In brief
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani urged smaller countries to pool resources and play a unified role in global peace at the Oxford Union. He defined “Thriving States” as agile, stable, prosperous and trusted nations that can use their collective diplomatic networks and economic capabilities to build a supply chain of peace. The proposal comes amid ongoing tensions between the US and Iran, and he highlighted Doha’s mediation efforts aimed at preventing escalation.
On Friday, the Qatari foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani told a crowd at the Oxford Union that small states can turn their size into an advantage by forming a new group called the “Thriving States.”
Al Thani said that “Thriving States” would be agile, stable, prosperous and trusted nations that use their collective skills and networks to help keep the world peaceful and prosperous.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said:
"I would therefore like to propose a different label for a particular group of countries: agile, stable, prosperous and trusted nations that have turned their size into an advantage and became significant contributors to global peace and prosperity. I call them 'Thriving States.'"
He argued that smaller nations often become the first victims of conflicts that they did not start and that a collective approach is “necessary” for peace work.
Al Thani stressed that Thriving States cannot solve problems alone nor replace great powers, but that by pooling expertise, economic strength and diplomatic links they can build a “supply chain of peace” for the world.
He also referenced Doha’s mediation work with US authorities amid the US‑Iran conflict, saying the city had "very genuine intentions to contain the situation and de‑escalate it" and that "thanks also to some wise voices in Tehran, we have prevented that from getting out of control."
He warned that "what happened with the election may affect their policies in the future, but it does not affect their intentions" and that a perfect peace deal is unlikely, but "we cannot just wait for the moment of a perfect deal and avoid having a good deal."
Closing on diplomacy pace, Al Thani said the pace is not as active as a few days ago, but engagement "did not stop and will not stop."
