Minister of State for International Cooperation H E Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad addressing the meeting of the Policy Advisory Group of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) with NATO
Doha, Qatar: Minister of State for International Cooperation H E Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad has said relations between Qatar and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have witnessed tangible development in past years.
Addressing a meeting of the Policy Advisory Group of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) with NATO held in Doha yesterday, she said the path of cooperation and partnership is the only way to end the successive wars and calamities on the peoples of the world.
She said the launch of Istanbul Cooperation Initiative was based on the foundations of joint action and the firm collective will to establish the pillars of human security and dignity in a world where calamities are intertwined and interests and opportunities intersect. The Minister of State said Qatar, as a full member of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, believes that achieving regional and global security requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond traditional military solutions to combat the idea and oppose obscurantism and enhance the awareness of societies in the matter of the principles of peace and coexistence.
“This includes promoting sustainable development, protecting human rights, and supporting peoples in achieving their aspirations. Over the past years, relations between Qatar and NATO have witnessed tangible development. This was reflected in the exchange of active joint visits to the State of Qatar in all activities aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two sides.”
She said Qatar plays an important role in supporting international efforts for peace and security, adding that Qatar is the only country within the framework of the ICI that has passed all stages of the NATO Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC), an achievement that highlights depth of the partnership between the two sides and the importance of Qatar as an ally and strategic partner. The Minister of State for International Cooperation said wars in Gaza and Lebanon, in addition to the situation in Syria, Yemen, and Sudan, constitute a threat that extends beyond the borders of the region to global security, causing waves of illegal immigration, mass displacement, a large influx of refugees, and the growth of fertile environments for the penetration of terrorism and organised crime.
NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood Javier Colomina, in his speech, said that as the first special representative for the region, he intended to enhance dialogue and engagement with the region.
“We also plan to work on an agenda to address shared security issues which will be developed in consultation with our ministerial and ICI partners. These areas include maritime security, fight against terrorism etc.”
He said NATO has decided to open a NATO liaison office in Jordan, first ever office in the region.
Colomina said the Middle East and North Africa region faces several common security concerns due to wars, cyber and hybrid threats, climate change, and others.
He added: “Security has become a global phenomenon today, so the NATO Action Plan for the Southern Neighbourhood, which was adopted at the Washington Summit this year, calls for a stronger and more strategic approach, by focusing on results in this region.”
“NATO seeks to achieve several key objectives during the next phase, which include enhancing political dialogue and engagement with countries in the region, communicating with other actors interested in exploring partnership opportunities with the alliance, in addition to cooperating with various partners to address common security issues in consultation and coordination with partners in the Mediterranean Dialogue and the Istanbul Initiative, which include; combating terrorism, cyber defence, maritime security, scientific cooperation and innovation, and others.”
The discussion sessions of the sixth meeting of the Policy Advisory Group of the NATO Istanbul Cooperation Initiative focused on several topics on the agenda, including; The role of mediation in settling disputes and resolving conflicts, regional security, innovation and emerging technologies, and the importance of international efforts in addressing regional conflicts and the role of international organisations in this regard.
