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Ministry of Foreign Affairs – State of Qatar
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Foreign Policy


Qatar's Mediation Efforts

The State of Qatar adopts the principle of resolving disputes through peaceful means, dialogue, preventive diplomacy, mediation and good offices as a priority in its foreign policy. This is a constitutional commitment of the State of Qatar: Article 7 of the Permanent Constitution, issued in 2003, stipulates that Qatar's foreign policy shall be based on the principle of strengthening international peace and security by encouraging the peaceful resolution of disputes, which has become a fundamental pillar of Qatar's foreign policy.

A Neutral and Trusted Mediator

The State of Qatar enjoys a global reputation as a neutral and trusted mediator, and is invited by parties to conflicts because of that reputation. Qatar welcomes taking on mediation roles when all parties to the conflict agree to its involvement. Qatar is committed to its good offices and mediation, which are an effective tool for preventing conflicts and maintaining international peace and security. It carries out mediation at the inter-state level, as well as between state and non-state actors.

Strengthening Institutional Work and Partnerships

In 2023, new ministerial roles were established at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to highlight the importance of these files at the political and diplomatic levels, strengthening the work of the teams concerned at the level of senior officials, diplomats and technical experts in mediation. Qatar has also deepened institutional cooperation and framed its partnerships with a number of leading countries in mediation and dispute resolution by signing memoranda of understanding in the fields of peace, reconciliation and conflict resolution, including with the Kingdom of Sweden, the Kingdom of Norway, and the Republic of Finland.

An Inclusive Approach to Peacemaking

Qatar strengthens its international peacemaking efforts through a multi-faceted strategy and an inclusive approach, through which it has established channels of communication with non-state entities and actors, as well as with minority or marginalized groups such as displaced persons and women. Qatar adopts an inclusive approach in supporting dialogue processes through its good offices and mediation, including support for official (Track 1) and unofficial (Track 2) dialogue processes to promote peacebuilding and conflict resolution.

Goals of Qatar's Mediation

Since 2004, Qatar's mediation and good offices efforts have grown steadily, including a number of mediations aimed at:

Security and Peace

  • Ceasefires.
  • Ending border disputes.
  • Reaching peace agreements in many regional and international conflicts.

Dialogue and Diplomacy

  • Restoring diplomatic relations.
  • Supporting national dialogues.

Humanitarian

  • Releasing hostages and exchanging prisoners.
  • Strengthening humanitarian efforts.

(See Appendix I and II)

Appendix I - Qatar's Record of Global Mediation

Table I. Timeline of Qatar's International Mediation Efforts:
DateMediationBeneficiaries
February 2004Qatar mediates release of 100 Moroccan prisoners of war from Tindouf Algeria to a military base in Agadir MoroccoMorocco
October 2006Qatar mediates between Palestinian factions of Fatah and HamasPalestinian people and their factions
June 2007Qatar mediates ceasefire in YemenYemeni civilian population
July 2007Release of Bulgarian nurses Libya The agreement included the establishment of the "Libyan Fund for Children with AIDS", to which Qatar and the Czech Republic contributedThe Government of Bulgaria, The Government of Libya
February 2008Qatar mediates Yemen Peace AgreementYemen civilian population
May 2008Qatar mediates negotiations between Lebanese factionsLebanese people and its governing authorities
September 2008League of Arab States mandates Qatar to mediate Darfur Peace TalksSudan and its peoples
March 2009Qatar mediates peace accord between Sudan and Chad signed in 2010Sudan, Chad
2009Qatar commences mediation between Yemen government and the HouthisYemen
March 2010Qatar mediates ceasefire agreement between Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and the Liberation and Justice MovementThe Government of Sudan, splinter Darfur rebel group
June 2010Qatar mediates Djibouti and Eritrea Ceasefire AgreementDjibouti, Eritrea
August 2010Qatar mediates renewal of ceasefire agreement in YemenYemen
July 2011Qatar mediates Doha Document for Peace in Darfur between contesting parties (DDPD). The DDPD is the culmination of two and half years of negotiations, dialogue and consultations with the major parties to the Darfur conflict, all relevant stakeholders and international partners. The DDPD addresses the root causes of the conflict and its consequences, including Power Sharing, Wealth Sharing, Human Rights, Justice and Reconciliation, Compensation and Return, and Internal Dialogue among othersDDPD - the Government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement committing themselves to framework for the comprehensive peace process in Darfur
2011Qatar mediates ceasefire between Djibouti and EritreaGovernment and peoples of Djibouti, Eritrea
February 2013Qatar mediates the release of a Swiss citizen held in YemenSwitzerland
February 2013Qatar mediates ceasefire agreement in DarfurPeoples and governing authorities of Darfur and Khartoum
2013Qatar begins mediation between Afghan partiesAfghanistan groups and factions
March 2014Qatar mediates the release of 13 Nuns from Maaloula held by rebel group in Syria in an exchange of prisonersSyria, including the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Damascus
May 2014Qatar mediates agreement between the US and Taliban for the release of five Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo Bay for US Army Sgt Bowe BergdahlUS and Taliban
July/August 2014Qatar mediates ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian Armed Factions in GazaIsrael and Palestinian Armed Factions
September 2014Qatar mediate the release of 45 UN peacekeepers and an American journalist held by rebels in SyriaUN, UNDOF, including UN peacekeeping contributor nation Fiji, US
June 2015Qatar mediates the release of 4 border guards from Tajikistan held by the TalibanTajikistan
November 2015Qatar mediates Tebu-Tuareg reconciliation agreement in LibyaLibya
December 2015Qatar mediates the release of 16 Lebanese Security Forces and Soldiers held by rebel group in SyriaLebanon
January 2016Qatar mediates release of a Canadian citizen held by the TalibanCanada
May 2016Qatar mediates release of four prisoners of war from Djibouti held in EritreaDjibouti
February 2017Qatar mediates agreement between the Government of Sudan and the SLA-Second Revolution MovementSudan
April 2017Qatar mediate release of Saudi and Qatari citizens held in IraqQatar, Saudi Arabia
October 2018Qatar mediates the release of Japanese journalist held in SyriaJapan
November 2019Qatar mediates exchange of Afghanistan detainees and US and Australian citizensUS and Australia
2019-2020Qatar mediates intra-Afghan dialogueAfghanistan, and international parties to promote human rights, humanitarian support, security, peace, stability and sustainable development, including women and other groups
March 2020Qatar mediates historic Doha Agreement between the US and the Taliban setting a timeline for U.S. withdrawal from AfghanistanAfghanistan, US
May 2021Qatar mediates resumption of diplomatic ties between Kenya and Somalia and Somalia-Kenya border agreementSomalia, Kenya and peoples affected by conflict in border regions
August 2021Qatar mediates US and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan including agreements to keep Kabul airport open, establishment of a humanitarian airbridge, mediated a series of agreements that led to the largest civilian air lift in history to evacuate more than 110,000 foreign citizens, vulnerable Afghan nationals and unaccompanied childrenUS, NATO, Afghanistan. Mediation of evacuation efforts included Afghan students, teachers, activists, lawyers, doctors, artists, musicians plus UNHCR, WHO, UNICEF, nationals from US, UK, Germany, Australia, Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Walt Disney, CBS, ABC, CNN, BBC, France 24, Fox News, Deutsche Welle, Euronews, National Geographic, Clinton Foundation, United States Institute of Peace, Malala Foundation, Committee to Protect Journalists, German Press Agency, America University of Afghanistan, School of Leadership Afghanistan, Afghanistan National Institute of Music, International Trade Union Confederation, FIFA, National Endowment for Democracy, Google, Youtube, United Nations, and various other groups
August/September 2021Qatar mediates evacuation and relocation to Doha to temporarily host the Former-Kabul based diplomatic missions of the US, UK, Japan and the NetherlandsUS, UK, Japan, Italy and the Netherlands
November 2021US announces 'protecting power' arrangement for Qatar to facilitate/mediate any formal communication between the US government and AfghanistanUS, Afghanistan
August 2022Qatar mediates national dialogue agreement between Chadian factionsThe peoples and governing authorities in Chad. National reconciliation including steps to cessation of hostilities that benefits all Chadian peoples
August/September 2022Qatar mediates between US, EU and Iran on restoration efforts of 2015 JCPOA Nuclear Deal.US, EU and Iran
August-October 2022Preventive diplomacy mediation for deescalation in LibyaLibyan peoples
February 2023Qatar joins other countries of France, US, Saudi Arabia and Egypt to mediate end of political and economic crisis in Lebanon (The Quintet)Peoples of Lebanon
March 2023The efforts of the State of Qatar to release the Rwandan oppositionist Paul Ruseba Guina and his arrival to the United States
June 2023Qatar with Turkiye, US, UK and UAE Qunit group for Somalia convenes in DohaPeoples of Somalia and Somali government in Mogadishu (FGS)
2023-2024Qatar mediates series of family reunification agreements and swaps between Russia and UkraineRussia, Ukraine including children and families
October 2023Qatar mediates rare prisoner swap between the US and IranUS and Iran
December 2023Qatar mediates deal between the US and the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela for a prisoner swapUS and Venezuela
January 2024Qatar mediates between parties in SomaliaSomalia
January 2024Qatar mediates release of Argentine detainee Benjamin Sinonegui, in AfghanistanArgentina
February 2024Qatar successfully mediates release of Austrian detainee in AfghanistanAustria
August 2024Qatar facilitated negotiations between Germany and Afghanistan's Taliban help return Afghans to their country based on their legal statusGermany, Afghanistan
October 2024Qatar and other Quint partners affirmed their support for mediation efforts and the imperative of focusing on shared economic and security objectives, particularly to address ongoing and emerging threats from terrorist groups in the Horn of AfricaPeoples of Somalia and Somali government in Mogadishu (FGS)

Appendix II - Israel and Palestine (February 2012 - October 2024)

Table II. Timeline of Qatar's Diplomatic Role in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict:
DateMediation
February 2012Fatah-Hamas Reconciliation – Doha Agreement concluded
August 2014Qatar contributes to mediation of ceasefire in war on Gaza between Israel and Hamas
February 2021Qatar and EU mediate gas pipeline supply project to Gaza Strip
May 2021Qatar contributes to mediation of ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas
November 2021Qatar and Egypt mediate aid agreement to Gaza Strip
August 2022Qatar contributes to mediation of ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas
May 2023Qatar helps mediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad
26 November 2023Qatar mediates hostage release and detainee exchange
November 2023Monitoring and verification for hostage/prisoner releases
November 2023Monitoring and verification of ceasefire implementation
November 2023Establishment of command centre for hostage/detainee releases
2023-2024Evacuation of 2256+ injured and Palestinians
Humanitarian pauses in Gaza Strip
Evacuation of foreign nationals from Gaza at the request of third-country partners
Evacuation of foreign press from Gaza
Delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza by land, air and sea
January 2024Qatar-France humanitarian aid agreement
January 2024UK-Qatar joint aid delivery
January 2024Regional de-escalation mediation with partners
August/September 2024Ongoing mediation for hostage and ceasefire deal
Table III. Recent Milestones in Qatar's International Mediation:
DateMediationBeneficiaries
January 2025Qatar plays a pivotal role in collaboration with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America in reaching a ceasefire agreement in GazaGaza Strip and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
September 2025Qatar facilitates the release of two British citizens who were detained in AfghanistanUnited Kingdom and Afghanistan
October 2025Qatar mediates in reaching an agreement for an immediate ceasefire between Pakistan and AfghanistanAfghanistan and Pakistan
November 2025Qatar mediates in reaching the Doha Framework Agreement for Peace between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Congo River Coalition, (March 23 Movement)Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
2025Qatar mediates in the reunification of new groups of Ukrainian and Russian children with their familiesUkraine and Russia
December 2025Qatar mediates in reaching the "Doha Agreement to Consolidate the Commitment to Peace" between the Government of Colombia and the self-proclaimed EGC groupGovernment of Colombia and EGC Group