Doha: HE Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the State of Qatar Dmitry Dogadkin affirmed that Qatar’s accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a “Dialogue Partner” signifies the increasingly prominent role that Doha has played both regionally and globally as a mediator in various conflicts, as well as a responsible global actor, facilitating a more peaceful and secure world for all.
In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency , HE said, “We are certain that both Qatar and SCO have a lot to offer to each other in many aspects and will mutually benefit from this cooperation.” Over the past two decades, Qatar has emerged as one of the most prominent mediators in the world, successfully helping negotiate peace in a wide array of conflicts and disputes in Sudan, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, and Afghanistan, including most recently, Gaza. Since October 2023, the State of Qatars continuous efforts in bringing the sides to the conflict together for talks and bridging gaps between the two parties
cannot be understated, HE added.
HE Russian ambassador also expressed his gratitude for Qatar’s noble humanitarian efforts by stating, “I cannot but mention that, thanks to our Qatari friends good offices, a number of Russian families separated by the conflict in Ukraine have been reunited, and were graciously hosted in Doha in April to partake in a program of rehabilitation.” Mediation requires great patience and tactfulness to be successful. It is not for everyone, but Qatar has proved its capabilities in this regard. Thanks to its proactive foreign policy, it has soared very high both regionally and internationally, HE highlighted.
“The Qatari leadership has set an ambitious goal for Qatar to become an indispensable, ‘one-of-a-kind’ mediator with a worldwide portfolio. I wholeheartedly believe that Qatars capability and dedication match the ambitiousness of this noble goal,” HE continued.
Regarding the development of relations between Doha and Moscow in various fields, HE Russian ambassador stated that
Russia and Qatar enjoy a high level of political ties, with both leaderships maintaining a constant and open dialogue on many regional and international files. The past year saw a number of meetings and phone conversations, including on the highest level, and are eagerly looking forward to the Russia-GCC ministerial set to convene in Doha this September.
Russia and Qatar agree on many prominent international topics, for instance, the war on Gaza. Qatar has kept a rather balanced approach to the conflict in Ukraine, HE said.
On the cultural and tourism aspects, HE Dogadkin noted the increased interest of Qataris in Russian culture and heritage, as well as the steady tourism growth evidenced by the increase in visits and tourist trips between the two countries. These visits and cultural interactions reflect the mutual interest between Moscow and Doha as destinations for tourism and cultural exchange. In addition, bilateral humanitarian cooperation has been on the rise.
Regarding trade volume and future plans
to enhance economic and investment cooperation, HE noted that Qatar remains the biggest Arab investor in the Russian economy, with recent bilateral trade showing a positive dynamic, expected to exceed 90 million USD by the end of the year.
In terms of opportunities for further growth, there is good potential in the agricultural sector, which is now the main driver of Qatari-Russian bilateral trade as Russia has a lot to offer to the Qatari domestic market as far as agricultural goods are concerned, HE said.
Moreover, in recent years Qatar has notably been developing its capabilities as a logistics hub, partaking in the International North-South Transport Corridor, which will extend 7,200 kilometers from the Russian city of St. Petersburg to the port of Mumbai in India via the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan, Iran, the Arabian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean, and when finished, will provide for both faster and cheaper movement of goods for the parties involved, HE pointed out.
At the conclusion of his remarks to QNA,
HE Dmitry Dogadkin said, “All in all, I think that in the current circumstances, our bilateral trade demonstrates a rather positive dynamic. There is certainly room for improvement, but at the same time, there are opportunities present for both parties. We can achieve better results together. It will require greater mutual effort, but in the end, it will all be worth it.”
Source: Qatar News Agency