UNHCR and Qatar Sign Landmark MoU to Implement National Asylum Law
UNHCR and Qatar Sign Landmark MoU to Implement National Asylum Law
Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor to the High Commissioner for Refugees and UNHCR Regional Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries (left), and Chairman of MoI Human Rights Department and Refugee Committee, Major General Abdulla Saqr Al-Mohannadi (right) at the signing of the MoU between UNHCR and MoI in Doha.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, signed today a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Interior (MoI) of the State of Qatar to advance the operationalisation of Qatar’s national asylum law. This signing marks a significant milestone in the humanitarian partnership between UNHCR and Qatar in support of refugees.
The MoU was signed by Senior Advisor to the High Commissioner for Refugees and UNHCR Regional Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries, Khaled Khalifa, and Chairman of MoI Human Rights Department and Refugee Committee, Major General Abdulla Saqr Al-Mohannadi, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Doha.
The signed MoU formalises collaboration between UNHCR and MoI to support the development of national asylum procedures, strengthen institutional capacity of relevant ministerial officials, and ensure that the provisions of Qatar’s asylum law are implemented in line with international principles and best practices. UNHCR will also deliver specialized training for relevant government entities, as well as technical and legal support.
On this occasion, Khalifa, said: “The development of a national asylum system in Qatar is an important step that reflects the State’s steadfast commitment to refugee rights and its efforts to improve protection frameworks in line with international laws. UNHCR is proud of this partnership which will contribute to creating a system that prioritizes protection, dignity, and accountability through the exchange of experiences and knowledge, as well as capacity building.”
Qatar enacted in 2018 Law No. 11 on the Regulation of Political Asylum, issued by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, establishing a permanent committee within MoI to oversee asylum procedures. The law sets out eligibility criteria for granting political asylum in Qatar and enshrines key international protection principles, including the prohibition of refoulement.
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