and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz."We are discussing about the future of Ukraine, about the security of Ukraine, about no repetition of aggression of Ukraine, about prosperity of Ukraine, about how to rebuild Ukraine," Umerov said as the talks kicked off.The US talks come amid turbulence for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government. A blockbuster corruption probe forced him to sack his chief of staff and top negotiator, Andriy Yermak, on Friday.Rubio had met with Yermak only a week ago during another round of talks in Geneva that both sides hailed as "constructive."In a separate post on the platform X, Umerov said he was in "constant contact" with Zelensky as the Florida meeting progressed."We have clear directives and priorities: safeguarding Ukrainian interests, ensuring substantive dialogue, and advancing on the basis of the progress achieved in Geneva," Umerov wrote."We are working to secure real peace for Ukraine and reliable, long-term security guarantees. The delegation will report to the president of Ukraine following the conclusion of today's meetings."Washington has put forward a plan to end the nearly four-year conflict and is seeking to finalise it with Moscow and Kyiv's approval.An initial 28-point proposal -- drafted without input from Ukraine's European allies -- would have seen Kyiv withdraw from its eastern Donetsk region and the United States de facto recognise the Donetsk, Crimea and Lugansk regions as Russian.The United States pared back the original draft following criticism from Kyiv and Europe, but the current contents remain unclear.After the Florida negotiations, French President Emmanuel Macron is set to host Zelensky for talks in Paris today.Separately next week, Rubio is set to skip a meeting of Nato foreign ministers despite allies' concerns about the US plan for Ukraine. However, Witkoff is expected in Moscow to discuss Ukraine diplomacy.The flurry of diplomacy comes as the war — which has killed tens of thousands of civilians and military personnel and displaced millions of Ukrainians — shows no sign of easing.Ahead of the Florida talks, Russia's forces targeted Ukraine's capital and the region for two nights in a row as they advanced on the front line.A drone attack in the outskirts of Kyiv killed one person and wounded 11 on Saturday night, the regional governor said.Hours earlier, a Ukrainian security source said Kyiv was responsible for attacks on two oil tankers in the Black Sea that it believed were covertly transporting sanctioned Russian oil.One of Russia's largest oil terminals halted operations on Saturday following an attack by sea drones.The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), a group that includes US oil majors Chevron and ExxonMobil and which owns the terminal, called the strike a "terrorist attack".Ukraine, which did not comment on the incident, regularly targets Russian energy facilities in a bid to sap the country's war chest as the conflict grinds through its fourth year.The CPC pipeline, which begins in Kazakhstan and ends at the terminal, is a major conduit for Kazakh oil and one of the world's largest by volume, handling around one percent of global supplies. 

Bobi Wine, the main challenger to President Yoweri Museveni's 40-year rule in Uganda, drew vast crowds as he brought his campaign to the capital Kampala Monday ahead of January's election.Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, is a 43-year-old singer turned politician who has become hugely popular among Ugandan young people but faces a deeply entrenched political machine led by the 81-year-old Museveni.Tens of thousands swarmed around Wine's motorcade as it moved around Kampala's suburbs for the first time since he confirmed his second run for the presidency.Wine said he began the day at the Luzira maximum security prison just outside the city, where several officials and supporters of his National Unity Platform are being held."The time has come for the dictator to go," Wine told a roaring crowd in one suburb, who waved placards, banners and flowers in his party's red and black."I have just been to Luzira and I met some of your parents, brothers and sisters, your uncles and aunties who are in prison because they hold different political opinions and support the change we want," he said."(They) told me they are in prison but their spirit is not broken and the call for change is not negotiable, but a must," he added.Hundreds of heavily armed police and military personnel manned the route, which passed through the streets despite an earlier police order to keep rallies to designated zones to avoid blocking roads.Police used teargas at one location in a bid to prevent them from reaching the next campaign stop, an AFP journalist saw.Wine lost to Museveni in 2021 elections that were marred by widespread reports of irregularities and severe violence from security forces.He has been arrested numerous times and has alleged torture in police and military custody.Museveni's son and Ugandan army chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba has repeatedly threatened to behead Wine on social media.The president's campaign has focused on "protecting the gains" of his four-decade rule and "driving Uganda to high middle-income status". Currently, around one in six people live in poverty in the East African nation.Museveni remains popular for having liberated the country from brutal dictatorial rule in the 1980s, but is accused of increasing authoritarianism of his own in later years.Last year, another long-time political rival, Kizza Besigye, was abducted in neighbouring Kenya and brought to Uganda where he faces a trial for treason and the potential death penalty.

Greece's former prime minister Alexis Tsipras Monday released a long-awaited memoir, 10 years after the trauma of the country's debt crisis, as he reportedly mulls a political comeback.The ex-Communist youth leader, who came to power in 2015 as an anti-austerity firebrand at the head of the left-wing Syriza alliance, was forced to negotiate a multi-billion-dollar rescue with Greece's EU-IMF creditors.Now 51, he has said he felt an "obligation" to "recount the events as I experienced them, to capture the conditions, the conflicts, the dilemmas, and the cost"."It is time for my voice to be heard," he said in a statement this month.The memoir — an epic 730 pages — is titled *Ithaki, the Ionian island also known as Ithaca, where Tsipras in 2018 emphatically declared Greece's exit from its decade-long economic crisis.Much of his ire over Greece's troubled financial odyssey is directed at former comrades, including finance minister of the time Yanis Varoufakis.Tsipras said he picked the maverick economist to show "aggressive determination" but that ultimately he was a "celebrity" who became intolerable even to his own colleagues.There are also details about Tsipras' tightrope negotiations with world leaders, including former US president Barack Obama, Germany's Angela Merkel and Russia's Vladimir Putin.He recalled Merkel being left "speechless" by his decision to hold a referendum on the EU-IMF rescue deal.While Obama offered behind-the-scenes guidance, Putin bluntly turned down an offer to buy Greek government bonds, saying he would rather give the money to an orphanage.Tsipras insists the referendum, in which Greeks overwhelmingly voted to reject further cuts, was a "weapon" to stave off national "humiliation".But he also admitted that some members of his party had a tenuous grip on reality when it came to the issues at stake.Zoe Konstantopoulou, who was picked by Tsipras to be head of parliament but later fell out with him over the rescue deal he approved, Monday called him a "traitor".And some of Tsipras' attributions to the former leader of the socialist Pasok party Fofi Gennimata, who died in 2021, were untrue, one of her close aides said Monday.The book "puts words into the mouth of a person who can no longer respond and defend the truth", said former Pasok MP Manolis Othonas.Tsipras stood down as prime minister after losing a 2019 national election to the conservative New Democracy party of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the current prime minister.He quit as party leader in 2023 after Mitsotakis inflicted an even broader election defeat in back-to-back polls. In October he also stepped down as MP.Syriza repeatedly fractured after Tsipras' departure, and currently polls in sixth place at around 5.0%.Tsipras last year formed a political institute, and is believed to be planning the creation of a new political movement or party, which polls show would be supported by about 20% of voters.

A court decision to remove three children from their Anglo-Australian family's home in the woods has become a political flashpoint in Italy, where there is wider debate over alleged judicial overreach.Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — leader of a hard-right government that champions family values — is reportedly concerned about the case near Chieti, in the eastern Abruzzo region, where the family has been living off-grid since 2021.On Thursday, the juvenile court of nearby Aquila suspended the couple's parental responsibility and ordered the transfer of the children to a protective home with their mother.The court cited poor sanitary conditions at the home, and the unauthorised homeschooling of the couple's eight-year-old girl and six-year-old twin boys.The decision prompted a wave of verbal attacks and threats online against the judge, while a petition to "save the family that lives in the woods" has gathered over 135,000 signatures.Italy's deputy prime minister and leader of the far-right League party, Matteo Salvini, has called the judge's actions "unworthy, worrying, dangerous and shameful", describing it as a "kidnapping" of the minors."Judges and social workers in Abruzzo, don't be a nuisance," he said, pointing to a need for judicial reform.Defending their lifestyle as one "without stress" and in harmony with nature, Australian Catherine Birmingham and Briton Nathan Trevallion told national broadcaster Rai this month that their children were "growing up better" in their home in the woods.A tour of the home given to Rai showed a wood-burning stove in a kitchen, colourful children's beds covered with stuffed animals, and Christmas lights strewn about the home.Electricity is provided from solar panels, while the toilet is compostable and located in a shack outside, where a donkey, horse, dogs, cats, chickens and ducks roam a clearing among the trees."The children are happy, healthy. We haven't done anything wrong if we want to return to nature," Birmingham told Rai in halting Italian.But local media has reported that the children are not vaccinated and do not go to school, with the parents having failed to submit their request for homeschooling to local authorities.Monday afternoon, the education ministry issued a press release saying the region's education office had confirmed that "compulsory schooling has been regularly completed through home education" legal in Italy, according to news agencies.Social workers were called last year after one of the couple's children ingested poisonous mushrooms and was taken to hospital, reports said.The power of judges has generated public debate in Italy, as Meloni's flagship justice reform — which includes separating the careers of judges and prosecutors — heads for a referendum next year.Judges have decried interference by the government, saying the reform will curb their independence, while the government accuses the judiciary of political bias.Magistrates associations have defended the Aquila court's decision to remove the children and slammed what they called exploitation of the case for political purposes."We reject any form of exploitation expressed in recent days by some political factions and the media, which fail to consider the complexity and sensitivity of the rights in question," said the Italian Association of Magistrates for Minors and for the Family.In a press release, it noted that the court's decision came after a year-long observation period "during which the court's orders were systematically disregarded by the parents".Monday, the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM), which is tasked with judicial independence and disciplinary matters, opened a procedure to protect the magistrates in question.It said recent statements from politicians "go beyond legitimate criticism of a judicial act and end up directly affecting the work of the magistrates of the Juvenile Court, exposing them to undue pressure, including through the media".A lawyer for the British father and Australian mother, Giovanni Angelucci, did not respond to requests for comment by AFP.The British embassy said it was providing consular assistance but would not comment further.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s official visit to Rwanda offered one of the most quietly meaningful diplomatic moments of the year.A single image circulated widely: HH the Amir walking through the Rwandan wilderness with a camera in hand, observing wildlife with calm curiosity. It showed a leader close to people, grounded, and genuinely engaged with the world around him and it subtly reflected the kind of diplomacy Qatar increasingly represents.Rwanda’s progress over the past three decades is one of the most remarkable transformations on the African continent. From unimaginable tragedy, the country has built stability, economic growth, reconciliation, and a governance model now studied internationally.In many ways, Rwanda’s emphasis on planning, unity and long-term development mirrors the values that also guide Qatar’s own national trajectory, making the partnership between Doha and Kigali both natural and strategic. Qatar’s role in facilitating dialogue between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo further illustrates the country’s approach to foreign policy: patient, steady, respectful, and focused on lowering tensions rather than raising them.It is a diplomacy that stands out precisely because it avoids spectacle. His Highness the Amir’s visit also gains significance in the context of his broader regional outreach, including his stop in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and his participation in the G20 Summit in South Africa. Qatar and South Africa share positions on several global issues, particularly the Palestinian question, where Pretoria’s principled stance has drawn international attention.This alignment adds weight to Qatar’s growing partnerships across the continent. Taken together, these developments outline a clear direction: a foreign policy that moves fluidly between people, nature and high-level diplomacy, and a leadership style built on calm confidence and genuine respect.That photograph from the Rwandan forest was more than a striking moment; it captured the essence of a political philosophy that seeks peace through understanding and progress through partnership.

Two missing Kenyan activists have been released after they vanished in Uganda where they were attending a political opposition event, legal and rights groups said Saturday.Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo went missing in October after travelling to the neighbouring east African nation to support Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, who intends to run against long-time incumbent Yoweri Museveni in elections next year.In a brief joint statement on X, rights groups Amnesty Kenya, Vocal Africa and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) said they "welcome the release of Nicholas Oyoo and Bob Njagi last night in Busia after 38 days of their enforced disappearance".The statement, posted by LSK head Faith Odhiambo, did not give any further details but said they were "facilitating their transfer to Nairobi".It expressed thanks to human rights groups, as well as to the foreign ministries and to active citizens who "tirelessly campaigned for this moment".Oyoo's older brother, Nobert Ochieng, 53, said his family was "elated" at the news."It was a big relief, because it's been a very tormenting and difficult month for us," he said.Kenya's foreign minister Musalia Mudavadi confirmed that the two were released late Friday after "sustained diplomatic engagement".Arrangements were underway to "ensure the two Kenyans reunite safely with their families", he added in a post on X.The pair went missing last month, with the Ugandan police denying either activist was in custody.Rights groups and the men's families in Kenya have agitated for their return, appealing to the Uganda court and urging the government to disclose their whereabouts.The head of Kenyan rights group Vocal Africa, Hussein Khalid, said last month that eyewitnesses had reported that the two men were taken by "masked, uniformed and armed men, suggesting strong evidence of state involvement in their disappearance."It is our suspicion that the two may be detained alongside other Ugandan political detainees in military facilities," he said.Dozens of government critics and opposition figures have been abducted in recent years across east Africa, and rights groups allege authorities are failing to protect their own citizens and even working together against activists.In May, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire say they were abducted and tortured by security forces in Tanzania, and received little support from their own governments.

Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs of the State of Palestine Dr. Samah Hamad emphasized that the State of Qatar, under the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, represents a pioneering model of Moral and humanitarian commitment toward Palestine, defending the legitimate political, humanitarian, and developmental rights of its people.In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Dr. Samah Hamad said that the continuous support and genuine partnership with the State of Qatar are highly appreciated, as they embody the depth of Arab solidarity and a unified stance in defending Palestinian rights.She explained that Palestine's participation in the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha aligns with its commitment to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, with a focus on social protection and ensuring human dignity.The participation aims to highlight the unprecedented social challenges faced by Palestinian families under occupation and to develop innovative solutions to provide social protection and justice for Palestinian households, she added.Regarding the hosting of the Summit in the State of Qatar, she noted its significant implications, as Qatar is recognized for investing in human and social development and for successfully combining economic growth with social justice, strengthening its role as a hub for Arab dialogue on development.The Palestinian Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs underlined that the State of Qatar plays an influential role in supporting social protection programs, education, healthcare, and humanitarian response during crises. She noted that this support has contributed to enhancing the resilience of Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank through initiatives for orphans and low-income families, and through development programs implemented in cooperation with the Qatari government, Qatar Charity, and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD).The Palestinian Ministry of Social Development collaborates with Qatari institutions, the United Nations, and civil society to ensure the sustainability of social protection programs through data exchange and a national social registry, ensuring coordination and avoiding duplication in aid delivery, while emphasizing economic empowerment, employment programs, and social and educational services, she added.Regarding the challenges facing Palestine, Dr. Samah Hamad explained that the ministry continues to provide emergency humanitarian, food, and cash assistance to families affected by war and occupation, including orphans, persons with disabilities, and the elderly, alongside implementing psychosocial support programs for children and affected families and activating a joint government operations room to coordinate relief efforts and ensure aid reaches all governorates, including isolated areas in Gaza.She also stressed the importance of building an integrated social solidarity network combining civil society, governments, and donor countries to strengthen social protection for the most vulnerable groups. She added that the issue of orphans remains among the most urgent, with continuous development of care, shelter, protection, and education centers for children in need, alongside unifying orphan data nationally to ensure integration and prevent duplication.On the summit's contribution to enhancing Arab integration, she said that it represents an opportunity to strengthen Arab cooperation in the social field, exchange experiences, and launch collective Arab initiatives to support countries affected by conflicts and crises, foremost among them Palestine, ensuring the protection of human dignity and promoting comprehensive development.Dr. Samah Hamad concluded the interview by expressing deep appreciation to the State of Qatar, its leadership and people, for its ongoing support of the Palestinian people at humanitarian, developmental, and political levels, while affirming Palestine's aspiration to continue expanding partnership with Qatar to strengthen Palestinian people's resilience and preserve their human dignity.

The State of Qatar and the Republic of Djibouti signed two memoranda of understanding on Sunday, one on the establishment of a joint committee for cooperation between the Government of the State of Qatar and the Government of the Republic of Djibouti, and another on holding political consultations on issues of mutual interest between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Djibouti.The memoranda were signed on behalf of the Qatari side by His Excellency Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi and on behalf of the Djiboutian side by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Government Spokesperson of the Republic of Djibouti Abdoulkader Houssein Omar.

His Excellency Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad Al-Thani, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United States inaugurated the new building of the Qatari Embassy in Washington, D.C., in a ceremony attended by a number of members of the US administration and Congress, prominent political, economic, and social figures, policy advisors, think tank representatives, and members of the Arab and foreign diplomatic corps.In his address during the ceremony, His Excellency affirmed that the opening of the new embassy building is a clear reflection of the strong and enduring relations between the State of Qatar and the United States of America.He expressed hope that the new mission premises would serve as a new milestone in the ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation between the two countries across all fields.His Excellency reiterated Qatar's continued commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, cultural, and educational spheres, noting that the new embassy building serves as a platform for promoting engagement and mutual understanding.He emphasized the importance of the ongoing and steadfast coordination between the State of Qatar and the United States in establishing stability and peace, and in achieving prosperity and well-being for the peoples of the region through cooperation based on the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the sovereignty of states.Held in partnership with Qatar Foundation, the Qatari Ministry of Defense, Qatar Airways, and Formula One, the ceremony featured a musical performance by Qatari composer and artist Dana Al Fardan, whose work skillfully reflected Qatari culture and folk heritage.The new embassy building is located in the heart of Washington, D.C., occupying the historic administrative building of the Carnegie Institution for Science.Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965, the building is considered one of the most significant architectural landmarks in the city.The facility includes dedicated spaces for diplomatic engagement, cultural and educational programs, consular services, and community outreach, enhancing the embassy's mission to deepen ties between the peoples of both nations and to promote cooperation in trade, security, education, and cultural exchange.