meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Qatar revives its role as regional mediator

24 December 2023

 

In the closing months of 2023, Qatar definitively revived its reputation as a regional mediator by acting as intermediary in the negotiation of the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas – bringing the Gulf nation full circle to the status it enjoyed prior to the 2017 diplomatic fallout in the Gulf.

The recent intercession by Doha builds on the long-standing self-positioning by the Gulf state as a neutral ground and place for dialogue in the region. It is also a product of the country’s coy strategic avoidance of publicly aligning itself with the US, Russia or China – at least in any way likely to stir criticism.

The start of Qatar’s journey to its current state of fierce political independence began in the 1990s and continued in the following decade, when Doha first began to cut its teeth in the conflict resolution arena. 

Between 2008 and 2012, Qatar mediated peace or ceasefire deals in Lebanon (2008) – between the Lebanese government and Hezbollah – in Yemen (2010), in Darfur (2011) and in Gaza (2012).

In 2013, more than a decade after the US invasion of Afghanistan, Qatar allowed the Taliban to open an office in Doha – a move that would later pave the way for a role in arranging talks with the US ahead of the latter’s 2020 ceasefire with the Taliban and 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Qatar’s diplomatic and political credentials nevertheless took a hit during the 2017 diplomatic crisis in the Gulf – though even in this, Doha demonstrated agility and adroitness in its statecraft by quickly pivoting its relations and trade to the other regional powers: Turkiye and Iran.

Doha’s re-seizing of the initiative during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war follows a pattern not dissimilar to its role in US–Taliban talks, leveraging the presence of Hamas political representation in the country as part of a long-standing culturing of relations on both sides of the conflict.

Economic clout

Qatar’s geopolitical position and its broad latitude in picking and choosing its external relationships is rooted in its secure economic position, with its revenues pegged not to the vicissitudes of the oil price, but the market for gas – the fuel that is the darling of energy transition strategies from East to West.

The unremitting demand for Qatari gas has ensured double-digit current account and fiscal surpluses for the past two years and these are expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

This demand is also supporting ongoing investment in Qatar’s energy infrastructure, as shown by the May 2023 award of the $10bn engineering, procurement and construction contract for two new liquefied natural gas (LNG) trains on the North Field South project – following on from the similar $13bn LNG train award in February 2021 for the North Field expansion scheme.

Qatar’s exports are meanwhile predominated by long-term gas supply contracts that ensure that the revenue Doha receives is predictable, resilient to price fluctuations and highly immune to political disruption. Even in times of diplomatic tension, energy exports and imports are the least likely thing to be affected – since action on the part of energy importers would equally impact their own energy security.

A business-like approach is very much the overarching schema by which Doha’s non-committal politics are maintained. At the same time, Qatar’s cautious non-alignment with world powers has equally been no deterrent to developing strong bilateral ties with key poles of global influence such as the US.

Qatar’s geopolitical position and its broad latitude in picking and choosing its external relationships is rooted in its secure economic position

According to the US-Qatar Business Council, the US is Qatar’s single-largest foreign direct investor, with more than 850 US companies operating in the country. 

This is in addition to Qatar’s hosting of Al-Udeid Air Base – the largest US military installation in the Middle East and an instrumental component of US power projection in the Gulf. The facility is also, in turn, a significant safeguard and security guarantor for Qatar.

New opportunities

There is also a certain intersection between Qatar’s non-committal politics and its commitment to sports – an ostensibly apolitical arena of soft power engagement. While the culmination of the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 is now in the past, the country is looking ahead to the 2030 Asian Games, among other events. In 2023 alone, Qatar played host to 14 major international sports events, and more than 80 events in total.

Doha will also be guided, as it heads towards the 2030 games, by the Qatar National Vision, which aims to transform the country into an advanced economy by the end of the decade. 

In 2020, the government passed a new public-private partnership law and in 2021 allowed full foreign ownership of companies – both key spokes of a fresh foreign direct investment push by the country.

Doha’s energy ambitions also extend beyond gas. Qatar is pushing ahead with investment into the hydrogen industry with a view of capturing a share of the prospective global hydrogen market. 

In 2022, QatarEnergy set in motion plans to build the world’s largest blue ammonia plant. Doha sees that in its future, just as in its present, the country’s positioning as a provider of the world’s energy of choice will also hold the key to its economic and political independence in the decades to come.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/11365019/main.gif
John Bambridge

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Read the March 2026 MEED Business Review

    3 March 2026

    Download / Subscribe / 14-day trial access

    Saudi Arabia’s priorities have shifted over the past decade, with officials at February’s Private Sector Forum confirming a reprioritisation since 2016 that includes postponing the 2029 Asian Winter Games in Trojena and scaling back projects such as The Line in response to global economic uncertainty.

    In 2026, the Public Investment Fund’s role as the main driver of development is shifting towards greater private sector involvement, a transition examined by MEED editor Colin Foreman in the latest issue of MEED Business Review.

    March’s market focus is on Egypt, where the country’s crisis mode is giving way to a cautious revival. 

    This edition also reports that the region’s downstream sector may face subdued project spending in 2026 due to flattening demand and weak margins.

    In the latest issue, we disprove the Ramadan slowdown story, present exclusive leadership insight from Jacobs on delivering Saudi Arabia’s next phase of rail growth and outline some important lessons learnt from a power plant decommissioning. We also talk to senior executives at Enersol, Lamar Holding and Metito. 

    We hope our valued subscribers enjoy the March 2026 issue of MEED Business Review. 

     

    Must-read sections in the March 2026 issue of MEED Business Review include:

    > AGENDA: Saudi Arabia’s private sector picks up the baton

    > RAMADAN: Data disproves the Ramadan slowdown story

    INDUSTRY REPORT:
    Downstream
    > Chemicals producers look to cut spending
    > Global petrochemical project capex set to rise until 2030

    > LEADERSHIP: Delivering Saudi Arabia’s next phase of rail growth

    > POWER: Lessons learnt from a power plant decommissioning

    > INTERVIEW: Abu Dhabi’s Enersol charts acquisitions path

    > INTERVIEW: Lina Noureddin, CEO of Lamar Holding, on the evolving PPP landscape

    > INTERVIEW: Contract award marks Metito’s return to municipal projects

    > MARKET FOCUS EGYPT: 
    > COMMENT: Egypt’s crisis mode gives way to cautious revival
    > GOVERNMENT: Egypt adapts its foreign policy approach
    > ECONOMY & BANKING: Egypt nears return to economic stability
    > OIL & GAS: Egypt’s oil and gas sector shows bright spots
    > POWER & WATER: Egypt utility contracts hit $5bn decade peak
    > CONSTRUCTION: Coastal destinations are a boon to Egyptian construction

    > MEED COMMENTS: 
    >     Winter Games delay raises uncertainty for Saudi construction
    > Duqm petrochemicals revival provides fillip to Gulf projects market
    > Solar deals signal Saudi Arabia’s energy ambitions
    > Hydrogen bridge awaits bankable contracts

    > GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf index leaps upward in 2026

    > JANUARY 2025 CONTRACTS: Middle East contract awards

    > ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects

    > OPINION: The war that (almost) no one wants

    > BUSINESS OUTLOOK: Finance, oil and gas, construction, power and water contracts

    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15839736/main.gif
    MEED Editorial
  • Firms prepare Port of Duqm consultancy bids

    3 March 2026

    Oman’s Port of Duqm has issued tender notices inviting consultants to bid for two packages by mid-March.

    The scope of the first tender covers the consultancy services for inspection, scope preparation and supervision of the sewage treatment plant.

    The bid submission deadline is 18 March.

    The scope of the other tender includes the consultancy services for port marine traffic assessment/simulation and impact study.

    The bid submission deadline for this package is on 17 March.

    Both tenders were floated late last month.

    The Port of Duqm is a deepwater, multipurpose port on Oman’s Arabian Sea coast, developed within the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (Sezad).

    Its location outside the Strait of Hormuz is a key advantage, positioning Duqm as a strategic alternative gateway for cargo moving between the Gulf, the Indian subcontinent and East Africa, and supporting Oman’s push to grow non-oil trade and port-led industry.

    Designed to handle a mix of cargoes, including containers, dry bulk, breakbulk and liquid bulk, the port forms part of a wider Duqm complex that also includes a major dry dock and large industrial land allocations for energy, manufacturing and logistics projects.

    As the port and SEZ expand in phases, consultancy tenders typically reflect the next steps in delivery and operations, covering engineering and technical studies, commercial assessments, and readiness planning tied to new terminals and industrial tie-ins.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15840397/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Diriyah awards Pendry superblock package

    3 March 2026

     

    Saudi Arabian gigaproject developer Diriyah Company has awarded an estimated SR2.5bn ($666m) contract to build the Pendry superblock package in the second phase of the Diriyah Gate development (DG2).

    The contract was awarded to the local firm Saudi Constructioneers.

    The Pendry superblock encompasses the construction of a hotel, known as the Pendry Hotel, along with residential and commercial assets.

    The project will cover an area of 75,365 square metres (sq m) and is located in the northwestern district of the DG2 area.

    Contractors had submitted final proposals for a contract in September last year, as MEED reported.

    The tender was issued in June last year.

    The latest contract follows the Diriyah Company’s award of a SR717m ($192m) contract for the construction of the One Hotel, located in the Diriyah Two area of the masterplan.

    The contract was awarded to the joint venture of local firm BEC Arabia and Indian contractor Ashoka Buildcon.

    The project has a gross floor area of over 31,000 sq m.

    The Diriyah masterplan envisages the city as a cultural and lifestyle tourism destination. Located northwest of Riyadh’s city centre, it will cover 14 square kilometres and combine 300 years of history, culture and heritage with hospitality facilities.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15778187/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Local firm to develop $598m Muscat tourism project

    3 March 2026

    Oman’s Ministry of Heritage & Tourism has signed an agreement with local firm Sorouh Al-Qurm Real Estate Company to build an integrated tourism complex in the Al-Qurm area of Muscat.

    The project will be developed with a total investment estimated at RO230m ($598m).

    Planned across more than 165,000 square metres (sq m), the development will include two four-star hotels offering over 400 rooms, alongside leisure components such as an indoor games hall and trampoline attractions.

    The site will also incorporate commercial spaces and freehold residential units, among other amenities.

    The agreement was signed by Sayyid Ibrahim Bin Said Al-Busaidi, minister of heritage and tourism, and Khaled Khudair Mashaan, chairman of Al-Argan International Real Estate Company, who signed as the authorised representative for Sorouh Al-Qurm Real Estate Company.

    GlobalData forecasts that the Omani construction industry will expand at an average annual growth rate of 4.2% from 2025 to 2028.

    Growth in the country will be supported by rising government investments in renewable energy and transport infrastructure, as well as in the housing sector, as part of the Oman Vision 2040 plan.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15839476/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Firms to build Jeddah Islamic port logistics zone

    3 March 2026

    The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has signed an agreement with Dammam-headquartered Sultan Logistics to develop a new logistics zone at Jeddah Islamic Port’s Al-Khumra site.

    According to a statement posted by Mawani on X, the project will cover about 200,000 square metres and represents an investment of SR250m ($66m).

    Planned facilities include warehouses, designated areas for storing and servicing dry and refrigerated containers, and a re-export section.

    Mawani said the development is intended to strengthen the port’s position on the Red Sea by upgrading service quality, supporting private sector participation and contributing to Saudi Arabia’s broader economic diversification goals.

    Jeddah Islamic Port currently operates 62 multipurpose berths and can handle up to 130 million tonnes a year.

    The latest agreement follows Mawani’s April 2025 signing of more than SR500m ($133m) in agreements with local firms to develop two logistics parks at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, as reported by MEED.

    In a statement, Mawani said that in 2024, it launched and inaugurated eight logistics parks with an estimated investment of about SR3bn ($800m).

    The firm said: “These investments are part of the broader development of over 20 logistics centres under Mawani’s supervision across Saudi ports, with total investments over SR10bn ($2.6bn).”

    GlobalData expects the Saudi construction industry to record an annual average growth rate of 5.2% in 2025-28, supported by investments in transport, electricity, housing and tourism infrastructure projects, as well as the $850bn-plus gigaprojects programme.

    The infrastructure construction sector is expected to grow at an average rate of 6% in 2025-28, supported by government investments in rail, dams and road infrastructure projects.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15838212/main.gif
    Yasir Iqbal