Mediation Remains Backbone Of Qatar's Foreign Policy: Al-Khulaifi

Doha, Qatar: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi has underscored that mediation remains the backbone of Qatar's foreign policy.

In a high-level fireside chat with NBC's Richard Engel on the second day of the Global Security Forum 2025, in Doha yesterday, he highlighted Qatar's commitment to building trusted relationships across Latin America, Africa, and Europe, conveying that today's borderless conflicts require early engagement, collective solutions, and an enduring sense of hope to sustain pathways to peace.“We have more than 25 years of experience in the field of mediation. Qatar is taking mediation very seriously. It is the backbone of our foreign policy. We have been mediators for several cases around the globe,” said Al-Khulaifi.

He said that in the last seven to 10 years, Qatar has been known for it reach out to countries far away geographically from the State of Qatar, contributions to Africa, to Latin America, to Europe.

“When it comes to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, to Asia, we have stretched our reach out to include other countries globally that would need trusted mediators and reliable international partners that can provide hands of help and support to bridge the gap between the two sides,” he said.

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On Iran, he said:“Qatar has been dealing with Iran for years based on mutual respect, but also transparency when it comes to our discussions and dialogue with them. We always consider ourselves advocates for dialogue.” He said Qatar favours direct negotiation as a means to resolve conflicts.“Therefore, we're always going to encourage that pathway and we have commended the efforts made by our neighbours in Oman to start the negotiations between Iran and the United States.

"We think that this is the best way to resolve conflicts, and we believe it's the best way to bring peace and stability to the region. We would like to have a good neighbourhood with countries in the region, and therefore, we're encouraging that type of movement,” said Al Khulaifi.

Speaking about Syria, he said that for more than 14 years during the Assad regime, Qatar never changed its political position. He added:“We're one of those countries that have been very firm when it comes to our political position, standing with the people of Syria against that brutal regime. Now, with the success of the revolution, we believe that there is a bright future waiting for the Syrian people. The transition administrative governments, we've been in direct contact with them and we want to continue to encourage them to take the right steps, move in the right directions towards prosperity, towards the development of the people of Syria.”

The second day of the forum continued with urgent calls for innovative mediation strategies and comprehensive action to counter the growing impact of non-state actors worldwide.

Building on the theme of diplomacy and resilience, General Rudzani Maphwanya, Chief of the South African National Defence Force, emphasised the indispensable role of dialogue in today's security landscape.“Dialogue is not a sign of weakness,” he affirmed.“It is a testament to our collective wisdom and strength, both as global leaders and as nations striving for peace, security, and sustainable development.”

General Maphwanya also praised Qatar's leadership, noting,“Qatar has been central to matters of conflict resolution, mediation, and peacebuilding within the Middle East region and beyond.” Delivering high-level remarks, The Rt. Hon. Mark Pritchard, member of UK Parliament, reinforced the need for unified approaches.“This Forum reminds us: strategic collaboration between government, the private sector, and international partners is essential to counter threats in the digital and geopolitical grey zones,” he stated, spotlighting the GSF's integral role in advancing dialogue at the nexus of security, technology, and diplomacy.

Further spotlighting Qatar's leadership, Col. Ali Al Ali, INTERPOL Executive Committee Member, State of Qatar, reflected on the nation's enduring pledge to international law enforcement cooperation.“Qatar is a committed leader in global security, proudly driving key law enforcement initiatives and celebrating 50 years of Interpol membership with new leadership on the Interpol Executive Committee,” he noted.

H E Moussa Faki Mahamat, Former Chairperson of the African Union Commission and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chad, praised Qatar's longstanding dedication to peacebuilding efforts in Africa.“I want to thank Qatar for its involvement in conflict resolution in the Sahel and Africa. I witnessed its commitment firsthand here in Doha 15 or 16 years ago,” he said, reflecting on Qatar's sustained diplomatic engagement.

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