September 17 witnessed an important historical event for Qatar by granting it the status of a dialogue partner in one of the effective organizations that has geopolitical weight in the Asian continent and the world at large, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, in the presence of the presidents of China, Russia, Tajikistan, Iran, Mongolia and the prime ministers of the rest of the member states.
Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the People’s Republic of China H E Mohammed Abdullah Al Duhaimi said granting the State of Qatar the status of a “Dialogue Partner” in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a new achievement for the Qatari diplomacy. He expressed his thanks to the member countries for their support of the State of Qatar and paving the way for granting it the Dialogue Partner status.
The ambassador noted that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization enjoys a prestigious position and a promising future, adding that this prominent historic achievement proves the effectiveness of the vital and dynamic foreign policy of the State of Qatar.
Al Duhaimi noted that 19 countries submitted for the status of “Dialogue Partner”, but the Qatari diplomacy proved once again its entitlement to obtain this status, as only three countries (Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt) have been accepted as dialogue partners so far, noting that the State of Qatar had submitted its request in 2014.
He highlighted the prominent role carried out by the State of Qatar in the mediation file between the parties in Afghanistan and its efforts to establish lasting peace and security, and accordingly better enhance regional security and stability and support efforts to confront the threat of terrorism and violent extremism.
The Qatari envoy added that the State of Qatar has worked continuously with its partners, including the United States, in rounds of dialogue and negotiations with the Afghans to achieve peace; noting that the whole world recognized Qatar’s positive, effective and prominent role in the Afghan file as an honest host and mediator, based on its belief in the importance of the principle of dialogue in resolving crises.
Ambassador Al Duhaimi recalled the signing of an agreement in Doha on February 29, 2020 between the US government and the Taliban to achieve peace in Afghanistan, noting that this file had a great resonance in the regional and international circles and the world as a whole, especially in recent weeks when Doha has become a main destination for world leaders and officials.
He explained that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an intergovernmental organization established in Shanghai on June 15, 2001. The current members of the organization are China, Russia, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, and Iran was accepted as a permanent member as it was an observer member. The observer countries in the organization are Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia, while the list of countries with “dialogue partner” status includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Nepal, before being joined by Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Accepting of countries to hold the “Dialogue Partner” status requires obtaining the approval of all member states, and the same applies to the transition from one capacity to another.
Based on the State of Qatar’s belief in the noble goals for which the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was established and its pioneering role in resolving urgent and pivotal issues in light of the great transformations in the world, it shares the organization’s efforts to enhance stability and security in the territories of its members; combat terrorism, extremism, crime and drug smuggling; and developing cooperation in the fields of economy, energy, culture and science, the Ambassador added.
He said that the State of Qatar can contribute effectively to strengthening partnerships in various security, political, economic, social, technological, environmental, cultural and other fields among the organization’s member states, which in most of them are compatible with Qatar Vision 2030.
The Ambassador affirmed that the State of Qatar will strive to exert all its energies in this regard to mutually benefit from this international edifice, given that the organization’s main headquarters is located in the Chinese capital, Beijing; and will continue its efforts in the coming years to move from the status of “dialogue partner” to “observer” and then to a full member state.
The Ambassador of Qatar to China renewed his thanks to all those who contributed to granting the State of Qatar the status of a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and wished all members of the organization more fruitful cooperation and constructive work, and the State of Qatar more glory and eminence.
