The Honourable Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State (International Development), concluded a trip to Qatar where he represented Canada at the Doha Forum. This trip strengthened Canada's deepening engagement with Qatar and reinforced partnerships across the Middle East. Building on Qatar's role as a trusted partner and influential diplomatic actor, the trip also advanced efforts to enhance collaborative international cooperation efforts.
Secretary Sarai met with key Qatari counterparts, including Maryam Al Misnad, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Fahad Al Sulaiti, Director General of the Qatar Fund for Development; and Mohammed Al Kubaisi, CEO of the Education Above All Foundation. These meetings focused on strengthening collaboration underway since the September 2024 visit to Canada by His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, and on developing new options to address global development and humanitarian priorities through joint initiatives.
At Doha's Al Thumama complex, an emergency housing and medical rehabilitation centre hosting Palestinians evacuated from Gaza, Secretary Sarai met with Palestinians to hear their stories first-hand. Canada is funding a joint project with the Qatar Red Crescent and the Canadian Red Cross to provide psychosocial support for people at the complex, including therapy and resilience workshops.
With Pierre Krähenbühl, Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Secretary Sarai addressed the growing complexity of humanitarian crises and explored opportunities to deepen cooperation on humanitarian responses around the world.
On the margins of the Doha Forum, Secretary Sarai met with his counterparts at the Qatar Fund for Development and Nutrition International to highlight the importance of child survival: ending preventable child deaths through coordinated investments in nutrition and health initiatives. They agreed to work together to strengthen advocacy for this mutual priority.
