File photo used for representation only.
Qatar’s regional and global policy to champion peace and mediation significantly contributes to de-escalation and environmental sustainability. In recent years, Qatar has made mediation a core component of its foreign policy and the country has successfully brokered several peace agreements among nations.
Speaking to The Peninsula in an interview, Laurent Lambert, Assistant Professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, said many studies have shown that conflicts are detrimental to the environment, cohesive society and its many negative aspects. He added that if more countries invest in international peace, “we would be in a world much better off, not just in terms of peace internationally, but economic benefits for all and environmental sustainability.”
“Qatar’s support for peace and ensuring escalation of conflict is avoided has been widely recognised internationally,” Lambert said.
“This has benefits in terms of peace between countries and within countries because sometimes it’s infighting factions in some countries of the Middle East. It also benefits the environment because when you have a war, no one cares about endangered species or how much water, energy or food is consumed.
People are just thinking short term and using whatever they can to survive or make it to the next step,” he noted, adding that Qatar’s contributions extend beyond the peace itself.
“But we should never underestimate all these positive economic and environmental benefits,” he added.
Qatar’s efforts in mediating between factions, entities and countries have been carried out at the request of the concerned parties without interfering in the internal affairs of others.
Over the years, Qatari mediation has played an essential role in reaching Doha Peace Agreement in Darfur, releasing Djiboutian prisoners of war in Eretria, releasing hostages in Syria, ending the presidential vacuum in Lebanon, getting a deal between the US and Taliban and Qatar continues to work to toward reconciliation among the Palestinians.
For Prof Lambert, institutions like the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies can support such mediations by providing expertise, which he disclosed they continue to do. He cited the mediation between the US and the Taliban in Afghanistan. “The Doha Institute supported the mediation of the Qatari government in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the experts from the Doha Institute have helped this mediation to happen so that the Taliban meets with the government representatives,” he added.
