French President Emmanuel Macron will meet with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar. They will be having “a one to one working dinner” in Paris on Sunday. The purpose is to discuss “bilateral relationships” and “regional matters”, according to let the Elysee know. The president invites his guests to eat at a capital restaurant. He regularly invites them to the Elysee, such as the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and La Rotonde in Paris in 2021.
Emir Al-Thani offered to be a mediator in the Russian-Ukrainian crisis this week. He recalled being “in touch with all parties involved” during a speech at Davos. European capitals also seek to improve their relations with Doha as part of their efforts to diversify their gas supply, to decrease their dependence on Russia.
Qatar is home to the third-largest global gas reserves. He is also involved in efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States on the complicated Iranian nuclear issue.
The December 2021 meeting between the heads of state was the last. Emmanuel Macron had just completed a tour through the Gulf countries. Questions concerning the fight against terrorist financing and the French Muslim faith were discussed. Also, the preparations for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and related topics in labor law in this country were on the agenda. .
Anecdotally, Al-Thani’s visit comes as Paris Saint-Germain (owned by Qatar via a sovereign fund) just celebrated its 10th title as champion of France. He also recorded the extension to his star player Kylian Mabappe.
