Qatar has emerged stronger and extra assured since holding the soccer World Cup final yr. It pulled off some of the dramatic video games in latest reminiscence — Argentina’s fluke defeat to Saudi Arabia, the Arab-African celebration of Morocco reaching the semi-finals, and at last Lionel Messi’s Argentina rising like a sphinx from the ashes to take residence the trophy for the third time. What’s extra, the ultimate was some of the memorable in latest World Cup historical past.
The video games went off with out a hitch regardless of the sceptics’ fears that tiny Qatar was incapable of holding such an enormous worldwide sporting occasion ever since FIFA introduced that Qatar would maintain the World Cup in 2022. The Arab state was subjected to relentless scrutiny and condemnation by the worldwide media. Human rights grew to become a significant concern as many staff engaged in constructing the huge infrastructure confronted horrible residing situations and a few weren’t paid what was earlier promised. That additionally needed to do with contractors again residence who enticed staff with enormous pay packets. Qatar and plenty of within the Arab World noticed this because the West’s prejudice towards a tiny nation that dared to dream of internet hosting the World Cup with not a lot footballing custom.
Qatar’s ruling household had at all times wished to point out the world that the nation was able to being nearly as good as the remainder. Qatar launched Al Jazeera which might compete any day with all different worldwide tv channels. It doesn’t simply cater to Qatar however to a a lot wider pan-Arab viewers throughout North Africa and West Asia. As Qatar’s regional position is rising and because it turns into a extra self-confident nation, it won’t take allegations meekly.
And sure, there have been many linked to the World Cup. There have been extensively reported prices of bribery, of shopping for the rights to host the video games and Belgium has arrested 4 individuals, together with the Vice President of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili, a Greek Member of European Parliament, for corruption. Raids performed in a number of areas led to the invention of $1.6 million in money in slush funds. Allegations are that the cash was paid to Kaili to assist Qatar’s bid for the World Cup. A number of FIFA officers are additionally underneath the scanner.
Following the investigations, Qatar officers have been denied entry to the European Parliament on fears that after once more cash may very well be used to bribe MEPs to stall the corruption case now being taken up by Belgium authorities in Brussels. In keeping with reviews within the European press, the scandal is not only about soccer and likewise extends to Afghanistan the place bribes had been allegedly paid to assist European nationals escape from the nation underneath Taliban rule. Additional particulars are usually not identified to this point.
Qatar has rejected all allegations of bribery and has as a substitute performed the sufferer card. Officers in Doha stated that Qatar has been unfairly focused and refused entry to EU Parliament with meagre proof. Euro Information quoted a Qatari official assertion as as saying that the choice to impose “such a discriminatory restriction” earlier than the investigation has ended “will negatively have an effect on regional and world safety cooperation, in addition to ongoing discussions round world power poverty and safety”.
Qatar has given a menace to Europe to cease provides of liquefied pure gasoline. Sitting on massive reserves of gasoline, it has the world’s third highest reserve subsequent solely to Russia and Iran. With gasoline reserves of round 871,585,000 million cubic ft, Doha now has the choice to take a robust stand towards what it claims is unfair remedy.
For the reason that conflict in Ukraine, Russia is within the canine home. The USA has slapped unprecedented sanctions on Russia and all US allies have been requested to cease provides from Russia. Because the world’s largest producer of pure gasoline, Europe has so lengthy been depending on Moscow for its provides. Europeans have vowed to cut back and at last cease all gas purchases from Russia in order to dent President Vladimir Putin’s capability to finance his conflict efforts.
Contemplating that Europe is desperately searching for alternate options to interchange Russian gasoline, Qatar with massive portions of pure gasoline is able to name the pictures. European governments are searching for different suppliers. Many have zeroed in on Qatar.
Hectic diplomatic efforts are on by France, Germany, and the EU to purchase gasoline from Qatar. France had been first off the mark. France is collaborating with Qatar on long-term power sector growth. As early as the top of 2021, President Emmanuel Macron visited Qatar. A memorandum of perceive on growth and financial progress was signed throughout the go to. Although the Ukraine Struggle had not began when Macron was in Doha, the state of affairs has progressively change into extra tense after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. European leaders had been involved about Russia’s transfer since 2021 because the confrontation escalated between Moscow and Kyiv.
In September, the EU inaugurated delegation workplaces in Doha to enhance diplomatic ties with Qatar. The concept once more was to advertise long-term power ties. Germany can be hoping to work out long run LNG provides.
To date Qatar has merely threatened to cease sale of LNG to Europe with out doing really doing so. A lot will depend upon what the investigations lastly reveal. No matter occurs, Qatar, smarting from what it believes is unfair remedy by the western media, will take a robust stand and current its aspect of the case to the world.
