US President H E Donald Trump is on a historic tour to the Middle East, stopping in Riyadh, Doha and Abu Dhabi. Apart from business deals being signed during the visit, a particular focus and topic of discussion would be the regional situation, the war in Gaza, and joint mediation efforts.
In a major development for the region, President Trump has announced to lift US sanctions on Syria. This has been welcomed by Syria and the whole region. Qatar had repeatedly called for lifting the sanctions to help Syria’s reconstruction efforts.
On the second leg of his tour, the US President arrived in Qatari capital yesterday. During an official talks session with the US President, Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani lauded President Trump’s efforts to achieve peace in the region, and hailed him as a man of peace. The two leaders reviewed joint Qatar-US efforts for peace and stability in the region and beyond. The US President expressed his deep gratitude to the Amir for his leadership and the mutual friendship that unites them.
The two leaders also oversaw the signing of an agreement on purchase of Boeing jets, a statement of intent for defence cooperation, a letter of offer and acceptance for MQ-9B drones, and a letter of offer and acceptance for the FS-LIDS anti-drone system. The Amir and the US President also signed a joint declaration of cooperation between the two countries.
President Trump’s state visit to Doha heralds a new era in Qatar-US bilateral relations and provides a new impetus for joint mediation efforts to end the war in the Gaza Strip. The two countries, along with Egypt, have played a leading role in mediating between Israel and Hamas. The joint efforts have resulted in periods of ceasefire and release of hundreds of detainees on both sides.
The war on the Gaza Strip, however, continues unabated and Israel’s blockade of all aid has led to worsening humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory. It is hoped that President Trump’s important discussions with H H the Amir and other GCC leaders would lead to progress towards ending the war, release of all detainees and delivery of humanitarian aid at scale.
Qatar has emerged as a key player in efforts to find a solution to conflicts in the region, especially in the mediation efforts to end the war in Gaza and the President's visit is expected to boost bilateral cooperation in this vital area. As President Trump said, the two leaders discussed international issues in detail, including the Ukrainian issue and Iran nuclear deal talks. The President praised the support and assistance of H H the Amir in this regard and expressed his keenness to strengthen work with the Amir.
