Qatar's Role as a Mediator in Conflicts
Almuhannadi, Aisha
Almuhannadi, Aisha
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Abstract
Mediation has become the brand identifier of the state of Qatar, and this calls for a closer case study of Qatar and to place it in the scholarship on mediation. The official website of Qatari institutions such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces mediation as a policy of high importance, and this is enshrined in the country’s constitution in Article 7 of 2003. Qatari owned and Qatar based news outlets also dedicate pages to news about Qatari mediations. This role is part of the state’s image of itself and how it identifies and brands itself. In its mediation processes, the state seeks to adhere to its religious tenet of establishing peace and attaining regional stability. Moreover, Qatar has the advantage of being a wealthy small state and seeks to leverage its small size and economic wealth to mediate conflicts. It achieves this role by the advantage of its economic stability and small size. In the process, Qatar challenges the myth of neutral mediation and attempts to achieve some gains through mediation, instead of military intervention. After discussing impartial and partial mediation styles, there is a discussion of the Arab style of mediation based on religious concept of Sulh and shura which are dominant in the Arab Gulf countries. The findings show that Qatar already meets the basic requirements of a mediating country and that its size, wealth, and good diplomatic relations play a key role in its mediation style and drive. Moreover, geographical, political, economic, and historical drivers also shape Qatar’s mediation. Additionally, there are some religious and regional drivers which push Qatar’s bias for peace in order to have some gains. In this process, the state of Qatar instrumentalizes the constitution and Al Jazeera news outlet to support its image as a democratic nation that has weight in the political world. Qatar stands to gain some benefits from this global recognition. For example, it has attained some global, regional, historical, and religious gains that have brought attention and respect to the country. As a Muslim country seeking peace, Qatar can enhance the image of Muslims as peace seekers, and it can become a symbol that all Muslims can look up to. There are also some tangible gains such as Qatar’s access to the U. S. visa waiver program and its hosting of the 2022 World Cup games. This mediation comes with some risks such as being perceived as the enemy that helps the conflicting party because it seems biased. By establishing a long list of mediation related achievements, Qatar is also establishing a history of successes and attempts at mediation. This helps create a historical reference while at the same time it is currently engaged in mediation in many conflicts.
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Master of Arts in International Affairs -- John Cabot University, Summer 2025.
Date
2025
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Keywords
Quatar, Diplomatic relations, International economic relations, Politics and government
Citation
Almuhannadi, Aisha. "Qatar's Role as a Mediator in Conflicts". Master's Thesis, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy. 2025.