State visits|The Emir of Qatar is one of the top names in international politics. He will visit Finland this week. Political scientists evaluate for HS what the emir is getting from the trip and what Finland can benefit from the rare visit.
in Finland a top name in international politics, the likes of which has not been seen here for some time, will be visiting in the beginning week. After all, the Emir of Qatar is making a visit to Finland Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
For years, the core of Qatar’s power politics has been the desire to rise to the bigger tables, and the Emir of Qatar has at the same time sought to become a central mediator of international politics.
He has also succeeded in this. Al-Thani has recently been in conversation with, among others, the President of the United States Joe Biden with, and Russia Vladimir Putin he met in July in Kazakhstan. The emir has tried to promote peace negotiations in Ukraine and a cease-fire in Gaza with his shuttles.
Researcher at the Foreign Policy Institute Toni Alaranta according to Qatar’s international diplomacy is built specifically on its reputation as a mediating state.
“They have good relations with all other operators in the region. Of course, the relationship with Israel is more difficult now, but the connections with Hamas and other countries in the Persian Gulf are better at the moment,” Alaranta states.
In a photo published by the Russian presidential administration in July, Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani shakes hands with Russia’s Vladimir Putin after both visited Kazakhstan.
Emir’s the two-day visit is hosted by the president of the republic Alexander Stubb. During the visit, al-Thani also meets other state leaders: the prime minister Petteri Orpon (kok) and the Speaker of the Parliament Jussi Halla-ahon (p.s.).
According to the press release of the Presidential Office, the topics of discussion during the visit include deepening economic and political cooperation between the two countries, as well as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
According to researcher Alaranta, when the leaders of Finland and Qatar discuss world politics, it is largely an exchange of information.
“It is also useful for the Finns to understand on what basis the Qataris are trying to promote the negotiations. This applies to Gaza but also to Ukraine,” he says.
“Behind the scenes, there is a game going on all the time – or why can it be said now – where we are trying to figure out the conditions under which anything can be negotiated.”
The Emir and his entourage will visit Norway and Sweden in the same connection.
of Islam and a scholar of the Middle East With Susanne Dahlgren there are doubts that the Gaza cease-fire would make any progress during al-Thani’s visit to Helsinki.
Susanne Dahlgren.
“During Orpo’s government, Finland has had very little profile in Middle East affairs, so the emir should not bother with Helsinki because of the ceasefire,” says Dahlgren, who is currently the director of the Finnish Middle East Institute.
Qatar can still play a key role in the Gaza ceasefire. Negotiations on a ceasefire have taken place in Doha. Dahlgren considers it possible that al-Thani’s visit to other Nordic countries is more important in this sense.
“Norway has been active regarding the ceasefire. Norway has also recognized the Palestinian state, and Sweden has done it before,” Dahlgren says.
According to him the emir’s visit to Finland may also be related to defense supplies, education exports from Finland to Qatar, and liquefied natural gas. In the latter, Qatar is a very important producer country.
Researcher Toni Alaranta also believes that trade relations will be well presented during the visit.
“Qatar is a significant market, and Finnish companies have opportunities there. As long as you know the right people, starting with the al-Thani family,” says Alaranta.
Toni Alaranta.
Qatar is the richest country in the world if the gross national product is compared to the number of inhabitants. The importance of the emir leading the family is particularly emphasized in the country, says Alaranta. “Qatar’s use of power and family dynasty is crystallized in him”, Alaranta assesses.
A group of Qatari ministers will travel to Finland with Al-Thani.
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The Emir’s visit is a clear signal of the world order turning to a new position.
by Susanne Dahlgren According to the Emir, during his visit to Helsinki, however, he has a more important project in his pocket than all the aforementioned trade patterns, for which he is seeking Finland’s support.
“The emir will probably arrive in Helsinki to seek support for Qatar’s desire to organize the Olympics,” Dahlgren estimates.
Qatar hopes to host the Olympics in 2036.
Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani was photographed in December 2022 in the company of Lionel Messi, who won the World Cup, and football director Gianni Infantino.
The games are very important to Qatar. The country’s goal is to get rid of dependence on fossil fuels. At the same time, Qatar wants to change its image: get on the international stage as an organizer of cultural and especially sports mega-events. Qatar also competes for status with its neighbors Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The FIFA World Cup was already organized in Qatar in 2022, and al-Thani, who was visiting Finland, was a key lobbyist for the Games. The emir owns the Parisian football club PSG.
Qatar is also a significant factor in terms of the image of the entire Middle East, as al-Jazeera, the influential media company of the Arabic-speaking world, operates in the country.
At the same time, Qatar is an authoritarian country, Dahlgren reminds. The emir and his family practically own the state.
Research Director Marko Lehti The University of Tampere’s peace and conflict research center says that the visit of the Emir of Qatar to Finland is a clear signal that the world order is turning to a new position. Finland has long emphasized the rules-based international order.
“In the new world order, authoritarian states like China and Qatar will play a significant role,” Lehti estimates.
These countries take on a role, among other things, as mediators of international politics, and according to Lehte, the emir of Qatar in particular has recently become an important player in international politics.
“He has also wanted to take on that role,” Lehti estimates.
The newspaper reminds us that the peace represented by authoritarian countries is, however, very different from th
e peace that is thought of in the West.
“The peace of these countries is very state-oriented. And that doesn’t mean that minorities are treated well,” he says.
However, according to Lehti, initiatives from countries like Qatar are needed, because peace will not advance in Ukraine or Palestine with the help of liberal states. According to him, Finland could also have some kind of role as a peace builder, at least an unofficial one.
“It already sounds promising if someone is interested in Finland in terms of peace mediation,” Lehti estimated.
Finnish has sought rapprochement with Qatar for a long time.
Jyrki Katainen (kok) visited the country as Prime Minister in 2013, and the party included Alexander Stubb, who was Minister of Foreign Trade at the time. Three years ago, Finland opened an embassy in Doha, and Qatar has opened an embassy in Helsinki.
In 2022, Qatar was visited by Finland and the then foreign minister Pekka Haavisto (green) that the Minister of Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari (sd).
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