France–Qatar relations
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France–Qatar relations are the
bilateral relations Bilateralism is the conduct of political, economic, or cultural relations between two sovereign states. It is in contrast to unilateralism or multilateralism, which is activity by a single state or jointly by multiple states, respectively. When ...
between France and the Qatar. The first embassy to be established was the Qatari embassy in France in 1972, and the first bilateral agreement was signed in 1974. Qatar has marked various concurrences with France, covering all areas such as cultural, political, economical, academic, scientific and military agreements. The nations are tied in a key discourse protocol, where conversation over various issues of significance to the two capitals are occurring consistently.


History

France–Qatar relations unofficially date back to Qatar's independence on 21 September 1971, when Qatar's representative to the UN, Hassan Kamel, delivered his country's admittance speech to the UN in
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
. Qatar established its first embassy in France in 1972, and made its first presidential visit to France in 1974.


Diplomatic representation

Qatar has had an embassy in France since 1972, situated in Rue de Tilsitt, Paris. The current Qatari ambassador to France is Ali bin Jassim Al-Thani who succeeded Khalid bin Rashid Al-Mansouri who held post from 2017 to 2019. France's embassy is based in the West Bay district of Doha, and is headed by the French ambassador to Qatar, Jean-Baptiste Faivre. He is the successor of Franck Gellet.


Diplomatic visits

Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was the first Arab leader to visit France after
Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (; ; born 28 January 1955) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012. Born in Paris, he is of Hungarian, Greek Jewish, and French origin. Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Se ...
assumed presidency in 2007. On 22 June 2013, French president
François Hollande François Gérard Georges Nicolas Hollande (; born 12 August 1954) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2012 to 2017. He previously was First Secretary of the Socialist Party (PS) from 1997 to 2008, Mayor of Tulle from ...
visited Doha to discuss the economic ties between France and Qatar. He also met with Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in order to discuss the Syrian Civil War. On 3 May 2015, President Hollande visited Qatar where he signed cooperation agreements in the field of civil defence. Qatar's ruler, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, visited French president
Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France since 2017. ''Ex officio'', he is also one of the two Co-Princes of Andorra. Prior to his presidency, Macron served as Minister of Econ ...
in September 2017 to discuss the Qatari diplomatic crisis. Macron stated that the countries should lift sanctions against Qatari nationals. He also reiterated France's support for Kuwaiti mediation efforts and opined that the crisis is harmful to the stability of the region. On 7 December 2017, Sheikh Tamim welcomed Macron to his first official visit to Doha. They discussed bilateral relations, the Gulf crisis and the situation in the Middle East. During the visit, both countries signed commercial contracts worth more than US$14 billion. On 6 July 2018, His Highness, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani travelled to Paris, France for an official state visit where he was received by French president Emmanuel Macron at the
Élysée Palace The Élysée Palace (french: Palais de l'Élysée; ) is the official residence of the President of the French Republic. Completed in 1722, it was built for nobleman and army officer Louis Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, who had been appointed Gover ...
. A few arrangements were endorsed amongst France and Qatar in the fields of food safety, driving licence recognition, and cybersecurity. On 3 December 2021, Sheikh Tamim received president Macron for a working visit in Doha to discuss the regional situations in the Gulf states and Afghanistan. Macron thanked Qatar for its diplomacy during the Afghan crisis and the evacuations of hundreds of French nationals and Afghans after the fall of Kabul.


Diplomatic cooperation


International organizations

Despite Qatar's population comprising only 1% French speakers, the country was admitted in the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie as an associate member in 2012. It was not required to join as an observer state prior to its full admittance.


Political

In effort to mend ties between Qatar and the countries which severed relations with it during the Qatar diplomatic crisis, France assigned a special envoy to mediate between the two parties in September 2017. After controversial comments made by the French President Emmanuel Macron over cartoons depicting Muhammad, there was a push to boycott French products in Qatar and other Arab countries. In October 2020, an article published by The peninsula Qatar, one of the news websites that has Qatar’s daily updates, told that ban came off and companies in Qatar announced withdrawing the removal of French products from its shelves/inventory. Another report from France Diplomacy claimed that both nations share maintained relations since Qatar’s declaration of independence in 1971 and the mutual opening of diplomatic relations the following year. Consultations between the authorities, including at the highest level, are regular. The Strategic Dialogue, established in 2019, enables operational follow-up of the major projects which structure the bilateral relationship. The first round, co-chaired by the Foreign Ministers, took place in Doha on 28 March 2022. Since 2017, the President of the
French Republic France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
has travelled twice to Doha. During his first visit on 7 December 2017, several agreements were signed in the areas of the economy, education, defence and the fight against terrorism and radicalization. On January 16, 2024, Qatar and France brokered a deal between Israel and Hamas. The purpose of the deal was to deliver urgent medication to approximately 45 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. As a result, the most vulnerable civilians would receive humanitarian and medical aid.


Military

France and Qatar signed a defence pact in 1994. In 2009, approximately 80% of Qatar's military equipment derived from France. France provides military training to Qatar's special forces. In May 2015, French president
François Hollande François Gérard Georges Nicolas Hollande (; born 12 August 1954) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2012 to 2017. He previously was First Secretary of the Socialist Party (PS) from 1997 to 2008, Mayor of Tulle from ...
and
Qatari emir The Emir, or Amir, of the State of Qatar ( ar, أمیر دولة قطر) is the monarch and head of state of the country. He is also the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and guarantor of the Constitution. He holds the most powerful positio ...
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signed an agreement for Qatar to purchase 24 Dassault Rafale fighter jets to be used for reconnaissance missions. In March 2018, Qatar purchased 12 more Dassault Rafale fighter jets as part of an existing contractual option with
Dassault Aviation Dassault Aviation SA () is a French Aerospace manufacturer, manufacturer of military aircraft and business jets. It was founded in 1929 by Marcel Dassault, Marcel Bloch as Société des Avions Marcel Bloch or "MB". After World War II, Marc ...
. France delivered the first five Rafale jets to Qatar on 5 June 2019 – the day that marked Qatar's two years since the economic and diplomatic blockade. In June 2019, as Qatar completed two years under the diplomatic embargo, the country received its first five of the 36 purchased Rafale fighter jets from France. The first aircraft was formally handed to Qatar in February 2019, but was kept in France itself before being delivered on 5 June 2019.


Business and investment

France passed a law in 2008 which accorded Qatari investors in Paris with certain tax exemptions. Qatar became France's seventh largest customer and sixth largest supplier in the Middle East in 2012. Exports from France focus mainly on the supply of
capital goods The economic concept of a capital good (also called complex product systems (CoPS),H. Rush, "Managing innovation in complex product systems (CoPS)," IEE Colloquium on EPSRC Technology Management Initiative (Engineering & Physical Sciences Researc ...
, deliveries of Airbus aircraft, and trade. Qatar Investment Authority owned a 2% stake in French media company Vivendi in early 2012. It also owns a stake in Lagardère Group and construction company Vinci SA. In 2012, Qatar entered in a preliminary agreement with France to invest 50 million euros in small-scale businesses in France's suburbs. However, the agreement drew criticism by France's political parties, and as a result, it was renegotiated later that year under the terms that it would not fund businesses based on their geographic location. In June 2013, a new agreement was announced which saw the French financial organisation
Caisse des dépôts et consignations The Caisse des dépôts et consignations (CDC; ) is a French public sector financial institution created in 1816, and part of the government institutions under the control of the Parliament. Often described as the "investment arm" of the French ...
become involved and the total value of investment raised to 300 million euros. In December 2017, both countries signed commercial contracts worth more than US$14 billion. On 11 February 2019, the two countries concluded a "strategic dialogue" to strengthen cooperation on matters relating to the economy, energy and
security Security is protection from, or resilience against, potential harm (or other unwanted coercive change) caused by others, by restraining the freedom of others to act. Beneficiaries (technically referents) of security may be of persons and social ...
. In January 2020, Qatar signed a $470-million deal with France to build its first solar energy plant that could meet up to one-tenth of peak national power demand. Total S.A. holds a 49% of the foreign investors’ stake in the project.


Security

France, known for its expertise in internal security, plays a crucial role in the success of ''Milipol Qatar'' (from October 29 to 31, 2024), the leading international exhibition in the field of internal security of States. The France Pavilion, a joint initiative by ''CCI Seine-et-Marne'' and ''Business France'', highlights the country's commitment to empowering its companies to contribute to Qatar's dynamic security market. French companies showcase their cutting-edge capabilities in fields such as cybersecurity, drone surveillance, and protecting critical infrastructure. The collaboration on internal security between both countries are the key aspect of their bilateral relations, reflecting a longstanding and mutually beneficial partnership. This collaboration was formalized in 2003 through close cooperation between the ''Qatari Internal Security Force'' and the ''
French national gendarmerie The National Gendarmerie (french: Gendarmerie nationale, ) is one of two national law enforcement forces of France, along with the National Police (France), National Police. The Gendarmerie is a branch of the French Armed Forces placed under the ...
''. The partnership has since expanded to cover various areas, including counterterrorism, crisis response, and specialized training.


Education

French international school
Lycée Bonaparte Lycée Bonaparte is a French international school in Doha, Qatar. It includes levels ''maternelle'' (preschool) through ''lycée'' (senior high school). The École Française de Doha was established in a rented villa in Slata Al Jadida in the 197 ...
was opened in Doha in the mid-1970s. Lycée Voltaire, also a French school, was opened in Qatar under the supervision of
Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (; ; born 28 January 1955) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012. Born in Paris, he is of Hungarian, Greek Jewish, and French origin. Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Se ...
in 2008. Several issues ensued between the school board and the Ministry of Education. However, for instance, the Ministry of Education attempted to manipulate the school's curriculum by removing a chapter pertaining to Christianity in the Middle Ages from one of the school's text books.
HEC Paris HEC Paris (french: École des hautes études commerciales de Paris) is a business school, and one of the most prestigious and selective grandes écoles, located in Jouy-en-Josas, France. HEC offers Master in Management, MSc International Fi ...
, a business school, became the first non-English, European institution to establish a branch in Education City in June 2010. It also launched Qatar's first executive MBA in February 2011.


Sport

Qatar Sports Investment, a subsidiary of Qatar Investment Authority, purchased French
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club
Paris St-Germain Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain, Paris, Paris SG or simply PSG is a professional football club based in Paris, France. They compete in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. As Fr ...
in October 2012. The club value was estimated to be worth $130 million, and the QSI invested a further $340 million in the club's players. Qatar-based beIN Sports acquired co-broadcasting rights of
Ligue 1 Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. A ...
(France's top football league) in 2014. During the
2024 Summer Olympics The 2024 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 2024), officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la XXXIIIe Olympiade, links=no) and also known as Paris 2024, is an upcoming international multi-sport event that is s ...
in Paris, Qatar provides security assistance to France including security personnel, foot patrols, cyber security analysis and
drone Drone most commonly refers to: * Drone (bee), a male bee, from an unfertilized egg * Unmanned aerial vehicle * Unmanned surface vehicle, watercraft * Unmanned underwater vehicle or underwater drone Drone, drones or The Drones may also refer to: ...
surveillance.


Arts and culture

Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani ( ar, عبد الله بن خليفة آل ثاني; born 11 February 1958) was Prime Minister of Qatar from 29 October 1996 to 3 April 2007. He served as an advisor to the Emir and often represented him at ceremon ...
, a member of Qatar's royal family, purchased the 17th-century '' hôtel particulier'' (grand townhouse)
Hôtel Lambert The Hôtel Lambert () is a ''hôtel particulier,'' a grand mansion townhouse, on the Quai Anjou on the eastern tip of the Île Saint-Louis, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. In the 19th century, the name ''Hôtel Lambert'' also came to designate ...
in 2007 for a reported $88 million. He came under fire after the attempted to renovate the building in 2009, with critics stating that any reconstruction would harm France's architectural heritage.


Resident diplomatic missions

* France has an embassy in Doha. * Qatar has an embassy in Paris. File:Qatar-Embassy-Paris.jpg, Embassy of Qatar in Paris


See also

* Foreign relations of France *
Foreign relations of Qatar 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 1 ...


References


External links


French Embassy in Doha

Qatar Embassy in Paris
{{DEFAULTSORT:France-Qatar relations Qatar France