Joint statement on the Hamad International Airport Incident

His Excellency Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, and the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, Minister for Middle East and North Africa held a telephone call on the 31 October 2020 to discuss the Hamad International Airport Incident.

His Excellency the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs conveyed the State of Qatar’s apology to the women impacted by the investigation at the airport, highlighting that the officials responsible for this violation have been referred to the Public Prosecution Office, and that this was an isolated incident and is a violation of Qatar’s laws and values.

His Excellency the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs assured the United Kingdom’s Minister for Middle East and North Africa of Qatar’s commitment to the wellbeing and security of all passengers travelling to Qatar and through Hamad International Airport.

Commenting on the measures taken by the State of Qatar, Minister Cleverly welcomed the steps being taken to investigate the incident and efforts to ensure that such an incident does not happen again. Minister Cleverly highlighted that this is an important assurance for those travelling into or through Hamad International Airport.

The two Ministers agreed to remain in contact and to exchange updates on the investigation regularly, assuring that this is a top priority for both governments.

The two Ministers further underlined the strong partnership between the State of Qatar and the United Kingdom, and discussed ways to further enhance this relationship in all fields of cooperation.