Qatar’s Al Khulaifi highlighted the country’s global mediation efforts and called for stronger international cooperation to resolve conflicts during a visit to Japan.
Qatar has reaffirmed its commitment to dialogue and mediation as key pillars of its foreign policy, calling for greater international cooperation to resolve conflicts and ease humanitarian suffering.
Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi made the remarks in an address to the Parliamentary Association for Peace Mediation, held at the Japanese House of Representatives in Tokyo.
Al Khulaifi said Qatar’s approach to foreign policy is rooted in its constitutional commitments and its belief that diplomacy plays a vital role in protecting lives, reducing suffering and promoting security and stability.
He noted that successful mediation depends on building trust and credibility, exercising patience, respecting commitments and maintaining the confidentiality of negotiations.
The role of a mediator, he added, is to help conflicting parties reach solutions that are acceptable to all sides and can be sustained over time.
Addressing Qatar’s growing role as an international mediator, Al Khulaifi highlighted ongoing efforts in several regional and international conflicts, including Afghanistan, the Gaza Strip and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Doha has emerged as a central mediator in the ongoing war in Gaza, working extensively alongside Egypt and the US to negotiate a ceasefire and captive release deal. The Gulf state also previously played a pivotal role in facilitating the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Qatar has also worked to reunite children with their families amid the war in Ukraine, Al Khulaifi said, describing such initiatives as part of wider efforts to alleviate humanitarian suffering and create conditions for political solutions.
Since July 2023, Qatar’s mediation programme has successfully reunited dozens of Ukrainian children with their families after they were displaced following the outbreak of the war.
The minister stressed that reaching agreements is only part of the process, noting that their implementation and the fulfilment of commitments are essential to achieving lasting peace.
He also underlined the importance of protecting mediators and preserving channels of negotiation to keep the prospect of peaceful settlements open.
Al Khulaifi praised the longstanding friendship and strategic partnership between Qatar and Japan, expressing hope that the two countries will strengthen cooperation in supporting dialogue, reducing tensions and coordinating humanitarian and development efforts in conflict-affected nations.
He called for a greater exchange of expertise in mediation, as both countries seek to support diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving international disputes.