Channelling conflict by fostering discussion, understanding, and addressing root causes, while establishing innovative approaches for conflict resolution, is pivotal in today’s international conflict management arena. The international mediation landscape is becoming increasingly diverse with the addition of countries like Qatar, which has timely acknowledged the paradigm shift in conflict resolution methodology. Qatar is not only known for its rich oil and gas reserves but is also considered a rising power in the current volatile geopolitical era. Although great powers have traditionally been associated with managing conflicts across the globe, recent years have seen significant changes, with Qatar’s mediation efforts in various complex and protracted conflicts—including Yemen, Afghanistan, Sudan, Lebanon, and the recent Israel-Gaza war—yielding productive results.
Over time, Qatar has successfully positioned itself as a responsible peacemaker on the world stage, enhancing its diplomatic prestige and resulting in increased international cooperation. With the emergence of new wars, the nature of conflict has transformed substantially, introducing varied patterns of violence that include regular armed battles, violent intrastate conflicts, and bloody waves of terrorism and insurgency. This complex and unstable environment requires a unique approach, involving collaboration between both major and rising powers. For instance, during the recent Israel-Gaza war, although President Joe Biden outlined an Israeli proposal for a three-phase ceasefire and his administration worked for months to broker peace talks, Qatar’s role in moving both sides toward constructive negotiations and eventually toward a ceasefire deal cannot be overlooked.
Qatar has so far been successful in achieving a comprehensive approach to conflict resolution, thereby building an outstanding record of peace-making achievements. Its visible role in humanitarian diplomacy, alongside providing humanitarian relief and facilitating evacuations from conflict zones, is also globally recognised. While humanitarian diplomacy has historically been associated with various international organisations, Qatar, as a country, has also been reasonably successful in integrating diplomatic tools within its humanitarian interventions. Providing support and funding to the Sudanese people amidst a severe humanitarian catastrophe, as well as supporting regional and international mediation efforts since the beginning of the Sudan crisis, highlights Qatar’s meaningful diplomatic efforts.
With a rather divided United Nations, which tends to have a limited capacity for conflict resolution, Qatar—a peninsula in the east of Arabia—has effectively filled the role by emerging as a key player in mediation
Qatar’s Red Crescent Society works in collaboration with the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, exhibiting well-coordinated efforts, particularly in negotiating access to conflict-affected, high-risk areas such as Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. This state-sponsored organisation deploys its humanitarian activities even in the midst of armed conflicts, alleviating the suffering caused by wars. The Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) facilitated negotiations between various communities in war-torn Sudan to allow the smooth flow of services supporting communities displaced by conflict. QRCS has employed highly skilled, well-experienced, and accredited mediators to negotiate between various communities and factions. This specific engagement with different factions not only allows the flow of humanitarian aid but has also been successful in assisting other humanitarian actors with prisoner releases through information sharing. The genuine willingness to serve, coupled with a commitment to constructing realistic pathways to address various forms of humanitarian crises, has been a trademark of the organisation.
However, these significant efforts would not have been possible without the support and cooperation of the Qatari government. This unique partnership has so far been successful in addressing some of the most challenging global issues. Although Qatar has aptly used the soft power of mediation to achieve desirable results in an otherwise competitive international environment, these initiatives have not been without challenges. Qatar has faced severe criticism regarding its humanitarian diplomacy role, particularly during the Israel-Gaza war, where it was accused of supporting Hamas. In doing so, its crucial role in providing humanitarian assistance, especially for displaced Gazans, and its success in negotiating the release of detainees, was largely overlooked. The Qatari Prime Minister categorically rejected the criticism over the relationship with Hamas, drawing attention to the fact that Doha’s connection with Hamas had not only saved lives but also enabled a hostage release deal.
Despite severe criticism and other daunting challenges, Qatar has remained steadfast in its commitment to promoting cooperation between conflicting parties, thereby fostering constructive dialogue. Addressing these challenges while adapting to changing environments, Qatar’s foreign policy tends to be motivated by humanitarian values. Currently, humanitarian diplomacy is a prominent element of Qatar’s foreign policy, which has subsequently elevated the state’s international reputation. Although Qatar is noticeably well-suited as an effective mediator across the global arena, it is also facing the pressure of higher expectations, alongside increased competition among a diverse set of countries striving to mediate conflicts.
With a rather divided United Nations, which tends to have a limited capacity for conflict resolution, Qatar—a peninsula in the east of Arabia—has effectively filled the role by emerging as a key player in mediation. It holds promising potential, along with a wide array of perspectives, to contribute meaningfully to global peace and stability.