The visits would likely tap into the latest geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, with Israel intensifying its brutal war on the Gaza Strip and on Lebanon.

Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is scheduled to embark on a two-stop European tour involving Italy and Germany starting from Sunday, where discussions will centre on bilateral relations and international issues of common concern.

The Amiri Diwan had announced Sheikh Tamim’s upcoming visit in a statement on Saturday evening, and confirmed that Italy will be the first stop on his itinerary. 

The Amir will be accompanied by Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani along with an official delegation, the statement noted.

“The Amir will discuss with the leaders of the two countries and their senior officials ways to enhance friendly relations and cooperation in various fields, in addition to discussing a number of regional and international issues of common interest,” the Amiri Diwan added.

The Qatari leader was previously in Italy in February 2023 and in Germany October of the same year.

The visits would likely tap into the latest geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, with Israel intensifying its brutal war on the Gaza Strip while carrying out a bombardment campaign in Lebanon.

While the Gulf state has been mediating between Israel and Hamas in the hopes of reaching a ceasefire and a captives release deal, negotiations have stopped for nearly a month, Qatar’s prime minister revealed on Thursday.

Other topics possibly on the agenda could involve the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, a key issue of concern for Europe. Qatar’s mediation efforts led to the reunification of children from both countries separated by the conflict.

Trade relations between Qatar and the two European countries would also be among the discussion topics during the meetings. 

Qatar-Italy ties

Doha and Rome’s relations have expanded over the past decades since they established their embassies in 1992.

In 2022, Qatar and Italy held their first strategic dialogue in Rome to explore ways to strengthen their diplomatic relations.

Aside from political cooperation, Qatar and Italy share strong defence ties. In 2023, Qatar stood as the world’s third-largest arms importer, with Italy being among its main three suppliers, accounting for 15 percent of its imports according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) latest annual report.

Previously in 2017, Qatar sealed a more than $5bn deal with Italy for the construction of seven navy vessels following talks that took place between the two countries in 2016.

In remarks to Qatar’s state news agency (QNA) on Saturday, Italy’s ambassador to the country Paolo Toschi said the Amir’s visit “will cement the relations between the two countries”.

“We welcome His Highness as a global leader of diplomacy, international law, and as a stalwart supporter of the international multilateral order. We are engaged together in a number of endeavours that are continuing and that we want to further bolster,” he said.

Qatar and Italy have shared concern over the situation in Lebanon in light of Israel’s repeated attacks on the country, including those on the United Nations peacekeepers (UNIFIL), Toschi told QNA.

Italian personnel are among some 10,000 others involved in UNIFIL from more than 50 countries.

In Gaza, the two countries had cooperated in providing healthcare to Palestinians evacuated from the blockaded territory, before Israeli forces invaded and destroyed the Rafah Border Crossing on May 6.

Qatar and Italy’s trade relations have developed over the past years, especially in the field of energy. Italy is the second largest European importer of Qatar gas, the Gulf state’s ambassador to Rome, Khalid bin Youssef Al Sada, told QNA.

Doha and Rome’s bilateral trade exchange reached 20 billion Qatari riyals (around $5.5bn) in 2023, marking a 80 percent increase from 2018, according to Al Sada, with Italy standing as Qatar’s seventh trading partner.

Italy’s Adriatic Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminal annually receives 8 billion cubic metres of Qatari gas, according to QNA.

Qatar-Germany ties

Doha and Berlin had established diplomatic relations in 1973.

The strength of both countries’ ties was highlighted during the Taliban takeover of Kabul, where it evacuated more than 80,000 Afghans and foreigners, including German nationals.

Meanwhile, in 2022, both countries signed a military cooperation agreement that paved the way for further collaboration in the defence sector.

Aside from political and defence cooperation, the trade sector has witnessed significant growth in recent years.

Qatar and Germany’s bilateral trade volume reached 7.1 Qatari billion riyals in 2023 (around $2bn), representing a 4.4 percent increase from 2022, with more than 150 German companies operating in the country.

The Gulf state had stood as a reliable energy partner in 2022 during the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where European countries, including Germany, had heightened concerns over their energy supply.

In 2022, Qatar and Germany signed a 15-year LNG supply agreement, with flows expected to kickstart in 2026.