Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Doha to take part in the international political forum, Doha Forum. The Russian minister traveled to the city from Malta, where he had addressed the OSCE Ministerial Council.
In Valletta, the majority of participants at the plenary session, instead of engaging in dialogue on the three security tracks, focused on reiterating accusations against Russia over the Ukrainian conflict. In his speech, Lavrov noted that the current OSCE no longer has any areas where it can be even remotely useful within its mandate. In contrast, the Doha Forum is expected to host discussions centered on finding solutions to global issues. A meeting of ministers from the Astana process countries is also planned, against the backdrop of escalating tensions in Syria.
Last year, Sergey Lavrov was unable to attend the Doha Forum in person but participated online. His speech lasted 30 minutes, during which the minister discussed the creation of a multipolar world after 500 years of “collective Western” dominance and addressed questions on current global issues. Among the inquiries were personal ones, including how long he planned to remain in his post, which he has held for over 20 years. “I serve my country as long as it needs me,” Lavrov emphasized. The topics for the 2024 session featuring Lavrov are expected to be similar: the situation in Ukraine, the Middle East, global security, and the evolving world order.
Dialogue Amid Regional Instability
The Doha Forum, an international conference held annually since 2003, is scheduled for December 7–8 at the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel. Participants will discuss a wide range of issues related to international security, energy transitions, and sustainable economic development. The conference will feature speeches by Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
This year's forum comes amid escalations in Syria, where government forces are facing an offensive by militants of the extremist group Jabhat al-Nusra (banned in Russia) and its allies, who attacked Aleppo and other northern towns on November 27.
For the second consecutive year, the conference also takes place against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, which began in October 2023. At the end of November 2023, Egypt and Qatar mediated an agreement for a ceasefire and partial release of hostages, but the truce was soon broken, and fighting resumed. Between August and October 2024, Qatar—hosting Hamas's political bureau—along with the US and Egypt, held several rounds of consultations seeking solutions to the Gaza crisis. However, the parties failed to agree on the terms of a deal. In early November, Qatar suspended its mediation efforts due to a lack of commitment from both sides to end the conflict. On December 5, France-Presse reported that Doha had resumed mediation efforts to establish a ceasefire in Gaza, making the topic one of the forum's focal discussions.
Syria Meeting
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi previously announced that representatives from Iran, Russia, and Turkey—the guarantors of the Astana process—would meet on the sidelines of the Doha Forum amidst the escalating situation in Syria. On Thursday, Lavrov confirmed that arrangements for a meeting by the week's end were underway.
The Astana format includes Russia, Iran, and Turkey as guarantors of the Syrian crisis resolution process, alongside representatives of the Syrian government, opposition, the UN, and observer countries such as Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon. Qatar does not participate in the Astana process and remains the only country where the Syrian embassy is led by opposition representatives.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Doha Forum
Based on TASS materials