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The opening of the Doha Forum 2025 tomorrow will witness Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani speaking at the first panel discussion, titled 'Mediation in a Time of Fragmentation’.His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed will be joined by Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President, European Commission; Jose Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation, Spain; and Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Türkiye at the session, which will be moderated by CNN’s Chief International Anchor.Themed ‘Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress’, the 23rd Doha Forum will take place at Sheraton Grand, Doha from December 6-7 under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.Bringing together world leaders, policymakers, and experts from across the globe, organisers noted that the Forum will convene diverse voices to exchange perspectives and explore pathways toward a more just, balanced and sustainable world.Part of the programme also includes a Newsmaker Interview at 11.45am with Minister of State for Energy Affairs and Qatar Energy president and CEO His Excellency Saad Sherida al-Kaabi.Dr Majed al-Ansari, Advisor to the Prime Minister and official spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs will speak at a session on ‘Gulf – EU Relations in the Age of Strategic Isolation’, at 12pm, along with high-level participants from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and Italy.A session, titled ‘Global Trade Tensions: Economic Impact and Policy Responses in MENA;’ will see Qatar’s Minister of Finance His Excellency Ali Ahmed al-Kuwari sharing his views on how countries in the MENA region navigate rising global trade and policy uncertainty.Qatar Museums chairperson Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani will also take part in a talk on ‘Humanity’s Next Chapter: Innovation and Impact from the Global South’, along with Gates Foundation chair Bill Gates, and Dangote Foundation president Aliko Dangote. Al Jazeera principal presenter Folly Bah Thibault will moderate this discussion at 4.30pm. 

The Supreme Judicial Council participated in the "Mediation: The Future of Dispute Resolution" conference in the Sultanate of Oman, joining experts and specialists in mediation and dispute-settlement mechanisms.The Council's delegation included HE President of the Investment and Trade Court, Judge Khalid bin Ali Al Obaidli, along with Judges Nasser Al Khelaifi, Saad Al Mohannadi, and Munira Al Qahtani; as well as Administrative Director of the Court of Appeal, Mubarak Al Sahouti.The conference explored recent developments in mediation and its role in strengthening access to justice and easing the burden on courts. Participants also reviewed international experiences in developing alternative dispute-resolution methods.Speaking on the sidelines of the event, HE Judge Khalid bin Ali Al Obaidli highlighted the importance of taking part in specialized legal forums, noting Oman's commitment to advancing the mediation framework.He said the Council's participation reflects the strong judicial ties between the two countries and the desire to learn from the latest global practices in the field. Exchanging expertise, he added, helps improve the efficiency of judicial work and enhances the quality of dispute resolution across the region.Al Obaidli also noted that the participation of the Council's judges underscores its commitment to keeping pace with modern legal developments and supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening justice and streamlining dispute-resolution procedures through effective and timely mechanisms.

Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Majid bin Mohammed Al Ansari, participated in a panel discussion hosted by the University of Oxford under the title "Diplomacy and Mediation in a Contested World."The panel addressed contemporary challenges in conflict resolution and examined the role of states and mediators in promoting international peace and security.Speaking during the session, Dr. Al Ansari underscored the importance of adhering to principles and consistency in addressing international issues, noting that the last comprehensive peace agreement was signed nearly a decade ago in Colombia — reflecting a broader decline in the effectiveness of peaceful solutions in recent years.He stressed that the absence of accountability, particularly regarding Israeli violations, continues to fuel tensions and threatens both regional and international stability.Dr. Al Ansari highlighted dialogue and mediation as essential tools for resolving conflicts, citing Qatar's distinguished record in mediating complex disputes. He referred to Qatar's role in facilitating the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the peace accord between the United States and the Taliban, and its mediation between the Government of Colombia and the self-proclaimed Gaitanista Army.He further noted Qatar's humanitarian efforts in reuniting Ukrainian and Russian children with their families, as part of the State's ongoing initiatives to alleviate the human impact of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.The Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that Qatar's mediation efforts stem from a deep sense of responsibility and a firm belief in building sustainable partnerships for peace. He emphasized that these efforts are producing tangible results on the ground.

Germany called on US President Donald Trump to increase pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine following his successful mediation to end the war in the Gaza Strip. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said, during a meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Georgiev in Sofia, that Trump has made a decisive contribution to the agreement on the Gaza Strip, and "Germany is calling on him to continue his efforts to secure negotiations between Russia and Ukraine." Wadephul added that the German government has high expectations of the US administration, as President Trump has convincingly demonstrated his interest in participating in concluding peace agreements in various parts of the world. He indicated his country's readiness to support Trump in such a peace initiative, stressing that "it is worth making every effort to launch a new attempt at a peace process in Ukraine now, before large-scale fighting flares up again." The US president has sought to end the war in Ukraine since taking office. He sent his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Russia several times and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a peace agreement between the two sides, but without any success due to the wide gap in the two countries' positions.

Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres expressed his gratitude to Qatar for its joint invaluable mediation work to end the tragic war in the Gaza Strip.In a press statement, Guterres said he is encouraged by the statement issued by Hamas announcing its readiness to release hostages and to engage in negotiations on the basis of the recent proposal presented by President of the United States of America Donald Trump.The UN Secretary-General urged all parties to seize the opportunity to end the war in Gaza and reiterated his consistent call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and unfettered humanitarian access.The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also thanked Qatar in particular and other Arab countries for their role in mediating a ceasefire in Gaza.In a post on X, she said: The US peace plan, already approved by Israel, supported by the European states, by many Islamic states, and by the Palestinian National Authority—thanks to the mediation of the Arab countries and in particular Qatar, which I wish to thank for its efforts—has also received an initial positive response from Hamas, which has first of all declared its willingness to release all the hostages within the framework of a ceasefire."We must all commit ourselves to ensuring that this extraordinary opportunity is seized."

Israel has not given any official response to the Hamas approved plan for settlement even though this plan agrees with almost 98% of Israeli proposals and demands in this regard, pointed out HE Dr Majed bin Mohamed al-Ansari, Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Tuesday.Addressing the ministry’s weekly press briefing, he explained that both mediators - Egypt and Qatar - have been working tirelessly to end the escalating situation in Gaza and find a way out for the sufferings of the Palestinian people there.“However, it seems that the Israeli side is not taking the issue of peace settlement seriously and the situation on the ground has continued to deteriorate with the targeting of journalists, media persons, medics, aid workers and aid seekers, in addition to more killing of civilians and worsening the suffering of the Palestinian people on the ground,” he observed.Dr al-Ansari noted that both Qatar and Egypt are mainly concerned about ending this worsening situation and determined to continue the peaceful negotiations alongside all the other mediators and involved parties, especially the American side, regardless where and when the negotiations take place.Regarding the negative and provocative statements in the Israeli media that tend to worsen and escalate the situation, the Qatari official stressed that as mediators, Qatar is only concerned about the official Israeli response and such statements are of no serious concern.Further, no official response to Hamas proposal has been issued so far by the Israeli government, even though the plan has been there for more than 10 days with them. Dr al-Ansari further stressed the need for more pressure on the Israeli government by the international community to end the situation that has been taking a very dangerous turn on the humanitarian level.