Latest news with #HamadbinKhalifaal-Thani
News18
14 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
How Did This Country In The Gulf Become The World's Most Trusted Middleman?
Last Updated: Doha has become a key global mediator, hosting crucial negotiations like US-Taliban talks and Gaza peace efforts, thanks to its neutral, discreet diplomacy and wealth For much of the late 20th century, the world's most delicate negotiations took place in Europe. Whether it was nuclear arms talks, secret backchannel discussions, or peace settlements, neutral capitals like Geneva, Vienna, and Oslo were the preferred stages. Safe, distant from the frontlines, and trusted by adversaries, these cities defined the era of classical diplomacy. That era is fading. In the new geopolitics of the 21st century, the center of global mediation has shifted eastward, to Qatar, and more specifically, to its capital Doha. Until recently, Qatar was known primarily for its gas riches and gleaming football stadiums. But in less than a decade, it has earned a reputation as one of the world's most reliable mediators. From hosting secret US-Taliban talks to facilitating prisoner swaps and easing tensions between bitter rivals, Doha has become a place where enemies come to negotiate. This transformation is not a matter of chance. Mediation is written into Qatar's national DNA, even enshrined in the country's 2003 constitution, which pledges to promote peace through dialogue. But its rise as a diplomatic power is also the product of a deliberate long-term strategy: staying neutral, taking calculated risks, engaging with all sides, and building trust with adversaries who trust almost no one. The latest example came last week, when Mossad chief David Barnea travelled to Doha. His visit, closely watched across the region, is being viewed as an attempt to revive Gaza peace talks. Alongside Egypt, Qatar has been at the centre of repeated but fragile attempts to negotiate a ceasefire in the devastating war. Doha has already played critical roles in past crises, from negotiating the release of hostages in Gaza to facilitating the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, and more recently, preventing a flare-up between Iran, Israel, and Washington from spiraling out of control. As one Qatari official told The Guardian, 'Whenever there is a conflict you will see us." From Obscurity To Influence Qatar was not always on the global map. When it gained independence from Britain in 1971, the Gulf state was a little-known desert monarchy, lacking the religious weight of Saudi Arabia or the cultural clout of Egypt. Even into the 1980s, it remained conservative and introverted. The turning point came in the 1990s. The discovery of the massive North Field, the world's largest natural gas reserve shared with Iran, transformed Qatar's fortunes. By the mid-1990s, a palace coup added momentum. In 1995, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani deposed his father and pushed Qatar onto the global stage. Within a year, he launched Al Jazeera, a pan-Arab satellite network that broke the mold of state-run media. Bold, often controversial, and willing to challenge regional taboos, Al Jazeera turned Qatar into a household name across the Arab world. Sheikh Hamad also diversified the country's presence abroad; buying assets from Harrods to Paris Saint-Germain, investing in Western capitals, and winning the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Everyone's Friend, Everyone's Mediator Unlike its Gulf neighbors, Qatar made a deliberate choice to remain militarily cautious while diplomatically ambitious. While Saudi Arabia waged war in Yemen, Doha offered its palaces as negotiation venues. Its philosophy was simple: maintain ties with all sides, no matter how opposed they were to one another. From Hamas to Washington, from the Taliban to Israel, Qatar engaged across the spectrum. Sometimes praised for neutrality, sometimes accused of double-dealing, Doha nonetheless built a track record. In 2008, it mediated the end of Lebanon's political crisis. In 2012, it hosted the Syrian opposition in exile. In 2020, it helped broker the US-Taliban peace deal. In just the past year, it has hosted ceasefire negotiations for Gaza, brokered a US-Venezuela prisoner exchange, facilitated the return of Ukrainian children from Russia, and even helped African rivals Congo and Rwanda sign peace deals in Washington. The Doha Principle Qatar's wealth has made its diplomacy possible. With the world's third-largest natural gas reserves and a $450 billion sovereign wealth fund, Doha can finance credibility, sponsoring global summits, building infrastructure, and funding quiet diplomacy. Hosting the World Cup was only the most visible sign of this ambition. But its greatest asset has been discretion. Unlike larger powers, Qatar mediates quietly, often without publicity. This low-profile approach makes it an attractive broker for groups that need secrecy. At the heart of this effort is Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Khulaifi, Qatar's Minister of State and chief mediator, who is said to shuttle between continents so frequently that he is rarely in the same time zone two days in a row. 'Whenever there is a conflict you will see us," he said, summing up Doha's philosophy. The New Geneva Qatar cannot solve every war. But in an age where trust is scarce, international organisations are weakened, and dialogue is breaking down, Doha has carved out a rare space. It keeps channels open even when everyone else slams the door. By choosing opportunities over sides, Qatar has built a model of pragmatic diplomacy in a region too often driven by ego and ideology. When missiles fly, the world increasingly listens for echoes from Doha. In that sense, the Gulf emirate has become not just the 'new Geneva," but perhaps a blueprint for conflict resolution in a fractured world. Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Doha qatar view comments Location : Doha, Qatar First Published: August 20, 2025, 16:03 IST News world How Did This Country In The Gulf Become The World's Most Trusted Middleman? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Mossad chief visits Qatar: Why this gulf state is the new hub of deals and diplomacy
The chief of Israel's spy agency Mossad, David Barnea, last week visited Qatar in what is being seen as an effort to restart Gaza peace talks. Qatar along with Egypt has been the main mediator in the repeatedly faltering negotiations to end the devastating war in Gaza. While Egypt is a neighbour of Israel and Gaza, why is Qatar involved? The answer lies in a recent trend. From backchannel talks with the Taliban to hush-hush negotiations between Washington and Tehran, this small Gulf state is emerging as the planet's go-to middleman, with its deep pockets and strategic ambiguity. Why is Qatar doing this, and what has helped it position itself as a diplomatic first responder? It wasn't always this way. Half a century ago, Qatar was a footnote in British imperial maps. It had neither the religious heft of Saudi Arabia nor the cultural power of Egypt. Even decades after gaining independence in 1971, Qatar remained an inconspicuous state, under a conservative and inward-looking monarchy. The 1990s changed much. First came the gas boom. The discovery and exploitation of the world's largest natural gas field, shared with Iran, gave Qatar not just riches, but leverage. Then came a palace coup in 1995. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the current emir's father, overthrew his father and set out with a bold vision: to put Qatar on the global stage. Within a year, he launched Al Jazeera — a channel that broke the mould of state media in the region. Outspoken, pan-Arab, often controversial, it reshaped the political discourse of the Arab world and made Qatar a household name from Morocco to Malaysia. He opened up the country's foreign policy, bought up Harrods, Paris Saint-Germain, and Miramax. Qatar secured the rights to host the 2022 World Cup. 'The leadership saw diplomacy as a tool of national security and identity-building,' Dr. Rajarshi Chakraborty, an international relations scholar trained at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said. 'They knew they couldn't rely solely on their military or economy to assert influence.' How Qatar became the relationship broker Rather than picking sides, Qatar cultivated ties with everyone, from Washington to Hamas, from the Taliban to Israel. It earned Doha praise as a pragmatic neutral in some corners, and suspicion as a double-dealer in others. In 2008, Qatar helped end an 18-month political crisis in Lebanon. In 2012, it hosted the exiled Syrian opposition. In 2020, it facilitated the US-Taliban peace agreement. Over the past year alone, Qatari diplomats have hosted ceasefire talks for Gaza, brokered prisoner swaps between the US and Venezuela, mediated the return of Ukrainian children from Russia, and even convened leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda to sign a peace deal in Washington. Unlike other Gulf monarchies, Qatar has resisted joining full-blown military campaigns, like the Saudi-led war in Yemen, and instead offered to host talks. This new doctrine was formalised in the country's 2003 constitution, which stated that Qatar's foreign policy would be anchored in 'strengthening international peace and security.' Geography helped. Tucked between regional giants Saudi Arabia and Iran, Qatar sits at a volatile fault line. Diplomacy was as much a survival strategy as it was ambition. The 2017 blockade by its Gulf neighbours, who accused it of funding terrorism and getting too close to Iran, only reinforced that instinct. Rather than back down, Qatar doubled down on independent diplomacy, built new alliances, and came out stronger. Its wealth helped too. With a $450 billion sovereign wealth fund and the world's third-largest natural gas reserves, Qatar could buy visibility and goodwill. It sponsored global summits, invested in Western capitals, and built world-class infrastructure. Hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup was only the most visible example of this projection. But perhaps its greatest asset was discretion. It was willing to mediate quietly, often without fanfare. This low-key style appealed to parties who needed cover to talk. As of July, the country is running ten simultaneous mediations. And the man orchestrating this is Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Khulaifi, Qatar's Minister of State and chief mediator, a figure rarely in the same timezone two days in a row. 'Whenever there is a conflict,' he told a reporter of The Guardian recently, 'you will see us.' Chakraborty said, 'Qatar's mediation game isn't only about borders or recognition, it's a deeper quest for meaning. As an Islamic state, it blends faith with diplomacy to carve out a distinct global identity. Faith gives Qatar a language of moral legitimacy. When it talks about peace and negotiation, it's not just political, it's civilisational.' The costs and calculations Still, neutrality has its price. Chakraborty cautioned, 'Qatar's future as a diplomatic mediator may face growing scrutiny over perceived biases stemming from its US alliance and relationships with controversial groups. Regional rivalries could resurface and undermine its influence.' Indeed, Qatar's reliance on US backing, including the large Al Udeid Air Base, has raised eyebrows. While it buys strategic protection, it also ties Doha's fortunes to Washington's agenda. In a world shifting toward multipolarity, this could become a liability. During the recent escalation involving the US, Iran, and Israel, Tehran fired missiles not at Israel or US targets, but at Qatar itself. It marked the first direct military attack on Qatari soil in modern times. Qatar closed its airspace, readied defences, and intercepted all but one of the 14 missiles, the only one that landed caused no harm. However, it didn't retaliate. Doha condemned the attack, but recognised it for what it was: Iran's need for a symbolic win. By absorbing the blow, Qatar gave diplomacy the space it needed. Within hours, Trump was back on the phone with Doha. Israel had agreed to a ceasefire. The Iran conflagration ended not with a ceremony, but with phone calls brokered by Doha. 'Too much US dependency is working in its favour right now,' Chakraborty said, 'but in the long run, China is perceived to be the global power. So it would be prudent for Qatar if their leaders start scouting for new allies in case the USA withdraws its support someday.' Qatar's mediating role also risks alienating traditional partners. Its willingness to engage with Hamas, the Taliban, and others has made Israel, Egypt, and parts of Europe wary. Failed negotiations could damage its credibility. The challenge for Qatar will be to adapt without overextending, to remain flexible, but not appear fickle.
