Less than a month before the World Cup, Qatar’s emir has gone on the attack

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani chose to tackle critics of the Gulf state’s stance on human rights head-on, writes David Harding

Sheikh Tamim with Fifa president Gianni Infantino in Doha in April (AP)

Each year, Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, addresses the country’s Shura Council. In a country where there are few grand policy announcements from Doha’s ruler, the speeches are eagerly anticipated. They rarely disappoint.

One year he went full JFK, asking what young Qataris can do for their country, not what the uber-rich could do for them. This year’s speech, on Tuesday, was also significant.

Unsurprisingly, a little more than three weeks out from the World Cup the Gulf state is about to host, this year he chose to talk about the landmark event coming up. And what he said was thankfully not too diplomatic, and so therefore interesting.

Sheikh Tamim chose to tackle the country’s many critics head-on. Since Qatar won the right to host the tournament, way back in 2010, it has been assailed by voices mostly in the West over the country’s stance on human rights, most specifically on labour, women and LGBT+ welfare.

At the start of the criticism, Qatar tended to say little or point to the fact that it made some changes, especially in the area of worker reform. Its approach was to move away from confrontation, but in recent months, though, that has changed.

The approach from Qatar’s government and World Cup officials over time has become notably more abrasive towards critics and defensive of its record. That can also be heard away from officialdom, in talking to private individuals in Qatar, or seen when leafing through local newspapers, especially the cartoons.

Qatar and Qataris have been far more willing to go on the front foot to take on their critics, many of whom have called for a boycott of the event. The emir’s words on Tuesday reflected that.

“We initially dealt with the matter in good faith,” he told council members. But no longer. Just 26 days out from the World Cup, Doha is being far more bullish about its record.

Qatar, said the emir, has “been subjected to an unprecedented campaign that no country has ever faced”. Doha, he added, faced “fabrications and double standards that were… ferocious”.

His words – the strongest he has made publicly – would have been easily lapped up at home, but also among many in countries and regions who do not agree with the criticism almost exclusively coming from the West. Elsewhere in the world, the anticipation for this World Cup is high with little regard for the politics surrounding it.

The next few weeks will see which narrative comes out on top.

Yours,

David Harding

International editor