Doha, December 29 (QNA) - The State of Qatar's diplomacy is distinguished by its adoption of the principle of resolving disputes by peaceful means, dialogue and mediation as a priority in its foreign policy. This is a constitutional commitment of the State of Qatar, as Article No. 7 of the Permanent Constitution issued in 2003 stipulates that Qatar's foreign policy shall be based on the principle of consolidating international peace and security, via encouraging the peaceful resolution of international disputes, which has become a fundamental pillar of the State of Qatar’s foreign policy.

Over the last two decades, the State of Qatar has become a hub for discussing the most complex files of international and regional conflict, which has enabled it to enjoy a global reputation as a neutral and reliable mediator. Qatar welcomes carrying out roles of preventive diplomacy and mediation at the level of states and between governmental and non-governmental actors, as long as all the conflicting parties agree to it carrying out that role.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar has worked to structurally activate these diplomatic tools within its departments. In 2023, the ministry appointed new ministerial roles with the aim of highlighting the importance of these files at the political and diplomatic levels, and it strengthened the efforts of the concerned teams at the level of senior officials, diplomats and technical personnel in the field of mediation. It also worked to deepen institutional cooperation, frame its partnership and expand its expertise by signing several memoranda of understanding in the field of peace, reconciliation and conflict resolution with the Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, and the Republic of Finland.

According to the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the country's mediations aim to achieve several objectives, including a ceasefire, restoring diplomatic relations, exchanging prisoners, supporting national dialogues, ending border disputes and enhancing humanitarian efforts. The country's mediation also aims to reach peace agreements in many conflicts at the regional and international levels, including opening channels of communication with non-state actors and entities, in addition to establishing channels with minority or marginalized groups.

Regarding this role, Senior Researcher at Al-Jazeera Center for Studies, Dr. Liqaa Al Azzawi, said in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the key element that distinguished the State of Qatar as a mediator in resolving conflicts is its detachment from geopolitical interests in the issues in dispute, explaining that this provided a great deal of neutrality and the ability to gain the trust of the conflicting parties.

He pointed out the difficulty to find this aspect in many powers that also seek mediation roles, including large and influential countries regionally or globally. In the end, successful mediation does not depend on the power of the mediator, but rather on the transparency and trust the mediator provides, as well as the opportunities it provides to present settlement proposals without preconceived notions from any party about the existence of special interests or bias towards one side over another, he continued.

Dr. Al Azzawi noted that the State of Qatar's reputation as a permanent participant in humanitarian missions and providing aid to affected and afflicted peoples has allowed it to establish a foundation of appreciation through the provision of major initiatives at the level of education and development in various regions of the Third World in particular. This has given Qatar greater opportunities to play the role of mediator efficiently, in parallel with its prior relationships with internationally controversial parties, thanks to which it has been able to transform its efforts at a pivotal moment into a fundamental and decisive party in playing the role of mediator and its success.

Since 2004, the globe has witnessed a rise in the efforts of the State of Qatar in the field of mediation. The effectiveness of these mediations has been evident in several regions, including Palestine, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Sudan, Chad, and Ukraine, in addition to new regions in 2025, which confirms the expansion of Qatar's role and its increasing ability to contribute constructively to achieving security and stability at the regional and international levels.

In this regard, Assistant Research Professor of International Affairs, Security, and Defense at Qatar University (QU), Dr. Ali Bakir, said in his interview with QNA that mediation has become a hallmark of Qatari foreign policy, which makes it an essential part of the identity of Qatari policy that has been formed over the past decades to transform from a mere tool for resolving disputes into a firmly established constitutional duty stemming from Qatar's unwavering conviction of the necessity of settling disputes by peaceful means.

This provides a moral and legal foundation for its foreign policy and gives Doha the necessary flexibility to move effectively and sustainably in the complex regional and international geopolitical landscape where traditional diplomacy often falters, he added.

Dr. Bakir stressed that the State of Qatar's success in mediation and conflict resolution is fundamentally based on its unique ability to communicate with various parties amidst deep divisions and sharp polarizations while maintaining open channels of communication with all parties.

Qatar often plays the role of the only link between adversaries, and on building bridges of trust in a way that consolidates its reputation as an impartial and objective mediator, he added, indicating that this credibility has been strengthened thanks to a long diplomatic experience and a record full of tangible achievements.

In 2025, the State of Qatar continued its good efforts in one of the most devastating issues at the political, diplomatic and humanitarian levels - the genocide on the Gaza Strip. During two years of brutal, relentless bombing, Qatar bore a great burden in trying to reach an agreement that would alleviate the pain and suffering of thousands of Palestinians, despite the Israeli occupation's intransigence and international inaction.

In light of the ongoing Israeli genocide against the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, the State of Qatar played a pivotal role in cooperation with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America, which led to reaching a ceasefire agreement on Jan. 19, 2025. The ceasefire agreement included the exchange of prisoners and facilitating the entry of urgent humanitarian aid to the affected areas within the Strip. However, the Israeli occupation violated the agreement and resumed committing genocide in March 2025. Despite the continued genocide, Qatar continued its tireless diplomatic efforts, in coordination with its partners, to restore calmness and reach a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire, amidst the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Strip.

In the midst of these efforts, the State of Qatar was subjected to an unprecedented attack, represented by a treacherous Israeli attack on Sept. 9, 2025, which targeted residential buildings of the families of the political leadership of Hamas and its negotiating delegation. This attack was met with widespread international condemnation and clear solidarity with the State of Qatar, in support of its sovereignty, its rights, and in respect for its diplomatic role, far from any threat.

In this context, Qatari mediation had previously recorded an important breakthrough on the humanitarian level in the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, as the State of Qatar announced on Aug. 22, 2025, its success in reuniting four children with their relatives in Ukraine, and the return of three children to their families in Russia, bringing the total number of children who have been reunited with their families since the start of the mediation to 107.

In its diplomatic efforts in the African continent, Doha hosted on Nov. 15, 2025, the signing ceremony of the Doha Framework Agreement for Peace between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Congo River Alliance (March 23 Movement), which is the basic reference document for the broader peace process, based on the momentum of the Doha Declaration of Principles signed on July 19, 2025.

On July 19, 2025, Doha hosted the signing ceremony of a declaration of principles between the government of the DRC and the March 23 Movement, culminating Qatari diplomatic efforts aimed at creating an environment conducive to lasting peace in the eastern Congo region.

This agreement was preceded by a tripartite meeting hosted by Doha on March 18, 2025, at Lusail Palace, between HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, HE President of the Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame and HE President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshisekedi, which constituted a crucial step for direct dialogue and confidence-building between the two sides.

Regarding the border dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the State of Qatar intervened to play the role of mediator, after the most violent clashes on the border between the two countries since the Taliban movement took power in Kabul in 2021, through different stages since Oct. 17. This mediation included hosting two high-level delegations from Kabul and Islamabad, and announcing an immediate ceasefire and truce between the two sides.

On Oct. 19, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed - during the negotiations held in Doha - to an immediate ceasefire and to hold follow-up meetings to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire reached, expressing hope that this step would contribute to ending tensions on the border between the two brotherly countries and that this step would form a solid foundation for sustainable peace in the region.

In the latest mediation, the group of mediating countries (the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Swiss Confederation) issued a joint statement on Dec. 5, 2025, regarding the negotiations in Doha between the delegations of the Colombian government and the self-proclaimed EGC group, concerning the process of disarming the group and building peace in its regions.

In addition to its active negotiating mediations, the State of Qatar is keen to enhance efforts with diverse international conferences to strengthen this diplomacy and support it with other initiatives that fall within the general framework of peacemaking, through hosting major events and dialogue platforms.

One of the main objectives of these gatherings is to broaden the concepts of diplomacy, dialogue and diversity, in order to exchange ideas and discussions that lead to policymaking and the development of practical and implementable recommendations to avert the risks of conflicts and reduce levels of escalation and conflicts that drain the wealth of countries and their material and human capabilities. (QNA)