Sheikha Alya: Qatar is strongly present at the UN

QNA – Doha:

HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations, ambassador Sheikha Alya bint Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani has affirmed that Qatar is an active player in most activities of the UN organs, and in regional and international groups, thanks to the wise policy of the State leadership.

In an interview with Al-Diplomacy Magazine, prepared by the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, HE Sheikha Alya said that the UN’s selection of Qatar to open offices for its organisations is an important message indicating that Qatar is at the forefront of the reliable countries in the region, as an effective and trustworthy partner for the UN in facing challenges and its regional impacts.

Stability, prosperity, and the space of freedoms in Qatar allow those organisations to operate freely and independently, in accordance with the standards adopted by the UN, she added.

Sheikha Alya stressed that Qatar is an essential pillar of international co-operation for burden-sharing and for the UN to carry out its functions and achieve its goals, in accordance with its Charter.

She said that Qatar’s role and contributions could be seen in the political, humanitarian and social fields of concern to the international community, as also its role in promoting international peace and security and human rights, implementation of the UN Development Plan 2030, the response to the effects of climate change, fight against terrorism and extremism, the dialogue of civilizations, cultures, and religions, education, youth, women and children, and humanitarian relief.

In addition, this role is visible in mediating peaceful settlement of disputes. So, these efforts and the impressive results are universally admired.

Sheikha Alya said, “Perhaps the last major achievement of the State is the signing of the peace agreement by the US and the Afghan Taliban at the end of February in Doha after four decades of cruel wars. Worth mentioning, Qatar is also a signatory to a number of international treaties, agreements, and instruments, and it has a demonstrated an active role in promoting human rights and protecting it, and accordingly, the Permanent Delegation is active in all matters that fall within the priorities of the state’s foreign policy.”

“As Permanent Representative of Qatar, I have been assigned by the UN to many of core functions of the international organisation of interest to member states,” she added.

Sheikha Alya said, “My appointment as the first permanent representative in Geneva and New York was a tribute to Qatari women by the leadership of the State, a message that confirmed the confidence in their capacities and responsibilities, which placed me with additional responsibility to fulfill that task and towards our leadership.”

She pointed out: “The international status achieved by His Highness the Amir places us with a great responsibility to maintain this status. As His Highness has so well deservedly placed Qatar in the ranks of influential countries in the world, and to continue the path of prosperity and progress in various areas. This is what motivates us to exert our utmost efforts to preserve the status and reputation of our country, which has become respected and appreciated by all.”

Sheikha Alya pointed to the success of Qatari diplomacy, led by HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, particularly during the blockade, stressing: “Defending our interests was impressive and had become an approach to our diplomacy.”

She added, “The delegation has adopted a strategy based on Qatar’s record, position and world’s confidence in it to respond to the baseless accusations that the blockade states have been charging Qatar with, where we have strongly responded, with argument and clear evidence, to any attempt by those states to convince the member stales of their allegations.”

“The permanent delegation, by presenting our sober political and legal position, has managed to refute the allegations and falsehoods of the blockade countries, as well as by holding meetings with the American and international media, which further weakened the blockade countries’ position.”

Sheikha Alya pointed out, “There is a common saying in the UN, that we in Qatar “say and do”, unlike the blockade states that ‘say and do not do”, speaking about Qatari contributions, practically, in drying up the sources of terrorism, underscoring that the crisis greatly consolidated Qatar’s position internationally, as the sound legal and political position of Qatar has helped the world to see how it respects international law and conventions and its role in promoting the security and stability of the region and the world.

Shaikha Alya touched on the multilateral action, in which Qatar was a member of the Human Rights Council, the Executive Board of the World Health Organisation, the Governing Council of the International Labour Organisation, which represent an aspiration of every state that wished to assume an active role in multilateral international action and it is a challenge that must be successfully met.

Sheikha Alya said, “In recognition of Qatar’s position at the UN and at the international level, I, as a Permanent Representative of Qatar, and the Permanent Representative of Sweden, had been entrusted with a key task by the President of the General Assembly to lead intergovernmental negotiations to develop and adopt a political declaration of world leaders on that occasion. The declaration will be adopted at the High-level Meeting, with the participation of heads of state and government, on September 21, 2020”.

The interview addressed many topics of concern to children’s rights, empowering women to hold leadership positions, many UN-related issues, and Qatar’s relevant role.