Occupation, Collective Punishment Policies Fuel Violence: PM

(MENAFN- Gulf Times) While calling for international efforts to realise the ceasefire in Gaza, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani on Monday said that occupation, forced displacement and collective punishment policies have never resulted in the end of any conflict.
“These have only fuelled the violence. History has proven that the cost of any Occupation and its consequences are much greater than any return expected by the occupier,” HE the Prime Minister said while opening the three-day Global Security Forum.
“The war in Gaza has claimed and continues to claim thousands of lives and the scale of the humanitarian tragedy there is worsening every day. Any humanitarian disaster affects global supply chains as occurred as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war,” he noted.
The speech marked condolences to Iran and its people on the tragic passing of its president in a helicopter accident. Underscoring Qatar's commitment to ensure global peace and efforts to promote global security through mediation, HE Sheikh Mohammed noted that conflicts between the major global powers pose a danger to the international regime.
Under the theme 'Strategic Competition: The Complexity of Interdependence', the Global Security Forum's opening day hosted several discussions and dignitaries including Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani and Singapore Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam.
“In the last year, as we have been hearing, we have seen the outbreak of unimaginably devastating tragedies and trauma in Gaza and Sudan, and that at a time when the Ukraine war remains a raging concern,” said UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief co-ordinator Martin Griffiths.
The UN humanitarian chief criticised the big powers saying the powerful countries in conflict zones are arming or otherwise supporting warring parties or protecting them from international restraint. He praised Qatar's role in humanitarian diplomacy.
HE the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh al-Khulaifi said Qatar's mediation expertise spans over 25 years while effectively handling complex global disputes including those involving non-normalised relations like with Israel.
“Our approach incorporates multidisciplinary expertise and addresses economic, political, legal, and security aspects,” he said the country facilitates international dialogues showcasing its global commitment to peace.“Our success also relies on strong international partnerships, fostering global support and trust in our mediation processes and allowing us to secure initial consent from all parties involved,” HE al-Khulaifi said.
The forum features several speakers and policymakers while addressing the global security challenges within the context of strategic competition while assessing both risks and opportunities that result from complex interdependence. The discussions focus on supply chain management, climate change as a threat multiplier, energy security and essential technologies.

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