Qatar: The region has experienced an "earthquake"... and security assumptions face a real test
New York – Agencies: Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, opening the special edition of the Qatar Economic Forum 2026 in collaboration with Bloomberg in New York, stated that the region has witnessed developments in the recent period that he described as an “earthquake,” noting that its aftershocks have extended beyond the region’s borders. He said that what the region has experienced has put assumptions about security and stability to a real test, explaining that discussions held during the crisis always began by addressing security issues before moving on to topics of energy supplies and shipping movements.
The Qatari Prime Minister emphasized the need to “eliminate sources of disagreement,” affirming that “no state can impose a threat on the rest,” and that lasting security cannot be achieved through repeated cycles of escalation and retaliation. He added that building sustainable security cannot be based on arrangements that leave any state vulnerable to insecurity, pointing out that Qatar works through diplomacy to support regional stability.
On the economic front, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister affirmed that energy represents a “strength” for Qatar, while technology represents its future. He noted that Qatar does not downplay the uncertainty facing the region and the world, but it “will not allow short-term disruptions to dictate its course.” The Qatari Prime Minister explained that diplomacy contributes to protecting the conditions that enable individuals and companies to engage in trade, investment, and planning for the future, considering political and security stability a necessary foundation for the sustainability of economic activity. He called for addressing sources of tension and disagreement to ensure the establishment of more sustainable security arrangements, affirming that the region needs an approach based not on repeated escalation, but on diplomacy, investment, and cooperation, thereby enabling stability and opening the way for economic growth.
