Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, who is also Chair of the ministry's Committee on the Law of the Sea, issued a statement on the State of Qatar's assigning of its economic zones on its shores and the shores of islands in the Arabian Gulf under its sovereignty, which included an exclusive economic zone on its shores and the shores in the Arabian Gulf under its sovereignty.

Cubavisión Internacional Sports Channel conducted an interview with H.E. the Ambassador Mr. Rashid Mairza Al-Mulla on May 4, 2019, to discuss bilateral relations mainly focused on sports.

Doha, May 1, 2019 The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation of the Member States of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) issued the Doha Declaration following the 16th Ministerial Meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) on 1 May 2019 under the theme "Partners in Progress". The declaration is as follows: 1. Emphasis on communication and cooperation with other countries, as well as international organizations to contribute to enhancing the status of Asian countries and to benefit from international expertise in various fields. 2. To report that our region has achieved stability and is on track to become a major force for global economic growth and a partner in achieving global partnership in development. 3. We recognize the importance of regional cooperation as a key mechanism for accelerating the achievement of the three pillars of sustainable development (social, economic and environmental protection). 4. Emphasize the commitment to translate the vision of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue into concrete action. 5. We recognize the importance of global achievement to achieve the goals of sustainable development 2030. 6. We affirm the commitment to the ACD as a top-down forum, and its leaders and ministers can meet informally to exchange ideas, insights and experiences. 7. We condemn all forms of racial / religious racism, discrimination, extremism and terrorism, and promote tolerance and mutual respect, particularly through education, information and civil society. 8. Promote cyber security, combat organized crime and human trafficking, and promote and protect human rights. 9. We recognize the important role of SMEs as the engine for generating growth and prosperity throughout Asia, and welcome the initiative of hosting the ACD Business Forum to promote SMEs across Asia. 10. Recognize that strengthening partnerships and developing innovative sources of funding can play a role in complementing sustainable development financing sources. We recognize the importance of promoting trade and free investment among Asian States. 11. Strengthen cooperation to address the impacts of climate change and natural disasters, take appropriate action to address water and food shortages, and support research and development activities in the fields of green energy and agricultural technology. 12. We are keen to support cooperation in the field of culture and tourism among Member States, and in the sport sector. 13. We recognize the importance of cooperation in the health sector. 14. We congratulate a large number of Member States for hosting and organizing a number of conferences, events and specialized workshops in many areas within the Organization. 15. We welcome Palestine's request to join the Asian Cooperation Dialogue. 16. We express our sincere appreciation to the Government of the State of Qatar for the warm welcome and excellent organization of the 16th Ministerial Meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue and its side events.

Doha GANA May 1st HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, at a press conference at the end of the Ministerial Meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) held in Doha today, addressed the following points: 1. The State of Qatar pays attention to promoting work in the fields of youth, education, culture, small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurship. The State hosted a workshop organized by Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, as well as a forum for businessmen and entrepreneurs. 2. Doha's commitment is to be an active partner, to enhance cooperation in the areas of energy and economy; the initiative to teach Arabic to non-speakers and to host the Third Summit of the Asian Dialogue in 2020. 3. Welcoming the accession of the State of Palestine to the Asian Cooperation Dialogue. 4. His assertion that the theme of the Doha meeting "Partners for Development" has important implications, and that the Asian organization has tried to learn from the successes and failures of other organizations, especially the European Union. 5. Emphasize the previous proposals and the need to find mechanisms to implement, review what has been achieved, and achieve common goals, especially the development of infrastructure and the promotion of intra-trade and increase investment. 6. HE thanked the Islamic Republic of Iran for presiding over the dialogue last year, and wished the success for the Turkish Republic after its receipt in September: HE also thanked the State of Kuwait (the headquarter country) and the Kingdom of Thailand (the foundation country). 7. He considered that the Gulf crisis is a barrier to cooperation and communication at the regional level, expressing the hope that the countries of the blockade do not "politicize" the cooperation, stressing that the State of Qatar is ready for dialogue. 8. In response to a question on the position of the State of Qatar on the extension of the US sanctions against the Republic of Iran, he said that the sanctions do not produce positive results and that the solution lies in dialogue, and urged both parties to do so. 9. HE said that the participation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in meetings in Doha is within the framework of their membership in the Asian Cooperation Dialogue, and that the State of Qatar has not and will not prevent any party from participating in events held on its territory. 10. For his part, HE Mr. Bundit Limschoon, Secretary-General of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), said that the 16th Ministerial Meeting reflects the leadership role of the State of Qatar in its multilateral diplomacy. 11. He mentioned the importance of partnership within the framework of the Asian Organization, and the importance of dialogue to other regional organizations to ensure an appropriate platform for harmony in the interests of all Asian countries.

Doha - Media Office – 01 May 2019 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani opened the 16th Ministerial Meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), chaired by the State of Qatar, and delivered a speech, where HE highlighted the following: 1. The convening of this meeting comes while the world is going through changes and developments at all levels, stressing the need for cooperation among Asian countries based on respect for international legitimacy to meet the challenges of the future, through mechanisms in line with the vision of Asian Cooperation 2030, especially that the continent of Asia is an influential bloc in this world. 2. HE pointed out that the dialogue since its establishment proved to be a vital mechanism for cooperation for development. There are opportunities to deepen and strengthen existing cooperation in all fields, especially that the economies of the continent have witnessed increasing growth in recent years. HE expressed the pride of the State of Qatar to host this important meeting, reiterating its support for proposals on the 20 fields. 3. He stressed that the consultation and cooperation in the political field are an important factor, but economic and trade cooperation is the cornerstone of the development of these relations, especially as the Asian continent has the potential to push forward development. In this context, he pointed out that the Business Forum which will be held on the sidelines of this meeting will be an important platform for exposing experiences, visions and ideas. 4. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs addressed the phenomenon of terrorism and extremism, stressing that the State of Qatar condemns terrorism, extremism and violence in all its forms, and that there is no religion that calls for terrorism, reiterating Qatar's condemnation of the bombings of churches and hotels in the Republic of Sri Lanka. 5. His Excellency stressed that the State of Qatar believes that education and culture are fundamental pillars of the development and growth of peoples. He pointed out that the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development hosted an educational workshop in cooperation with the Asian Cooperation Dialogue in March. HE said that Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, in coordination with the United Nation Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) celebrated last January in Doha the International Day of Education in its first edition. 6. HE Announced that the State of Qatar will organize a cultural workshop in September to identify the long-standing culture of all Member States. 7. His Excellency said that Qatar is hosting the ACD Summit for 2020.

The State of Qatar announced on April 8 that it has filed legal proceeding in both New York and London against financial institutions involved in manipulating the Qatari currency. In a statement, the Government Communication Office confirmed that although the efforts to manipulate the financial markets failed to undermine confidence in the Qatari riyal, it did cause economic losses.

H.H. the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani gave a speech at the opening ceremony of the 140th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Unión (IPU). The event was attended by a large number of representatives of IPU, members of parliaments and heads of delegations. The important meeting is taking place in Doha from 6-10 April, 2019. A full version of His Highness' speech is available here.

The Embassy of the State of Qatar just issued the 6th Edition of the Newsletter “Qatar in Cuba", which provides the most current news on the relations between Qatar and the host country.

H.E. Ambassador Rashid Mairza Al-Mulla met with H.E. Mr. Hector Igarza, Director of Middle East and North Africa Department of MINREX on Thursday 4th April 2019.

On 3 April 2019, the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Havana opened its official Facebook account to keep the public well informed on Qatar and its host country, Cuba.