Qatar committed to mediation despite growing challenges: Al Ansari

New York: Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari (pictured)parti...

New York: Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari (pictured) participated in a high-level discussion panel titled “Centring Local and Regional Actors in Global Mediation: Lessons from the Gulf,” as part of the Global Citizen Now Summit, sponsored by the Open Society Foundations, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

During the panel, the Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the State of Qatar will continue its deep commitment to its role as an honest mediator in regional and international conflicts, despite the growing challenges and attempts to disrupt and target.

He indicated that the State of Qatar, despite its small geographical size, embraces a multinational and multicultural society, which gives it a deep understanding of the social, political, and cultural complexities of conflicts around the world. He noted in this regard that Qatar’s history, since its founding, has been built on the principle of balance among major regional powers and the ability to engage effectively with various parties.

Dr. Al Ansari highlighted that since the mid-1990s, Qatar has chosen to transcend its geographical borders and play an active international role in mediation, noting that it has participated in numerous peace efforts, from Lebanon, Yemen, and Sudan to Afghanistan, Iran, and elsewhere.

He also addressed the treacherous Israeli attack that targeted a residential neighbourhood in Doha on Sep. 9, saying that for the first time, Qatar finds itself, as mediators, in the line of direct military fire, which is an unprecedented and unacceptable escalation. Despite this, Qatar has not stopped fulfilling its mission and has continued its efforts in several mediations, including hosting peace negotiations between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN), and contributing to the reunification of families in Ukraine.