Qatar and the United State have been key allies since the establishment of diplomatic relations in March 1972. Since then the bilateral relations have become strong and coordination on a wide range of regional and global issues has become very close reaching its highest level in previous years.
The cooperation aims at supporting progress, stability and prosperity in the region. The views and stands, the two sides have shared over decades on a number of regional and international issues, have helped them to develop a strategic partnership that reflects in the constant dialogues and the political and economic partnership.
Qatar and US have developed long-lasting and close military and security ties, where Qatar hosts one of the most vital military facilities in the region making Qatar an important ally to the US in its fight against terrorism. US remains the largest foreign investor in Qatar’s Oil and Gas sector and sources of imports.
Qatar as well has significant investments in the US, where its investments have exceeded $45bn, which is equivalent to 23 percent of its GDP according to statement made last year by the former Minister of Economy and Commerce H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani.
As the United States welcomes every year hundreds of Qatari students in its universities, Qatar has developed international educational institutions to cater the region’s market and currently hosts branch campuses of six major US universities.
The Qatar-US Strategic Dialogue comes in this context to enhance cooperation, strengthen bilateral relations looking forward to a broader perspective on the basis of common values and mutual respect they share.
The second session of the strategic dialogue will reviews the overall relations of the two countries through “high-level discussions on a number of political, economic, defense and cultural spheres and will witness the signing of a number of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) that enhance cooperation in the interests of the Qatari and US peoples, as the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Lolwah Al Khater has pointed out last Thursday.
The second session which kicks off today is expected to focus on bilateral issues of economy, investments and military cooperation, along regional issues related to security and stability including crises in Yemen, Syria and Palestine besides efforts being carried by the countries to fight terrorism.
The meeting also comes at the time when all efforts to tarnish the image of Qatar in America and the Western countries in general have failed, and Qatar’s foreign policy has proved its credibility having strong ties with the major powers in the world and dealing with the different regional and international challenges.
Qatar has also proved that it is an important ally for the US in resolving regional conflicts and maintaining peace and security. Washington also shares with Qatar similar views over the current GCC crisis, where US has strong desire to resolve it through diplomatic means in harmony with the vision repeatedly reiterated by the leadership of Qatar in different occasions. Qatar strongly believes that the Gulf crisis has no solution rather than sitting for dialogue and commitment to respect each other’s sovereignty.
