Doha: HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Lebanon Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani affirmed that the visit of HE President of the Republic of Lebanon General Joseph Aoun to Doha, his first visit after his election as president, is the culmination of a developing journey of distinguished fraternal relations between the two countries in various fields over the years.
According to Qatar News Agency, His Excellency said the visit of HE the Lebanese President constitutes an important milestone in reviewing relations between the two countries, giving them a boost, and opening new horizons for cooperation in various fields, in addition to discussing a number of issues of common interest.
The State of Qatar and the Republic of Lebanon have enjoyed strong fraternal relations throughout history, built on foundations of trust, partnership, and brotherhood spanning decades, which have positively impacted the two countries and contributed to their prosperity in various sectors and at all levels.
Regarding the most prominent areas of cooperation between the two countries, HE Ambassador explained that the establishment of the Joint Higher Committee between Qatar and Lebanon in 2005 contributed to the development and strengthening of bilateral cooperation. The countries signed numerous agreements covering cultural, economic, and educational cooperation, in addition to cooperation agreements in the fields of media, tourism, and sports, and the establishment of a Qatari-Lebanese Business Council to encourage investments and exchange of expertise, in addition to cooperation in the security, legal, and other fields, which reflects the mutual trust between the two parties and their keenness to advance relations towards a deep partnership, HE pointed out.
HE Ambassador noted the economic cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the field of gas and oil, and said that Qatar is participating in oil and gas exploration projects as part of a consortium that includes the French company TotalEnergies and the Italian company Eni, which enhances investor confidence and contributes to providing sustainable solutions to stabilize the Lebanese energy sector.
His Excellency added that Qatar attaches the utmost importance to the education sector in Lebanon, as it is one of the fundamental pillars of human development. This stems from its commitment to supporting education to ensure a decent life, which supports the process of sustainable human development through which the desired development goals of the United Nations are achieved.
His Excellency pointed out that Qatar was among the first countries to respond to the call of the Lebanese people after the Beirut Port explosion in 2020, as it financed restoration projects for more than 122 educational facilities in the affected areas under the supervision of UNESCO. Qatar also funded the National Library’s rehabilitation project in 2018, and its second restoration following the Beirut Port explosion, HE Ambassador added. He pointed out that this interest was recently demonstrated through the visit of HE Minister of Education and Higher Education Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater, where she renewed Qatar’s commitment to strengthening educational cooperation between the two brotherly countries.
HE Ambassador highlighted Qatar’s interest in Lebanon’s medical sector, having provided funding for the restoration of the old Karantina Hospital building in Beirut, as part of other health aid packages that included more than 30,000 doses of vaccine to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and the provision of fuel to government hospitals.
His Excellency explained that the prospects for cooperation between the countries also include the exchange of expertise in the security and military fields, noting the distinguished relations between the State of Qatar and the Lebanese military institution, which were evident in the significant support provided by Qatar to the Lebanese Army to enable it to carry out its national duties in maintaining stability and civil peace, based on its commitment to Lebanon’s security and territorial integrity.