Media Center

Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum: Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, I think you have seen him a lot on CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera in the last weeks. And again, a big thank you and congratulations on the ceasefire in Gaza and also on the hostage deal, where I know you have worked so extremely hard and it's making a huge difference. And I think what we're all thinking about now, what are the next steps? What did you agree as the next steps?

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: Well, Thank you very much Borge for having me again here in Davos, but twice this year. So I hope that I don't get your audience bored seeing me. And look, first of all, you know, what we have achieved in the last few days in putting an end for this war for the last 15 months, or at least, you know, a starting of an end, hopefully. It's really thanks to the partnership that we have with mediators, US, Egypt, and it was really a teamwork result, and that's something that we have seen and we have witnessed, especially in the last few days of the deal, to get it across the finish line.

We have seen also the critical role that President Trump’s administration has played in that, and really thanks to his special envoy to the Middle East, we worked together very closely in making this happen. And also I would like to thank the region that supported us throughout the effort and kept doing everything it can in order to ensure that the international community is aware about what's going on and trying to stop it by all means.

Now, yes, we are hopeful. We are happy to see the first day of the ceasefire is starting, we are happy to see that people of Gaza are starting to get relief. And we are also happy for the hostages to see them back to their families. And we hope that this will sustain, will continue, will stand, will hold up to the end and to move to phase two and to phase three and to the permanent ceasefire hopefully.

Now, you know, a lot of questions are raised how can we ensure that this is sustained and how can we ensure that this is implemented. I would say like the first thing that we should look at – that the parties of the agreement they should adhere to what they have committed to. The guarantor and the mediators will do everything in our hands in order to ensure that it's fully implemented. We have set mechanisms in place to ensure that if there is anything violated in the agreement – to be addressed at a very early stage and not to have the agreement collapsing or deteriorating.

Now, there is still a long way to go. There are still negotiations, will continue for phase two. It won't be an easy negotiation, but I hope it's not as difficult as what we have been through.

Just calculating the dates, the dates since the collapse of the first ceasefire that we have brokered back in November in 2023, It was 411 days of ups and downs, continuous negotiations, and what's really, you know, when we look at and reflect on what we have achieved in the last few days, we felt really sorry for all the time that we wasted in these negotiations, while we know that at the end of the day, it will be only resolved around the negotiating table. We have seen that the framework that we have agreed on in December is the one that's been realised a couple of days ago. And that's December, I'm not talking about December 24, I'm talking about December 23. It means there are – just a year of negotiating details and honestly some meaningless things compared to the lives of the people that they have lost.

So we are hopeful that now the calculations will be different and everyone will feel responsible to put an end for this. And we would like really to talk about the future and to be more forward-looking. And this is actually what happened since October 7th – was a wake-up call for the region that also we need to address the issue of the Palestinians and we need, we have seen a momentum built around the world about the two-state solution. That's been absent unfortunately for a very long time.

And we hope that we can build on that momentum and achieve this, and having a peaceful region where – all people living side by side peacefully in a secure and safe environment. And that's what we are aspiring for, what we are trying to do and to contribute our best in order to ensure that there is a stability in this region for the stability of our own people, whether it's in Qatar or in the GCC or in the extended region.

Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum: We had the inaugural address of President Trump yesterday. We know Trump 1.0 was the Abraham Accords, do you think that Trump 2.0 will also be more open for working for a two-state solution?

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: We are hopeful, actually, and we have seen, as I mentioned, the critical role that they have played in the last few days of the negotiations has showed us that there is a strong leadership and determination to find solutions. And basically, in order to have solutions happening and implemented, you need to listen to all sides and you need to address the concerns. And you need to make sure that you are pushing all sides even to accept things that they maybe – they don't want to accept it because of you know short term political goals that will not serve the people and the people's stability.

Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum: When you look at Gaza today, approximately 80% of the infrastructure is destroyed. So it will cost a lot to put it mildly to rebuild this. One thing is the immediate humanitarian support that is needed as food, water and also shelter. But then to reconstruct that, and I think for reconstruction there also has to be a framework there, so there is some guarantees that it will not be destroyed for the fourth time because I think now it's at least it's been rebuilt twice so we are now at the third, like how you count, but will you think the ceasefire has in it also a path towards this so international donors will be available?

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: Well, it's included in the agreement that Phase 2 should address the reconstruction. Phase 1 is just addressing the instant needs for the people to rebuild the hospitals, to rebuild bakeries, and the basic requirements for that, you know, providing a supply line for the people over there. But phase two should include the reconstruction.

And what you have mentioned about 80% of Gaza is destroyed. We believe [the] entire Gaza has been destroyed. It's not just 80% looking at the images. And I have mentioned that whatever is broadcasted in the media never made justice for and doesn't represent the reality. The reality is much worse than this and we will see uglier images now after the war stopped. There are dozens or hundreds or maybe thousands of people, their bodies are still under the rubble and they didn't find out what are the real numbers.

No one knows the significance of the destruction over there. An entire neighbourhood has been wiped out and looking at satellite images even, it's something horrific when you look at it and you see this small strip that is very highly dense in population, being destroyed to that level. Now, when it comes to reconstruction we believe that all countries will step up, will try to help the people, and will never punish the people for these kind of things.

But also we cannot have an investment where we are investing in the reconstruction every time, and something happens and it just gets destroyed and we do it again. That's why I'm saying that there is now a huge requirement and a huge pressure on all of us to look at sustainable solutions where we can sustain peace, where we can also give assurances and comfort for countries to understand that those investments will not go for waste.

Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum: And there is that to be – Palestinian leadership in Gaza that will be able to govern because we know seeing also challenges on upholding order and also there is lootings going on so one possibility then would be that the PA and the leadership under Abu Mazen in the West Bank will then take on leadership in Gaza, but that's not without its problems here because we know there is not the best relationship between of course Hamas and PLO and Fatah. How do you see this?

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: Well, look first of all when we look at this the Palestinian people and the Palestinian government, the leadership over there, they are no less than any other country and I believe that this question needs to be asked to them how they can reconcile themselves, and you know to push for a Palestinian leadership that can take over the situation in Gaza, and this is a decision that will be made only by the Palestinians.

And we have seen and we have heard you know a lot of countries coming together trying to talk about the day after. This day after cannot happen without Palestinians in it – and Palestinians agree on that shape and how it will look like.

Now, we hope that the PA will find an arrangement and they will need to find an arrangement with everyone. It’s not only, I'm not talking about Hamas here, but I'm talking about all factions of the Palestinians that there should be a government that represents everybody, that's a professional government that take care of the situation in the reconstruction in Gaza, but also this shouldn't happen in isolation from the West Bank, and both of them should be one unit under one government. That's what we have to push for and we have to support. I believe if there is a determination, I think we can get there very, very, very soon.

Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum: And then there is new concerns about the stability of the government in Ramallah, in the PA. We know that there has been uprisings, there has been conflicts, and there's real speculations now that the security arrangement held up by the PA is very, very vulnerable.

Is that something that is – that according to what you're getting as information too? And how will this play out, that would be now on top of what has been – we're seeing in Gaza extremely worrisome.

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: Well look, looking at the situation in the West Bank and the instability that is there, yes, it's there, it's happening, and unfortunately we see all these events that are taking place, especially in the last few months.

But also we need to look at the picture at its entirety and looking at what is leading us to this kind of chaos over there and instability in the West Bank. And we have seen that there are settlers who are committing crimes against the Palestinians and they are just, you know, they can go freely there and they've never been prosecuted. And we have seen that this is just increasing the hate and increasing the provocation for the Palestinian people. It's not justifying a reaction to harm anyone, but also the Palestinian people need to be protected and they have the right to be protected.

And any Palestinian government that will take over, whether it's in the West Bank and Gaza, if they are not, if they will be hindered and handcuffed and undermined by the Israelis, it will never work this way. That's why we've been talking about a sustainable solution that can create peace, gives the Palestinians their rights, give the security assurances and the guarantees for the Israelis. And we wanted to see a region where the Israelis and the Palestinians – living side by side peacefully.

Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum: We also have to look at the developments that are moving in the right direction, I started with thanking you for the Gaza ceasefire, being instrumental there, I know how hard you have worked on this and also on the ceasefire and the hostages.

In the last months, we also have seen big changes in the rest – or in the Levant with the new president in Lebanon, Hezbollah being weakened, Hamas is weakened also in Gaza. And then we have a new leadership in Damascus. And I think you were just visiting in Damascus before you came here. And I think Qatar and you yourself have been very clear on former President Assad. I don't think you had started any kind of rapprochement there. So I guess you also are someone that the new government in Damascus is listening to. So what is your take? Are you cautiously optimistic that there will be an inclusive approach and not the winner takes it all?

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: Well, I believe that cautious optimism you see it around the region right now. And as I maybe mentioned in the previous panel that – unfortunately we had a very bad year in the Middle East, with war and destruction and innocent people being killed.

And you know we had some good starts for 2025: Lebanon got their president after two years, Syria we have seen a collapse of a brutal regime that killed and displaced his own people. And look us in Qatar we took that stand based on our principles that we cannot accept reintegrating war criminals and just you know having him you know get this kind of immunity from what he did and the crimes he committed. And we have seen that if we will accept such a thing once, it will set precedent for any leader to just go around and to kill his own people without being held accountable.

We have seen this collapse that happened for the regime in Syria in days. And, you know, as Lenin said that – there are decades where nothing happens and there are weeks where decades happen. And this is what happened exactly in Syria.

Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum: And Lebanon too you would include or not so?

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: Well, I believe Syria, this is like more applicable to them than anyone else because of the nature of the conflict over there.

Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum: You think it started in Lebanon and what happened in Lebanon with Hezbollah was also what led to the collapse of Assad in Syria?

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: If you ask me what personally I think, I think Gaza started everything. And that's basically the nature of the region, that's very interconnected. And when you look at the development now in Syria and engaging with the new leadership over there and the new administration in Syria we should be cautiously optimistic because no one is – knowing them and we are engaging with them for the first time.

We've been listening and we've been seeing some of you know – very right steps. Also we should set the expectations right for them. They came to power in days that no one was expecting. And things will need time to stabilize and they need to be enabled to help to stabilize things. We need to help to preserve the state institutions. Yes there is you know no strong institutions in these days but there are some skeletons over there that we need to preserve and to protect, and to help them to provide the basic services they need for their own people and to help them within the international community to start to engage in the right way and to be also you know to create a path for them moving forward to stabilize Syria.

And I don't think there is any disagreement around the world about the goal that we need in Syria. We need to see Syria a safe country, a stable country, and we need this to work. The failure in Syria shouldn't be an option for anyone or any other country because we have seen the chaos, what's created for us in the region and we can just imagine if things goes south in the current situation in Syria, it might be much worse than what we have seen in the last 13 years.

Now, moving forward about inclusiveness, about having a representative government, that's what we all want to see happening in Syria and the current administration over there in Syria and meeting with Al Sharaa, we've been hearing all the right things and they are open to this. They are engaging with everyone right now and I believe we should give them the space and the time to engage with everyone and to reach the understanding how this representation will happen and how they are going to move forward.

And all of us, we would like to see a roadmap that is clear for the path forward for us as countries in the region to also – that will help us to help them in moving in the right direction, but also for the international community to feel comfortable engaging and start investing in Syria. And I believe the potential in Syria and the region will be huge, will be significant. We will see development that's happening in a speed where we never expected if things go in the right direction and things get stable.

The Syrian people are outstanding people. They are innovative, they can, they create opportunities out of nothing. We have seen them around the world. We have seen the contribution that they have contributed to different countries that they came as refugees to those countries. In some countries they started as refugees that need help. They became employers, main employers for these country's citizens. So there is a huge potential in the Syrian people that we see great opportunities ahead of us. It's just we need to help them, and we need to avoid any spoilers to undermine this happy moment for the Syrian people.

Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum: And incentivize it, I guess, also the right reforms. And I think we've already seen 200,000 Syrians returning also to Syria. Just coming back to the bigger picture of the region, we were very close to a full-fledged war between Israel and Iran a few months ago. How do you see this now also with the new president in the US? Trump was not in favour of the JCPOA so he killed that one last time he was president. At the same time he also saying that he wants peace, no wars. How worried are you about a full-fledged war between Israel and Iran? Is it now unlikely but with huge consequences if it happens? Or is that wishful thinking?

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: I think that looking at what happened in the last year, any attack on any country in the region, whether it's Iran or Israel, is just increasing the likelihood and the probability for a full-fledged war. And we should avoid this and prevent this from happening. Now, we have been through multiple events where things were heated up and it got defused, I hope that we defuse this completely now.

Now what's happening in Gaza and the ceasefire is a positive development that's happened for the region that we need to build on it. Now from our perspective as the State of Qatar, we are a small country, we are…

Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum: Punching above your weight, huh?

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: Not above, it depends what scale you are using for our weight. Anyway, but you know, we are situated in a region that is unfortunately, it's not... We have, thankfully we have a stable GCC, but when you look at the extended region, it's unstable, it's turbulent. And there are ancient wars, proxies, state actors, non-state actors. Our whole foreign policy stands for mediation, peace facilitation, and keeping open communication with everyone to bring peace through mediation, not through wars. And that's been enshrined in our constitution, and that's what we have built throughout years in building a trust and confidence within the countries that we are dealing with.

Now, when you ask me, or if the US and the new administration is asking us about our opinion on this, we see that the only way forward is a diplomatic solution, that they should come to a negotiating table, try to find a deal that is addressing the concerns of everyone, including the concerns of the region. I'm a neighbouring country to Iran, and I don't want to see a nuclear race happening in the region. So it's in our interest before anyone to have a nuclear-free region.

Now, this doesn't and shouldn't prevent any country from being able to pursue a peaceful path for nuclear energy and all those needs. But also it needs leadership from the region – that we see that all the countries and the GCC at least coming together that we are looking for a peaceful path for a solution with the nuclear issue in Iran and we are advocating for this with the US administration.

And look, President Trump he is someone who’s been declaring many times he wants to end wars not to start one, and definitely he would prefer to have a deal with – and they've been saying this to us all the time before when we met before the elections that was his position after the election and the different engagements with his team. This is the choice and the strategic choice for them is to find a solution, not to escalate the situation. And if this is the case, they will definitely find a strong partner within Qatar and the GCC countries.

Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum: Thank you, and I think, based on that, you’ll be kept quite busy also in the four years to come. You have the Houthi situation that has to be solved. I think the rapprochement potentially with Iran is also something that will need a lot of work. The ballistic missile capacity is still very strong. The GCC countries don't have any iron dome, at least not at the level of the Israelis. I know we're getting very close to the end. But short question and short answer. Do you think the situation with Hezbollah, Hamas and with Assad has changed a bit of the approach in Tehran?

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: Well, I don't think that, you know, this is something for me to comment on. I'm someone who is trying to bring peace to the region, someone who is trying to keep open communication channel with everyone, and I hope to see a stable region and prosperous future for our people.

You know, it's not our mistake – we are born in a region that sometimes lacks the world's attention, so they create a lot of problems.