HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani participated in a session entitled "Global Order Revisited: Old Actors, New Alliances" at the Doha Forum, on Saturday 15 December 2018.

HE Prime Minister of Somalia Hassan Ali Khayre, HE President of the United Nations General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa, HE Romania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Viorel Melescanu, and HE Chairman Of Munich Security Conference Wolfgang Ischinger, who presided over the meeting, participated in the session.

HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani discussed Qatar's foreign policy, addressing the role of great powers and changing the dynamics governing regional and international alliances. HE the Minister added that there is a process of change taking place in the global system, but that is not new, as the world goes through this cycle of change every few decades, however the tools of technology and communication have narrowed the time needed for the cycle of change, and they are a major contributor to changing the global system and how countries form their alliances.

HE the Minister pointed out that regional alliances are still useful and important because they share the same concerns, threats, and interests, but these alliances need to be reshaped, and that should not be done by the great powers and the big countries alone, but also by the Member States of the United Nations and the states of every region of the world.

His Excellency touched on the Gulf crisis, stressing the importance of the role of dialogue as a means to resolve this crisis. Qatar firmly believes that dialogue with the siege countries based on mutual respect will end the crisis in the region, HE the Minister added.

The regional alliance has been weakened by the crisis, so the alliance that existed previously must be reshaped and designed to ensure future stability and security in the region, HE the Minister pointed out. 

For his part, HE Foreign Minister of Romania Teodor-Viorel Melescanu voiced belief in the power of dialogue. He also expressing readiness to organize the dialogue between the GCC countries so that they can reach a solution to this crisis that is affecting the entire region, considering the GCC as a cornerstone of security in the Arab world.

He added that the solution to the Gulf crisis can be achieved only through the mechanism of political negotiations, stressing that the solution must be based on respect for the principles and rules of international law, as well as justice.

The session also addressed the possibility of a new world order. Participants reviewed the current state of regional cooperation and stability, as well as the possibility of forming new and non-traditional alliances, under the theme of "Shaping Policy in an Interconnected World".

They further reviewed ways in which countries could change the prevailing concept globally, considering that these countries are thus making for themselves a new future, as is the case with Somalia.

In turn, HE Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia Hassan Ali Khairi said that the challenge his country faces in the new interconnected world is how to change the old perception and demonstrate the real potential of Somalia.

For her part HE President of the United Nations General Assembly Maria Espinosa said that the United Nations is the umbrella of the world, the Parliament of humanity, which sets the standards for policy shaping.

The two-day annual forum brings together heads of state, ministers, business leaders and activists to discuss many of the issues and challenges that are affecting the world today.

In its eighteenth edition, the Doha Forum will serve as a platform to discuss the "Shaping Policy in an Interconnected World" and focus on four essential themes namely Security; Peace and Mediation; Economic Development and Trends and Transitions.