UN House in Doha - Culmination of More Than Half Century of Qatari-International Partnership

 

Doha, March 02 (QNA) - The State of Qatar is preparing to inaugurate the UN House in Doha, on the sidelines of the fifth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC5) which will be held in Doha, during March 5-9, 2023, to culminate more than half a century of partnership and dynamic relations with the international organization, which included many joint works to build peace and development and confront global challenges. 

This UN headquarters in the heart of Doha represents a vivid embodiment of the directives of the wise leadership represented by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and its vision of the importance of strengthening the pillars of multilateral collective action to confront the grave and diverse cross-border challenges, on top of which are the threats to international peace and security, environmental issues, sustainable development, and building more equal and resilient world, within the framework of the pivotal role of the UN. 

The opening of the UN House coincided with the LDC5, adding new dimensions to the relationship between the two sides, foremost of which is the commitment to this partnership and cooperation to strengthen the foundations of multilateral collective action in a way that responds to the aspirations of the peoples of the world, and consolidates Doha's position at the international level, after it has become an international center for world's programs and initiatives concerned with development and peace. 

The UN houses offices for important international organizations, including the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), International Organization for Migration (IOM), the regional cybercrime training and capacity-building center, and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, in addition to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN Office of the UN Development Program, International Hub on Behavioral Insights to Counter Terrorism in Doha, the Office on Parliamentary Engagement in Preventing and Countering Terrorism and United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT). 

Since its accession to the international organization, Qatar has been one of the largest supporters of the international organization and continues to provide financial contributions to many of its affiliated bodies and entities. The year 2018 was one of the most important stations in the process of cooperation and partnership between the two sides, as it witnessed the signing of several agreements on the sidelines Doha Forum's activities, one of its most prominent fruits was the establishment of the 'United Nations House.' 

The agreements included providing USD 500 million support for United Nations organizations and the establishment of four new United Nations offices in Doha. They also included a pledge by Qatar to provide annual support to UNDP, UNICEF, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 

The year 2021 witnessed the signing of two agreements between Qatar and the United Nations to open two new offices in Doha, an office of the United Nations Development Program to support efforts and ways to achieve sustainable development goals globally, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which will undertake the United Nations mission of coordinating global humanitarian operations through partnerships with national and international bodies. 

The same year also witnessed the inauguration of the UNOCT Program Office on Parliamentary Engagement in Preventing and Countering Terrorism, which is considered the first of its kind in the world, and it aims to assist all parliaments of the countries of the world through its programs and activities aimed at supporting the efforts of the international community in preventing and combating terrorism. 

On several occasions, the State of Qatar has called for the need to cooperation and partnership with the United Nations in all political, diplomatic, humanitarian and development fields, environmental issues, climate change, health, education and other vital sectors of cooperation, so that the UN House embodies this approach and strengthens this strategic partnership to serve the peoples of the region and the world for decades to come. 

This strategic partnership was expressed by HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi, in his speech during the ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development follow-up for 2022, at the UN Headquarters in New York last April, during which he affirmed Qatar's keenness to work closely with partners at the international level, including United Nations bodies and entities. 

He added that Doha is a key partner in providing support through bilateral and multilateral agreements and implementing development projects that have a positive impact in responding to challenges and accelerating inclusive and sustainable growth. 

In a previous interview published in the Diplomat Magazine, issued by the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, HE Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani summarized this active presence of Qatar at the international level within the framework of its partnership with the United Nations. HE Ambassador Alya Al-Thani pointed out that the UN's choosing of Doha to open offices for its agencies and organizations carries a very important and indicative message that it is an active and reliable partner of the United Nations in facing challenges and their effects in the region, and that stability, prosperity and space for freedoms in the country allow those organizations to work freely and independently, in line with the standards adopted by the United Nations. 

When inaugurating the United Nations House and hosting the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, Qatar affirms that the global partnership is urgent, since many countries of the world, especially the least developed countries, are in a race against time to achieve the goals of sustainable development at various social, economic and environmental levels by 2030, which necessitates the creation of a new global partnership that guarantees no one is left behind. 

This international conference represents an opportunity that is available only once in a decade to accelerate sustainable development in the regions most in need of international assistance, and to take advantage of the full potential of the least developed countries in a way that helps it progress towards prosperity. Hence, Doha becomes an important starting point for accelerating the pace of work towards achieving the 2030 goals. 

This was evident in the statement delivered by HE Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shaheen Ali Al Kaabi in February, during the meeting of the 2023 Partnership Forum meeting of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) held in New York, where he reaffirmed Qatar's keenness to strengthen its partnership with the UN to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and addressing current challenges. 

Al Kaabi explained that the UN House in Doha includes several offices of United Nations agencies and their affiliated organizations to respond quickly to humanitarian crises, climate change problems, resolve conflicts, combat the threat of terrorism and violent extremism, address the flow of refugees, and to promote the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

In order to emphasize the importance of partnerships within the framework of the international organization, Al Kaabi stressed that Qatar attaches utmost importance to goal no. 17 of the sustainable development - establishing partnerships to achieve the goals, through close cooperation and strong partnership with the UN and its organizations and agencies pointing out that this is what the State of Qatar has been doing over the past decades. 

In a previous interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) HE Director General of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari said that the State of Qatar has become one of the largest donors and supporters of the United Nations, achieving a great presence unconventional effectiveness and great influence at the decision-making level, regionally and internationally. 

The total financial assistance provided by Qatar to UN organizations amounted to nearly USD 900 million, from 2013 until mid-2022, QFFD's Director said, adding that through QFFD, the fund was able to highlight the efforts of the State of Qatar in achieving peace and sustainable and lasting development, and to make change in fragile and marginalized communities around the world, through the support of our local and international strategic partners, such as the United Nations institutions. 

UN appreciates this active and supportive Qatari presence of the international organization over the past fifty years, where Qatar took the initiative to participate in the fields of sustainable development, conflict prevention and settlement, combating terrorism, climate action, health, and others at the regional and global levels, as confirmed by HE Secretary-General of the UN Antonio Guterres in a congratulatory message on the 50th anniversary of Qatar's accession to the membership of the UN. 

In his message, Guterres extended thanks to the State of Qatar for its unwavering support for the UN, explaining that he looks forward to strengthening the bonds of relations between the UN and the State of Qatar two in the coming years in their quest to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights for all. 

UN accelerates the steps towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The organization is betting on the strategic role of Qatar in this march, as UNDP Technical Representative and Head of Office in Doha Biplove Choudhary confirmed in an exclusive statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) the keenness to strengthen this strategic partnership for the future of development. 

UNDP in Qatar works as a partner with the State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, QFFD, and Education Above All Foundation, all of whom we consider to be strategic partners, he said, adding that they rovide seamless access to technical advisory services, through the structure of the UNDP's Global Policy Network. 

Biplove Choudhary explained to QNA that the main role of the UNDP office in Qatar contributes to enhancing the growing multifaceted strategic partnership between the State of Qatar and the Program on the future of development, facilitating cooperation in new horizons for innovative development solutions, building long-term capabilities, organizing policy dialogues, and establishing influential partnerships on a large scale to achieve the goals of sustainable development at the national, regional and global levels.  

In turn, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mohammed Ali Ensour said in a similar statement to QNA that Doha's hosting of many UN agencies and offices reflects the best practices of the State of Qatar in its partnership with the international organization. 

The facilities provided by the State of Qatar to the United Nations in terms of headquarters and privileges for the organization and the working group are unprecedented, thanks the Qatari leadership for all this support, Ensour added. (QNA)