DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has stressed that the escalation of geopolitical tensions between various powers around the world, leading to the return of the threat of the spread of nuclear weapons, and new wars with unconventional weapons, are all challenges whose catastrophic effects transcend national and regional borders, and even extend beyond battlefields to electronic spaces.
He warned that with the emergence of multiple and competing centres of influence, new conflicts and unconventional wars between the great powers expose the international system to a real danger, citing as an example but not limited to the war in Ukraine, which shook global energy markets and caused a decline in food security. On a large scale, with the crisis of the central state in Africa, whose effects are rippling in Sudan and its surroundings, as well as the political polarization in the Americas, and the escalation between the United States and China, with its repercussions on global supply chains and international trade.
This came in the speech in which the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs opened on Monday, at the Sheraton Doha Hotel, the work of the sixth edition of the Global Security Forum, under the slogan 'Strategic Competition: Complexities Resulting from Interdependence'.
He explained that the participants will discuss in their renewed meeting at the forum the security challenges facing the world, and will look into the details of the global security reality objectively, the risks it contains and ways to neutralise them, and the opportunities it contains that everyone can seize.
He added, "In our world, which has witnessed major transformations in the past few years, we see crises and conflicts succeeding and threatening global security and peace in an unprecedented way, from wars and military conflicts, cyberattacks and the expansion of espionage and digital piracy, to environmental disasters, humanitarian crises, and waves of mass migration."
In a related context, he pointed out that the region faces many security concerns, with the expansion of the scope of regional civil and intra-regional conflicts, which has made it live today under a continuous and rising escalation that threatens its security and the world.
The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that the war raging in the Gaza Strip has claimed and is still claiming thousands of lives, while the scale of the human tragedy there is worsening every day, which requires intensifying international efforts, whether those concerned with ending the conflict or humanitarian efforts to ensure the arrival of aid.
He added, saying, "History has proven to us that the cost of any occupation and its consequences are always greater than any expected return for the occupier,” noting that "the policies of occupation, forced displacement, and collective punishment have never resulted in an end to any conflict, but rather have been fuel for the continuation and expansion of violence.”
The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs also warned in his speech that any conflict that intensifies will be exacerbated by the accumulated humanitarian consequences, most notably the waves of refugees and illegal immigration led by poverty resulting from the failure of the state, the collapse of political structures, and extremism that is reinforced by a state of despair and loss of hope in the future, abetter future, noting that any humanitarian disaster has an impact on global supply chains, as happened as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
He said, "This is what we are currently witnessing in the Red Sea as a result of the war on the occupied Palestinian territories and the Gaza Strip."
He went on to say, "Indeed, today we are witnessing the expansion of this war towards other regions in the region, as the confrontations expanded until they reached the Red Sea, and included direct confrontations between Iran and Israel, with the escalation of the risk of confrontations on the southern border in Lebanon, not to mention the consequences of this escalation. It is dangerous to reinforce the narrative of extremism that is ravaging the entities of many countries in the region."
The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs pointed out that amid this bleak picture of the regional and global situation, the State of Qatar has made every effort to contribute a vital role in strengthening global peace and security, through mediation efforts, conflict resolution, reviving the global economy, and rebuilding what was destroyed by wars and epidemics.
He stressed that in this world afflicted by crises, joint action is required now more than ever, explaining in this regard that the foreign policy of Qatar is based on the principle of cooperation in facing common challenges.
In this regard, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs said, "In a world afflicted by crises, joint action is required now more than ever. In this context, our foreign policy is based on the principle of cooperation in facing common challenges. Strengthening international cooperation and multi-faceted action is a priority. The parties are an integral part of our foreign policy."
He added, "The development and humanitarian efforts of Qatar also extended to the most needy countries by providing aid to build resilience and strengthen the countries’ institutional capabilities in various sectors.”
Sheikh Mohammed noted that in order to enhance global peace and security, mediation and conflict resolution efforts have become one of the basic pillars of Qatar’s foreign policy, stressing that thanks to this approach, Qatar was able to reach several truces and agreements that would help to alleviate the severity of conflicts and reachpeaceful solutions to them.
"These efforts were not limited to our region only but extended to include mediation between Russia and Ukraine to reunite children affected by the war with their families, and between Venezuela and the United States of America, and other mediationthat are currently taking place; the mediation between Israel and the Hamas movement,” stressing "the commitment of Qatar to work to prevent the collapse of peace, security and stability in the region, and to employ diplomacy to resolve conflicts by peaceful means is not just a political commitment, but rather a moral commitment, stemming from our collective responsibility towards the advancement of the most vulnerable peoples and the spread of security and global stability."
The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs said: "It is important that we meet in this forum and other dialogue spaces to search for creative solutions to the problems of our world,” pointing out that "the most important thing is that we agree on moral solutions that reflect our humanity and our belief in the principles that we agreed upon in the international community.”
"Solutions that apply the same principles to all of us without discrimination, in the belief that alleviating suffering must not be subject to political considerations or whose priorities should be determined by considering the race or national affiliation of the person suffering.”
He continued, saying, "It is frustrating and painful how many crises and challenges are afflicting us - most of which are of our own making - but in Qatar, we have learned that the dawn shines from the chest of darkness. We are all confident in the ability of our people to overcome the challenges facing us, and we believe that good intentions, living consciences and human will are the key. He will win the battle of life."
He also welcomed the participants in the sixth edition of the Global Security Forum, wishing them fruitful discussions during its holding days.
At the beginning of his speech,the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs offered his condolences to the Iranian people on the death of President HE Dr Ebrahim Raisi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the delegation accompanying them, following the accident they were exposed to on Sunday, asking God Almighty for their forgiveness.