General

New York: The State of Qatar expressed its pride in being among the five largest donor countries contributing to humanitarian aid to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for 2025, with a total exceeding USD 1.528 billion, reflecting the utmost priority Qatar gives to humanitarian response. This came in Qatar's statement delivered by HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, before the United Nations General Assembly session on Agenda item 72 (a): Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance: strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations, convened at the UN headquarters in New York. HE Sheikha Alya emphasized that the UNGA convenes to weigh in on this agenda at a time when a variety of world territories are experiencing a profoundly perilous humanitarian situation, particularly in the Gaza Strip, where humanitarian needs are unprecedentedly mounting due to the Israeli aggression in the enclave. At the directives of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Qatar launched a humanitarian aid land bridge last October in response to the urgent needs to mitigate the anguish of the brotherly Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, Sheikha Alya highlighted. She pointed out that the bridge was launched through the territories of the sisterly Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt, noting that this initiative came in the wake of the signing of the document to end the war in the Gaza Strip during the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit, with Qatar emphasizing the importance of fully consolidating the ceasefire, putting an end to the suffering of civilians, ensuring unhindered entry of humanitarian aid, and embarking on early recovery and reconstruction efforts. Her Excellency evinced that the tragic humanitarian situation in Al-Fashir in the sisterly Republic of Sudan, and the tough conditions faced by civilians, including severe food shortages and increasing need for shelter supplies and essential goods due to the armed conflict, triggered the State of Qatar to dispatch humanitarian and relief assistance last November to support the displaced from Al-Fashir in Darfur and surrounding areas. The State of Qatar stresses the need for the Rapid Support Forces to fulfill their duty in protecting civilians, ensuring the secure delivery of humanitarian aid, and adhering to international humanitarian law as stipulated in the Jeddah Declaration, Sheikha Alya continued. She clarified that from 2013 until October 2025, the State of Qatar provided USD 1.9 billion in support of the general budget and core contributions to UN agencies, their regional offices, and initiatives, adding that, based on the existing partnership between Qatar and the UN, Qatar provided multi-year support for the core resources of OCHA during the period 2017-2026, totaling USD 88 million, to strengthen its capacity to implement its mandate. Yesterday, the renewal of the State of Qatar's support for the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for 2026 was declared, bringing its total contributions to CERF since its inception to over USD 22 million, Sheikha Alya recalled. Sheikha Alya elaborated that the worsening humanitarian situation gripping numerous crisis zones triggers intensified diplomatic efforts to have a climate in place that helps ensure urgent and unconditional access to humanitarian aid, with the objective of salvaging millions of civilians from humanitarian suffering. She stressed that this action requires a regional and global effort in prioritizing humanitarian action and protecting workers operating in the humanitarian field, as they are the key drivers of delivering humanitarian aid. Her Excellency further noted that last September, the State of Qatar joined the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, led by Australia, and the Global Initiative launched by the International Committee of the Red Cross to strengthen and ensure respect for international humanitarian law (IHL). Finally, HE Sheikha Alya underlined the State of Qatar's steadfast efforts to strengthen humanitarian diplomacy, in pursuit of mitigating humanitarian suffering and protecting human dignity.

Government

Doha, Qatar: Qatar expressed its condemnation and denunciation of the attack that took place on Bondi Beach near the Australian city of Sydney, which resulted in deaths and injuries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated the State of Qatar’s firm stance of rejecting violence, terrorism, and criminal acts, regardless of the motives and reasons. The Ministry expressed the State of Qatar’s condolences to the families of the victims, and its wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured.

Weather

Doha, Qatar: According to the latest weather updates, skies across Qatar are expected to remain cloudy until Friday morning, December 19, 2025, as a result of the extension of an upper-level trough of a low pressure system. The chances of scattered rain will continue intermittently and may turn thundery in some places, varying in intensity. The rain may be accompanied by strong wind which leads to low horizontal visibility at times. Read Also Wounded Palestinians from Gaza thank Qatar for renewed hope Qatar performs strongly in global literacy ranking Qatar’s growing role as global mediator 'deeply necessary': Ex-Finnish President The Meteorology department added that a marine warning remains in place that continues with strong winds and high seas during thundery rain. The department cautioned the public to avoid all marine activities during the warning period as well as to follow latest updates through its official accounts.