Qatar to announce regional defence partnership
Qatar is preparing to announce a new regional defence partnership aimed at strengthening its military capabilities, Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, said.
Qatar to announce new regional defence partnership, deputy PM says
Qatar’s deputy PM announced at the Global Security Forum in Doha that the Arabian country will announce a new regional defence partnership.
“I’m happy to say that soon we’re going to announce a new partnership,” he said, referring to plans to work with regional partners on new defence initiatives.
Sheikh Saoud said Qatar had recently reviewed its defence capabilities, prioritising air defence, counter-drone measures, cybersecurity and water security.
He emphasised the importance of cooperation among GCC countries.
He said cooperation with the US had strengthened Gulf defence capabilities, adding that “more than 90 percent of attacks” during the Iran war were prevented through shared expertise and decades of military investment.
US–Israel war on Iran drives regional security focus at summit
It was an important and frank discussion by Qatar’s deputy PM.
Obviously, the biggest issue discussed was the regional threats from this ongoing US–Israel war on Iran.
You heard him say that Qatar will soon be announcing a partnership with regional countries and beyond to ensure a robust defence.
This morning at least a dozen countries’ embassies are warning US citizens about potential disruptions to air travel. So there’s a looming threat, and that is why it is important to have all of the defence architecture of the region and beyond here.
There are not just interior ministers and defence executives but also heads of various security organisations. They have all been talking about the multifaceted defence strategy that is required now, not just regarding conventional defence, but boosting air defences, how to counter attacks on facilities using devices such as small drones, which cause billions of dollars in damage.
And a key priority for the region is maritime security, as the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb remain disrupted.
Qatar’s deputy PM warns global energy shockwaves yet to ‘peak’
Economic repercussions of disruptions to Gulf energy supplies have yet to reach their “peak”, Qatar’s deputy PM and minister of state for defence, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has warned.
Speaking at the Global Security Forum in Doha, he identified several major threats facing Qatar and the wider Gulf region, including threats to sovereignty, disruptions to energy supplies and the spillover of regional conflicts.
“We haven’t reached the peak with respect to energy,” he said, warning of further repercussions “in the coming days and months”.
In March, Iranian attacks damaged Qatar’s Ras Laffan industrial complex, a major LNG production hub.
Sheikh Saoud stressed the importance of the Gulf’s role in international trade, saying instability in the region could disrupt the “chain of supply from east to west and also from west to east”.
He added that insecurity in the region could also affect Gulf investments in Europe and the US, as well as financial assistance provided by Gulf countries to other nations.
Qatar maintains ‘communication’ with Iran despite attacks, deputy PM says
Qatar has maintained open channels of communication with Iran despite attacks on its territory and differences over the regional conflict, Deputy PM Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has said.
Sheikh Saoud said Qatar enjoyed a relationship of trust with Iran before attacks began, pointing to the two countries’ shared gasfield.
“We did not have any incident with Iran until last year in June,” he said, referring to Iran’s retaliatory attack in 2025 following US attacks on its nuclear sites.
Asked about Iran’s attack on Qatar’s Ras Laffan gas facility, Sheikh Saoud said Doha was “surprised”, adding that there had been discussions with Tehran since.
“We never stop our communication,” he said, adding that Qatar maintained contact with Iran at different levels despite their disagreements. He said both sides had reached a “common understanding”.
In Gaza, 1.4 million Palestinians still ‘acutely food insecure’
The UN World Food Programme says two-thirds of Gaza’s population is still suffering acute food insecurity.
Food rations have also been halved. It comes as the WFP says funding shortages have forced it to cut aid by a third, meaning 500,000 Palestinians in Gaza will lose assistance.
“People are not safe. Air strikes continue on a daily basis. People continue to be displaced,” Shaun Hughes, the WFP country director, told the AFP news agency.
“Almost everybody remains without a permanent home to live in. And the humanitarian conditions are brutal.”
The cuts come as Israel halts commercial shipments into the Gaza Strip.
Source: Al Jazeera