QATAR’S MEDIATION EFFORTS
Overview
Qatar enjoys a global reputation and track record of success as a neutral, reliable and responsible mediator invited to help parties reach agreements.
This reflects a deep-rooted constitutional commitment to resolving international disputes and conflicts peacefully: Article 7 of Qatar’s Constitution stipulating mediation as a key foreign policy priority: “based on the principle of encouraging peaceful resolution of international disputes.”
The goal of Qatar’s mediation is to promote and achieve conflict management, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts and disputes.
Qatar’s mediation occurs at inter-state level, as well as between state and a variety of non-state actors.
In 2023 Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs established new Ministerial roles, giving greater diplomatic weight to mediation files and augmenting a team of Special Envoys and other Ministerial and High Level Officials on Mediation.
Qatar has worked to frame its partnership with a number of important countries in the field of mediation and dispute resolution by signing a memorandum of understanding of Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Additionally Qatar enjoys other bilateral government relationships which are specifically focused on enhanced knowledge sharing and cooperation on mediation and dispute resolution.
Qatar welcomes partnerships with other actors on mediation, but only in contexts in which all parties to the conflict have agreed to their involvement.
Qatar promotes mediation of both Track I and Track 2 peace-making and conflict resolution. For this reason, Qatar is supportive of inclusive dialogue processes that gives space to some non-state actors, or otherwise marginalized groups such as women, refugees, IDPs, and other minorities.
Since 2004, the State of Qatar has mediated to:
- Bring ceasefires.
- Restore diplomatic relations.
- Hostage releases.
- Prisoner exchanges.
- National dialogue processes.
- End border disputes.
- Achieve humanitarian outcomes, and peace agreements in many regional and global conflicts.
(See Appendices I and II)
Appendix I - Qatar’s Record of Global Mediation
Table I. Timeline of Qatar's International Mediation Efforts:
Date | Mediation | Beneficiaries |
February 2004 | Qatar mediates release of 100 Moroccan prisoners of war from Tindouf Algeria to a military base in Agadir Morocco | Morocco |
October 2006 | Qatar mediates between Palestinian factions of Fatah and Hamas | Palestinian people and their factions |
June 2007 | Qatar mediates ceasefire in Yemen | Yemeni civilian population |
July 2007 | Release of Bulgarian nurses Libya The agreement included the establishment of the "Libyan Fund for Children with AIDS", to which Qatar and the Czech Republic contributed | The Government of Bulgaria, The Government of Libya |
February 2008 | Qatar mediates Yemen Peace Agreement | Yemen civilian population |
May 2008 | Qatar mediates negotiations between Lebanese factions | Lebanese people and its governing authorities |
September 2008 | League of Arab States mandates Qatar to mediate Darfur Peace Talks | Sudan and its peoples |
March 2009 | Qatar mediates peace accord between Sudan and Chad signed in 2010 | Sudan, Chad |
2009 | Qatar commences mediation between Yemen government and the Houthis | Yemen |
March 2010 | Qatar mediates ceasefire agreement between Sudanese President Omar alBashir and the Liberation and Justice Movement | The Government of Sudan, splinter Darfur rebel group |
June 2010 | Qatar mediates Djibouti and Eritrea Ceasefire Agreement | Djibouti, Eritrea |
August 2010 | Qatar mediates renewal of ceasefire agreement in Yemen | Yemen |
July 2011 | Qatar 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 others | DDPD - the Government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement committing themselves to framework for the comprehensive peace process in Darfur |
2011 | Qatar mediates ceasefire between Djibouti and Eritrea | Government and peoples of Djibouti, Eritrea |
February 2013 | Qatar mediates the release of a Swiss citizen held in Yemen | Switzerland |
February 2013 | Qatar mediates ceasefire agreement in Darfur | Peoples and governing authorities of Darfur and Khartoum |
2013 | Qatar begins mediation between Afghan parties | Afghanistan groups and factions |
March 2014 | Qatar mediates the release of 13 Nuns from Maaloula held by rebel group in Syria in an exchange of prisoners | Syria, including the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Damascus |
May 2014 | Qatar mediates agreement between the US and Taliban for the release of five Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo Bay for US Army Sgt Bowe Bergdahl | US and Taliban |
July/August 2014 | Qatar mediates ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian Armed Factions in Gaza | Israel and Palestinian Armed Factions |
September 2014 | Qatar mediate the release of 45 UN peacekeepers and an American journalist held by rebels in Syria | UN, UNDOF, including UNpeacekeeping contributor nation Fiji, US |
June 2015 | Qatar mediates the release of 4 border guards from Tajikistan held by the Taliban | Tajikistan |
November 2015 | Qatar mediates Tebu-Tuareg reconciliation agreement in Libya | Libya |
December 2015 | Qatar mediates the release of 16 Lebanese Security Forces and Soldiers held by rebel group in Syria | Lebanon |
January 2016 | Qatar mediates release of a Canadian citizen held by the Taliban | Canada |
May 2016 | Qatar mediates release of four prisoners of war from Djibouti held in Eritrea | Djibouti |
February 2017 | Qatar mediates agreement between the Government of Sudan and the SLASecond Revolution Movement | Sudan |
April 2017 | Qatar mediate release of Saudi and Qatari citizens held in Iraq | Qatar, Saudi Arabia |
October 2018 | Qatar mediates the release of Japanese journalist held in Syria | Japan |
November 2019 | Qatar mediates exchange of Afghanistan detainees and US and Australian citizens | US and Australia |
2019-2020 | Qatar mediates intra-Afghan dialogue | Afghanistan, and international parties to promote human rights, humanitarian support, security, peace, stability and sustainable development, including women and other groups |
March 2020 | Qatar mediates historic Doha Agreement between the US and the Taliban setting a timeline for U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan | Afghanistan, US |
May 2021 | Qatar mediates resumption of diplomatic ties between Kenya and Somalia and Somalia-Kenya border agreement | Somalia, Kenya and peoples affected by conflict in border regions |
August 2021 | Qatar 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 children | US, 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 2021 | Qatar mediates evacuation and relocation to Doha to temporarily host the Former-Kabul based diplomatic missions of the US, UK, Japan and the Netherlands | US, UK, Japan, Italy and the Netherlands |
November 2021 | US announces ‘protecting power’ arrangement for Qatar to facilitate/mediate any formal communication between the US government and Afghanistan | US , Afghanistan |
August 2022 | Qatar mediates national dialogue agreement between Chadian factions | The peoples and governing authorities in Chad. National reconciliation including steps to cessation of hostilities that benefits all Chadian peoples |
August/September 2022 | Qatar mediates between US, EU and Iran on restoration efforts of 2015 JCPOA Nuclear Deal. | US, EU and Iran |
August-October 2022 | Preventive diplomacy mediation for deescalation in Libya | Libyan peoples |
February 2023 | Qatar 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 2023 | The efforts of the State of Qatar to release the Rwandan oppositionist Paul Ruseba Guina and his arrival to the United States | |
June 2023 | Qatar with Turkiye, US, UK and UAE Qunit group for Somalia convenes in Doha | Peoples of Somalia and Somali government in Mogadishu (FGS) |
2023-2024 | Qatar mediates series of family reunification agreements and swaps between Russia and Ukraine | Russia, Ukraine including children and families |
October 2023 | Qatar mediates rare prisoner swap between the US and Iran | US and Iran |
December 2023 | Qatar mediates deal between the US and the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela for a prisoner swap | US and Venezuela |
January 2024 | Qatar mediates between parties in Somalia | Somalia |
January 2024 | Qatar mediates release of Argentine detainee Benjamin Sinonegui, in Afghanistan | Argentina |
February 2024 | Qatar successfully mediates release of Austrian detainee in Afghanistan | Austria |
August 2024 | Qatar facilitated negotiations between Germany and Afghanistan's Taliban help return Afghans to their country based on their legal status | Germany , Afghanistan |
October 2024 | Qatar 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 Africa | Peoples 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:
Date | Mediation |
February 2012 | Fatah-Hamas Reconciliation – Doha Agreement concluded |
August 2014 | Qatar contributes to mediation of ceasefire in war on Gaza between Israel and Hamas |
February 2021 | Qatar and EU mediate gas pipeline supply project to Gaza Strip |
May 2021 | Qatar contributes to mediation of ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas |
November 2021 | Qatar and Egypt mediate aid agreement to Gaza Strip |
August 2022 | Qatar contributes to mediation of ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas |
May 2023 | Qatar helps mediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad |
26 November 2023 | Qatar mediates hostage release and detainee exchange |
November 2023 | Monitoring and verification for hostage/prisoner releases |
November 2023 | Monitoring and verification of ceasefire implementation |
November 2023 | Establishment of command centre for hostage/detainee releases |
2023-2024 | Evacuation of 2256+ injured and Palestinians |
Humanitarian pauses in Gaza Strip | |
Evacuation of foreign press from Gaza | |
Evacuation of foreign press from Gaza | |
Facilitates intra/inter-Palestinian dialogue | |
January 2024 | Qatar-France humanitarian aid agreement |
January 2024 | UK-Qatar joint aid delivery |
January 2024 | Regional de-escalation mediation with partners |
August/September 2024 | Ongoing mediation for hostage and ceasefire deal |
Table III. Recent Milestones in Qatar's International Mediation:
Date | Mediation | Beneficiaries |
January 2025 | Qatar plays a pivotal role in collaboration with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America in reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza | Gaza Strip and the Occupied Palestinian Territories |
September 2025 | Qatar facilitates the release of two British citizens who were detained in Afghanistan | United Kingdom and Afghanistan |
October 2025 | Qatar mediates in reaching an agreement for an immediate ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan | Afghanistan and Pakistan |
November 2025 | Qatar 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 |
2025 | Qatar mediates in the reunification of new groups of Ukrainian and Russian children with their families | Ukraine and Russia |
December 2025 | Qatar mediates in reaching the “Doha Agreement to Consolidate the Commitment to Peace” between the Government of Colombia and the self-proclaimed EGC group | Government of Colombia and EGC Group |