From 4 to 8 November 2024, the NATO Military Committee was in Qatar for a series of high-level engagements and visits of Qatar's military education and training facilities. This visit marked the first time the NATO Military Committee travelled to Qatar. The high-level engagements that took place during the visit involved the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, H.E. Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah and the Chief of Staff of the Qatar Armed Forces, Lieutenant-General Salem bin Hamad bin Aqeel Al-Nabit. The goal of the visit was to discuss ongoing and future strategic and operational cooperation between Qatar and NATO.
The visit began with high-level meetings with H.E. Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, Lieutenant-General Salem bin Hamad bin Aqeel Al-Nabit and Chair of the NATO Military Committee Admiral Rob Bauer. In the meetings they discussed NATO's commitment to a strong partnership with the State of Qatar, as well as praise for Qatar's enhanced commitment on military cooperation with NATO. Admiral Bauer stated: "Ever since Qatar joined the Istanbul Cooperation initiative in 2005, we have worked together to increase security and stability in this region and beyond. In this ever more complex security environment, cooperation between Partners is more important than ever."
Lieutenant-General Al-Nabit emphasized the importance of Qatar's partnership with NATO: "The partnership between the State of Qatar and NATO is unparalleled. We are experiencing close cooperation in the field of defence diplomacy, training, education and operation. Qatar is an active partner in multiple NATO programs. We intend to expand our cooperation to the benefit of Qatar, NATO, and the whole world."
After an initial day focused on discussions with Qatari authorities and presentations from both the Qatar Armed forces and NATO, the subsequent days were devoted to visiting facilities dedicated to training these forces. These visits started with the 401 Integrated Training Center, a brand-new facility designed for special forces training, including a mock village, an embassy compound, free fall training, driving and different shooting ranges, and even an Airbus A300 dedicated to simulate hostage scenarios.
Other visits included the Military Police Camp, as well as the Al Zeem Mohamed Bin Abdullah Al Attiyah Air college, dedicated to education and training of all roles within the Air Force, including pilots, fighter controllers, air traffic controllers, and drone pilots for the Qatari Armed Forces. It also serves members from other nations who send their students to this state to the art education and training center. The NATO Military Representatives also visited the Brouq Training Center, with maritime intervention training capabilities, and, at last, the Joint Warfare Training Center, where the Military Committee learned about its role in both the Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC) and the Partnership Training and Education Centres (PTECs).
In his closing remarks, Admiral Bauerexpressed gratitude to the Qatari military authorities for their remarkable hospitality and the impressive capabilities they displayed: "Based on what we have seen this week, especially from your inspiring young leaders, both men and women, I can honestly say that the future, your future, is in safe hands. And combined with your world-class facilities, your commitment to education and training, and to working with others including NATO, I am confident that new milestones lie ahead in our cooperation with Qatar."
