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A report by the Congressional Research Service confirmed that the State of Qatar has strengthened its close security partnership with the United States of America, highlighting the importance of defense cooperation between Doha and Washington in establishing security and stability in the region and combating terrorism. The report also indicated that the strategic dialogue between the two countries institutionalized the joint discussions concerned with promoting regional and bilateral issues. The report highlighted the importance of classifying Qatar as a major ally outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that contributes to greater security and defense cooperation. The US Congress report also touched on the Qatari-US strategic relations, whose importance was manifested in the Qatari contribution to Afghanistan since the signing of the agreement with the Taliban movement until the help in the evacuation, as well as the fruitful economic relations and the important Qatari investments in the United States of America.

* Qatar-US relations

The Congressional Research Service report stated that Qatar’s leaders are working with the United States to secure the stability of the Gulf and the region. Since 1992, the United States and Qatar have entered into a formal Defense Cooperation Agreement that reportedly addresses the presence of U.S. forces in Qatar, U.S. arms sales to Qatar, U.S. training, and other types of defense cooperation. In January 2018, Qatar and the United States launched the “Strategic Dialogue” to institutionalize joint discussions on security and stability in the region. In 2017, the United States and Qatar signed a broad Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation against international terrorism. In recognition of Qatar’s support for US policy, President Biden announced, during the visit of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to Washington, DC on January 31, 2022, that Qatar was designated as a major ally outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The report continued: Qatar’s military facilities, including the large Al Udeid Air Base, host the regional headquarters of the US Central Command, where approximately 8,000 US troops deployed there are engaged in operations across the region. Al Udeid Air Base was used extensively in the US operation to evacuate US personnel and Afghan allies from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021. The State of Qatar played an important role as an active mediator between the international community and the Taliban, and Doha was the temporary representative of the US Embassy in Afghanistan after its closure in the context of the withdrawal American.

qatar airways

* Foreign Policy

The report states that over the past two decades, Qatar has been influential on the political scene in the Middle East and mediating conflicts in the region and beyond. Qatari officials have succeeded in building relationships with individuals and political parties.
Qatari leaders have consistently pursued dialogue with Iran while cooperating with US efforts to achieve this. Qatar did not support the US withdrawal on May 8, 2018, from the 2015 multilateral agreement. Through reciprocal visits by senior officials, Qatar has sought to calm US-Iranian tensions in the Gulf. Qatar supports dialogue between the two countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to calm tensions. Doha also supports the US administration’s efforts to restore the 2015 Iranian and US multilateral commitment.
Doha also provides support to Palestine and expresses its support for the Palestinian efforts to obtain their full rights. Qatar provides significant funding to help the people of Gaza, which contributes to strengthening the calm, through assistance through the “Gaza Reconstruction Committee” headed by Muhammad al-Emadi. Qatar was a key mediator to end eleven days of clashes between Israel and Hamas in May 2021, through additional pledges of aid to Gaza.

* Afghan file

The report said: Qatar did not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.. With the support of the United States, Doha hosted a representative office of the Taliban through which moderate Taliban figures can deal with international diplomats. During the Trump administration, Qatar mediated and hosted talks between the United States and Taliban representatives, culminating in the signing of the peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban on February 29, 2020 (the “Doha Agreement”). Doha also hosted talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban on a political solution to Afghanistan. After the August 2021 Taliban takeover of the country, Qatari diplomats in Kabul helped the United States evacuate a total of 75,000 US, Afghan and other nationals. Qatar Airways has evacuated other US nationals and other citizens.
Blinken and Defense Minister Austin thanked Qatar for its assistance in the evacuation process, as well as for Doha hosting the US embassy in Afghanistan, after the US embassy in Kabul was closed in conjunction with the US withdrawal and the Taliban takeover of Kabul, and the transfer of its diplomats to Doha. Qatar has agreed to host some Afghan nationals for a limited period until the deportation process is completed. Several members of Congress visited Qatar in the course of the evictions.

* Economic progress

The report stated that Qatar is one of the highest per capita income countries in the world. Oil and gas still account for more than 90% of Qatar’s export earnings, and more than half of government revenue. Proven oil reserves of about 25 billion barrels have enabled Qatar to maintain its current levels of oil production (about 700,000 barrels per day) for more than 50 years. Its proven reserves of natural gas amount to about 13% of the world’s total and it is the second largest exporter of natural gas in the world. In 2018, Qatar withdrew from OPEC, in order to focus on its high-priority natural gas exports. The transfer of additional gas to Europe was the focus of a meeting between His Highness and President Biden, while Russia deployed its forces around Ukraine. Qatar Petroleum also announced in early 2021 that it would boost LNG production by about 40% by 2026 through expansion projects in the North Field. However, Qatar is committed to supplying gas to buyers in Asia and elsewhere under long-term contracts, and Qatari energy officials have stressed that no group of major gas exporters can supply Europe with enough natural gas to fully compensate for the cuts in gas supplies from Russia. In March 2022, in economic relations, the United States and Qatar signed a trade framework agreement under which they made significant investments in the United States. Through the 2018 US-Qatar Strategic Dialogue, Qatar announced investments worth $45 billion in US companies and real estate. US exports to Qatar consist mainly of aircraft, machinery, and information technology. Imports from Qatar mainly consist of petroleum products. In March 2022, in economic relations, the United States and Qatar signed a trade framework agreement under which they made significant investments in the United States. Through the 2018 US-Qatar Strategic Dialogue, Qatar announced investments worth $45 billion in US companies and real estate. US exports to Qatar consist mainly of aircraft, machinery, and information technology. Imports from Qatar mainly consist of petroleum products. In March 2022, in economic relations, the United States and Qatar signed a trade framework agreement under which they made significant investments in the United States. Through the 2018 US-Qatar Strategic Dialogue, Qatar announced investments worth $45 billion in US companies and real estate. US exports to Qatar consist mainly of aircraft, machinery, and information technology. Imports from Qatar mainly consist of petroleum products.
State-run Qatar Petroleum is a major investor in the United States, and Qatar Airways, a major buyer of American commercial aircraft, recently signed a deal to buy up to 50 freighters and 50 737 MAX passenger planes.

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