The new emir was tested by the Saudis and Emiratis with the aim of changing Qatar’s regional policies, and after the crisis was resolved there was an improvement in relations, notably with respect to the Iran nuclear deal and Syria. But this proved t...

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani also brushed aside the effects, saying, “The negative impacts of the blockade were temporary and our economy has managed to contain most of them very quickly, while adapting and developing itself in the course o...

Noha Aboueldahab, told the Washington Post that the channel’s current vulnerability stems from the fact that authoritarian regimes in the region continue to see it as a threat because of its use as a platform for opposition leaders and activists. Regardless o...

Despite alarmist media coverage, it may not be Qatar’s economy that suffers the most, although state-owned Qatar Airways may lose out. Qatar’s angry neighbours, many of whom have substantial business interests in the country, are bearing the costs too...

Qatar adopted an ‘open foreign policy’, relying mostly on soft power tools such as the media, diplomacy, economy, humanitarian aid and generous donations. Doha’s strategy was to maintain good relations with all of its neighbours, regardless of their contr...

The main problem that triggered the rift was never healed. Even though the Qataris toned down al-Jazeera’s coverage, closed the al-Jazeera office in Cairo and evicted a few Muslim Brotherhood members from the Qatari capital Doha, its ambition to be a...

Even if human rights in Qatar have improved since Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani seized power in 1995, they are not considered as good by international organizations. The main concerns relate to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly...

Qatar’s 21st-century media environment has been largely dominated by the growth of al-Jazeera, which consolidated itself as a major international media outlet after securing unrivalled access to war zones in Afghanistan and Iraq. The channel established a...