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 Canada |  Qatar |
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Canada and Qatar enjoyed friendly relations and coordination on the international field, long before Qatar's Embassy opened in Ottawa in 2011, including their joint military collaboration during the Gulf War and in the international intervention in Libya. Diplomatic relations between the two nations were established in 1974. [1]
The Governor General of Canada, David Johnston and his wife visited Doha in 2011, and a parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker of the Senate, Noël Kinsella visited Qatar in the same year. In 2012, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird opened Canada's Embassy in Doha and conducted another official visit in 2013.
Canada and Qatar were involved in a dispute over Qatar's bid to relocate the International Civil Aviation Organization from Montreal to Doha in 2013. In May of that year, Qatar withdrew its bid, stating that it did so to "preserve the close and historic friendship" between the two countries. [2]
In August 2018, Canada was embroiled in a spat with Saudi Arabia over a tweet by Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland who advocated for the release of detained human rights activists in Saudi Arabia, particularly Samar Badawi and Raif Badawi. In response, Saudi Arabia imposed punitive measures on Canada which involved freezing trade and investment relations and recalling its ambassador while concurrently expelling the Canadian ambassador in Riyadh. [3] The secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani announced his support for Saudi Arabia's actions, as did GCC member states Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. [4] However, Qatar, which is also a GCC member, distanced itself from the remarks made by Al Zayani and stated that his comments "do not reflect its opinion" while mentioning that it maintains cordial relations with Canada. [5]
Qatar Airways operates 3 flights weekly to Montreal and 3 weekly flights to Toronto from Doha.
Prominent Canadian companies such as Bombardier Inc., Forrec, and AtkinsRéalis have participated in Qatar's growth and wide-scale projects.
During the 1991 Gulf War, Qatar allowed coalition troops from Canada to use the country as an airbase to launch aircraft on CAP duty. [6] Roughly 500 Canadians were stationed in and conducted operations from Canada Dry bases in Qatar. [7]
Two prestigious Canadian universities currently have a presence in Qatar. The first, the College of the North Atlantic in Qatar, is the single biggest foreign-based Canadian university. University of Calgary in Qatar is the second Canadian university, and comprises the first-ever nursing school to be established in the state of Qatar. [8]
Furthermore, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Qatar University (QU) and Dalhousie University has formalized collaboration in the field of ocean sciences and cooperation in the development of research and training opportunities.
Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children have a five-year partnership with Hamad Medical Corporation to provide advisory services for the development and operation of the new 217-bed, 45,000 square foot children's hospital located in Hamad Medical City, a large, not-for-profit health-care complex in the heart of Doha, Qatar's capital city.
As of 2024, there were over 9,000 Canadian expatriates living in Qatar. [9]
| Embassy of Canada in Doha | |
|---|---|
| Location | Doha |
| Address | Tornado Tower 30th Floor Corner of Majlis Al Taawon Street and Al Funduq Street |
| Ambassador | Isabelle Martin |
| Embassy of Qatar in Ottawa | |
|---|---|
| Location | Ottawa |
| Address | 150 Metcalfe St. #800, K2P 1P1 |
| Ambassador | Khalid bin Rashid Al-Mansouri |
Foreign relations of Qatar is conducted through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Arab states were among the first to recognize Qatar, and the country gained admittance to the United Nations and the Arab League after achieving independence in 1971. The country was an early member of OPEC and a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Diplomatic missions to Qatar are based in its capital, Doha.
Bahrain plays a modest, moderating role in regional politics and adheres to the views of the Arab League on Middle East peace and Palestinian rights. Since achieving independence in 1971, Bahrain has maintained friendly relations with most of its neighbours and with the world community. It generally pursues a policy of close consultation with neighbouring states and works to narrow areas of disagreement.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is Emir of Qatar, reigning since 2013.
Canada and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have had a generally cordial relationship marred by periods of diplomatic tension. Both countries, however, share robust economic ties: Saudi Arabia is Canada's largest trading partner in the Middle East, and is also one of the largest recipients of Canadian military equipment. In February 2014, the Saudi government had purchased Canadian armaments worth CA$15 billion in total. Until August 2018, there were over 16,000 Saudi students enrolled in Canadian schools on government scholarships.
Qatar and the United States are strategic allies. Qatar has been designated a major non-NATO ally by the United States.
Greece–Qatar relations are the bilateral relations between Greece and Qatar. Relations were established in 1973.
Abdul Rahman bin Hamad Al Attiyah is a Qatari diplomat who served as the fourth secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates share a naval border and are part of the Arabic-speaking Persian Gulf region. They are both members of the GCC.
The State of Qatar and the Republic of Turkey established bilateral relations in 1972. There has been ongoing cooperation and dialogue in regional and international issues since the 2010s, particularly in the Syrian Civil War and the Egyptian Crisis. Both countries also support the same groups in post-Gaddafi Libya. Most recently, Turkey provided diplomatic and food support to Qatar during the 2017 Qatar diplomatic crisis. Some political analysts claim that bilateral relations are mostly limited to political and military affinity, referring to the low trade volume, lack of trade agreements and absence of Turkish think tanks in Qatar.
Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani is a Bahraini engineer and retired lieutenant general. He is the foreign minister, having formerly been the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) from 1 April 2011 to February 2020. He was the fifth GCC secretary general and the first with military background since the GCC was established.
Bilateral relations exist between the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Bahrain. They first began in 1971.
Iran–Qatar relations refer to the bilateral relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the State of Qatar. Iran has an embassy in Doha while Qatar has an embassy in Tehran. Qatar and Iran have close ties.
The Qatar diplomatic crisis was a high-profile incident involving the deterioration of ties between Qatar and the Arab League between 2017 and 2021. It began when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt simultaneously severed their bilateral relations with Qatar and subsequently banned Qatar-registered aircraft and Qatari ships from utilizing their sovereign territory by air, land, and sea; this involved the Saudis' closure of Qatar's only land crossing, initiating a de facto blockade of the country. Tensions between the two sides came to a close in January 2021, following a resolution between the Saudis and the Qataris.
Saudi Arabia–Qatar relations refers to the current and historical relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Qatar. Prior to 2017, the two countries maintained cordial ties. Qatar was mainly subservient to Saudi Arabia in matters relating to foreign policy. Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani's assumption of power saw Qatar reclaim its sovereignty in foreign affairs, often diverging from Saudi Arabia on many geopolitical issues. In 1996, the Qatari government launched Al Jazeera in a bid to consolidate soft power. One of the most watched news stations in the Arab world, Al Jazeera proved to be a wedge in the two's bilateral relations as it routinely criticized Saudi Arabia's ruler. The network also provided a platform for Islamist groups which are considered a threat to Saudi Arabia's monarchy.
Germany–Qatar relations are the bilateral relations between Germany and the State of Qatar. Relations were first commenced in 1973.
The Kingdom of Morocco and the State of Qatar formed diplomatic relations in 1972. There is substantial economic cooperation between the two countries, with Qatar being one of the largest foreign investors in Morocco. A $2 billion joint venture between Qatar's sovereign wealth fund and Morocco was established in 2011.
The Qatar–Saudi Arabia diplomatic conflict refers to the ongoing struggle for regional influence between Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), both of which are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It is sometimes called the New Arab Cold War. Bilateral relations have been especially strained since the beginning of the Arab Spring, that left a power vacuum both states sought to fill, with Qatar being supportive of the revolutionary wave and Saudi Arabia opposing it. Both states are allies of the United States, and have avoided direct conflict with one another.
Brazil–Qatar relations are the bilateral relations between Brazil and Qatar. Diplomatic relations were formed in 1974.
China – Qatar relations are the bilateral relations between the People's Republic of China and the State of Qatar. China has an embassy in Doha, while Qatar has an embassy in Beijing. With diplomatic relations first formed in 1988, Qatar is a strategic ally of China, and the two countries maintain a strong relationship.
Bahrain–Syria relations were established on 23 January 1975. Bahrain has an embassy in Damascus and Syria has an embassy in Manama. The two Arab nations share historical, cultural, and regional ties rooted in their membership in the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
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