NATO’s Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood, Javier Colomina, visited Qatar from 19 to 21 October, holding meetings with senior officials and speaking at the Global Security Forum in Doha.
During the trip, Colomina met Qatar’s Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General Jasim bin Mohammed Al-Mannai, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, and Dr Majed Mohammed Al-Ansari, an adviser to the Prime Minister and spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, NATO informed on Wednesday.
The discussions covered regional security developments, practical cooperation to strengthen Qatar’s resilience, and ways to enhance relations between NATO and Qatar.
Colomina also told the Global Security Forum that NATO’s “southern neighbourhood” is integral to Euro-Atlantic security.
Focus on NATO-ICI projects
NATO said Colomina referred to ongoing work on four “flagship projects” under the NATO-ICI framework: maritime security, countering uncrewed aerial systems (drones), defence against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats — known as CBRN — and countering terrorism.
The projects were launched at a summit of allied leaders in Ankara in July.
Qatar joined NATO’s Istanbul Cooperation Initiative in 2005.
