BRUSSELS: The State of Qatar participated in the joint meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) and the countries of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) in Belgium, Brussels.
Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the European Union and NATO HE Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Malki represented the State of Qatar in the meeting.
The meeting was chaired by Secretary-General of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg, and in the presence of Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) Jassim Muhammad Al Budaiwi, as well as permanent delegates to the alliance and ambassadors and heads of missions of the ICI countries accredited by NATO.
The meeting discussed issues related to cooperative security, strengthening cooperation between NATO and the GCC countries, areas that the alliance and its partners can further work on and the latest political and security developments worldwide.
In a speech by the State of Qatar during the meeting, Ambassador Al Malki called for strengthening collective efforts to maintain global peace and security, especially at a time when threats and challenges have expanded in various parts of the world, which requires a unified approach.
He stated that the state of Qatar welcomes the partnership between the GCC and NATO, especially since the GCC has historically proven to be a capable organization in the face of many challenges and threats which have been dealt with with firmness and collectiveness.
Al Malki added that this partnership will further open doors to cooperation and coordination as the two organizations can exchange views and experiences. Noting the upcoming celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the partnership between NATO and the ICI, which is based on cooperative security, interoperability and common views on global peace and security.
He also highlighted the need for mutual understanding, the exchange of views and the sharing of new ideas to respond to global threats and find solutions. He affirmed the State of Qatar's determination to work with NATO and its partners to confront common challenges as well as prevent and manage crises to achieve regional and global stability.
Al Malki also stated that the State of Qatar will make all efforts to address the challenges facing the region. Adding that the Russian-Ukrainian crisis has proven that the world is interconnected, and the need to approach conflict with peaceful dialogue and good faith since armed action has not and will never be a wise response to resolving differences.
Regarding the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, he said that the State of Qatar reaffirms a peaceful solution and supports the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine's internationally recognized borders which was also expressed in the recent meeting between Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Shiekh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and President of Ukraine HE Volodymyr Zelensky on July 29.
He also pointed out that the State of Qatar has cooperated closely with NATO over the past two years to strengthen their partnership in public diplomacy, training, education and interoperability.
He highlighted the State of Qatar's hosting of several NATO activities and events such as the Military Strategic Partnership Conference (MSPC), in addition to many visits related to the mutual partnership.
Al Malki added that the State of Qatar nominated the Warfare Training Center (JWTC) to join NATO's Partnership Training and Education Centers (PTECs), adding that work is being made to achieve this goal in the near future.
His Excellency also outlined that the State of Qatar is working with NATO to host a regional centre for the alliance dedicated to training all NATO allies and partners, which meets the decision made by NATO members during the Vilnius summit of increasing outreach to countries in the broader neighbourhood.
Al Malki pointed out that contemporary global threats go beyond military and have profound humanitarian and security consequences such as climate change, food security, energy security, terrorism and extremism, illicit trade in all its forms, emerging threats and subversive technologies, in addition to displacement due to wars and natural disasters.
The Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the European Union and NATO explained that confronting these threats requires joint and comprehensive action, coordination and exchange of expertise information bilaterally and at regional and international levels.
To achieve this goal, consultations between NATO and the GCC must be improved to enhance cooperation, cooperative security and public diplomacy activities, Al Malki said.
In the conclusion of his speech, Al Malki shared the State of Qatar's hopes of collective work in facing challenges, especially at a time when the interconnected world requires an interconnected plan.
