Doha has played a key regional and international role as a mediator between warring factions in different parts of the world.
The long-awaited Chad talks, facilitated by Qatar, have kicked off in the Gulf state on Sunday following a delay.
The talks were initially scheduled to take place on 27 February, but were delayed due to logistical issues and an agreement over the Chadian attendees at the talks.
Qatar was represented by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi attended the talks and Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Counterterrorism and Mediation in Conflict Resolution Dr Mutlaq bin Majed Al Qahtani.
Meeting ahead of Qatar-facilitated Chad talks takes place in Doha
Libyan Foreign Affairs Najla El Mangoush, and Mahamat Zene Cherif, Chad’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Chadians Abroad were also in attendance.
The talks come after Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani agreed to support to all Chadian sides in reaching a political resolution following years of political unrest, since gaining its independence from France in 1960.
“Qatar has friendly relations with the Republic of Chad, and we hope that they will continue to develop at various levels. On that note, we did not hesitate to accept the invitation of the brothers from Chad to host these negotiations,” said Al Muraikhi during his opening remarks.
The Head of Chad’s Transitional Military Council, Mahamat Idriss Deby, sees the Doha-facilitated dialogue as a chance to pave the way for long-promised “free and transparent” elections.
Deby assumed power after his father and former President Idriss Deby, was killed amidst fighting between government and rebels from the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) on 20 April, 2021.
At the time, the late president was re-elected at the time for a sixth-term. The Libya-based group’s, FACT, leader Mahamat Mahdi Ali was not at the talks.
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