Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Marks 1,000th Day of Blockade at Georgetown

H.E. Dr. Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs, recently gave a presentation at QF partner, Georgetown University in Qatar, on “Qatar and the Lessons from a 1,000 Day Blockade” to an audience of students, faculty, staff, and special guests from the government and diplomatic sectors, as well as representatives from across Qatar Foundation.

His Excellency said: “Since the crisis began almost three years ago, we have demonstrated a consistent willingness to negotiate a solution to resolve the situation with no preconditions. At the same time we have strengthened our security defenses and pursued a strategy of international diplomacy, with the firm belief that peaceful negotiation is the only path to a resolution that benefits the entire region.”

Dr. Ahmad Dallal, the Dean of GU-Q, moderated the event. He posed questions to His Excellency on issues surrounding Qatar’s role as a small state with powerful influence in a changing political landscape. “At Georgetown, our aim is to provide a platform that connects the public with decision makers and thought leaders,” he said. “I am delighted that His Excellency generously offered his vast knowledge and experience and was very open to sharing it with GU-Q security studies students and with the wider public. This event builds on the course taught by Dr. Rory Miller and Dr. Fahad Al Marri on small state security challenges, and through these initiatives we hope to continue ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Defense in support of Qatar’s national development priorities.”

Other topics covered in the conversation included information warfare as a key feature of the Gulf Crisis, Qatar’s role in the emergence of new informal security alliances in the region, and the country’s continued focus on pursuing a robust national development plan. His Excellency also spoke on the importance of the GCC as a framework for regional economic and security cooperation, as well as the need to build new frameworks and mechanisms that foster peace and security across the wider region.

Following the question and answer session, H.E. Dr. Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah held a private classroom session with students taking courses which study security, including the course taught by professors Miller and Al-Marri. The professors will be sharing some of the insights offered by key government leaders during their course in a forthcoming book to be published by HBKU Press in 2020-2021.