The Inauguration of The European Union Mission Headquarters in Qatar

On Wednesday 7 September, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, inaugurated the headquarters of the European Union Mission in the State of Qatar, with the aim of strengthening Qatari-European relations and moving them towards a new stage of cooperation between the two sides, and upgrading diplomatic relations between them.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by HE Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, HE Mr. Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Malki, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the European Union, and HE Christian Tudor, the Ambassador-designate of the European Union to the country.

In his speech on this occasion, His Excellency Mr. Charles Michel said that his current visit to the State of Qatar and the inauguration of the headquarters of the European Union mission in Doha is an important sign of the political will of the European Union toward improving and developing its relations with the State of Qatar, and raising the level of results and ambitions for both parties, appreciating the Qatari efforts in support and continuous cooperation with the Union in various fields.

He added, "We are facing global challenges in the energy sectors, economic development, and security challenges in all regions of the world, which reinforces our conviction that cooperation with Qatar is an important way to jointly overcome various difficult challenges."

For his part, His Excellency Mr. Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al-Malki, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the European Union, said that the opening of the headquarters of the European Union mission in Doha came based on the joint agreement signed by the two sides in Brussels last February, which is to establish an EU mission in the State of Qatar.

His Excellency stressed in exclusive statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA) that Qatari-European relations have witnessed remarkable progress during the past period, as there have been many bilateral visits between the two sides, with the aim of strengthening cooperation between the two parties in the long term, through meetings between officials, and organizing events in various fields.

In a related context, His Excellency Mr. Christian Tudor, the Ambassador-designate of the European Union to Qatar, expressed, in a statement to QNA, his great happiness and appreciation for being named as Resident Ambassador of the European Union to the State of Qatar and Head of the European Union Mission in Doha, indicating that the opening of the mission headquarters today reflects The European Union's interest in the State of Qatar, especially after the important achievements that have been achieved during the last period between the two sides, foremost of which is the European Commission's announcement of exempting Qatari citizens from the European Union (Schengen) visa, which will enter into force soon after the completion of the related procedures.

On hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Mr. Tudor praised the achievements, reforms, and updates made by the State of Qatar to host this tournament, stressing the European Union's readiness to provide support in various fields for the success of this global sporting event.