The signing of the Establishment Agreement occurred on the same day as the 26th EU-GCC Joint Cooperation Council in Brussels.

An Establishment Agreement for the a new European Union (EU) Embassy has been signed in Brussels by Secretary General of the European Union’s External Action Service (EEAS), Stefano Sannino, and Qatari State Minister for Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi.

The opening of the EU mission was announced during High Representative Josep Borrell visit in Doha September last year and is planning to be set in motion this year.

This agreement is considered to be the “latest milestone” in EU and Qatar cooperation efforts, according to the EEAS press release.

Partnership between the EU and Qatar was highlighted through a Cooperation Arrangement between the EEAS and the Qatari MOFA, which was signed in 2018. The relations have been experiencing strong progress ever since. A Human Rights Dialogue was also launched the same year (2018). In October 2021, Qatar became the first Gulf country to sign a Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement with the EU.

https://twitter.com/eu_eeas/status/1495782495316545540

A diplomatic medium in Qatar is seen as a way of aiding the EU in expanding its bilateral relations with Doha, it added.

EU and Qatar cooperative nature

During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar assisted EU nationals by “repatriating stranded” people as well as aided in their evacuation amid Kabul unrest. Such instances are testament to Qatar and the EU’s cooperative nature, the statement noted.

Securing a foothold in Qatar, the EU delegation mission entails the interests of the protection and enhancement of its European members within the region.

The EU countries and Qatari efforts assumed an official role once announcements about a potential EU Delegation was announced last September. Their cooperative endeavours were especially underlined amid the Ukraine and Russia crisis and talks over a possible Qatar unilateral gas supply.

Read more: Qatar calling on citizens to delay Ukraine visits during escalating tensions

EU envoys, interim Afghan government officials, and GCC representatives met in Doha recently to discuss urgent humanitarian aid to Afghanistan as well as the importance of respecting women’s rights in Afghanistan.

EU Delegations

With Qatar added to the list of hosts of the EU delegation, the number of EU offices worldwide is set to reach 145, with EU diplomatic presence reaching 136 countries.

According to the statement, the EU Mission to Qatar will be an official diplomatic delegation, in charge of the EU’s political and economic relations with Qatar.

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