The Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins University is honored to host Dr. Majed Al-Ansari, Spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of Qatar and Advisor to Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, on “Qatar: A Strong Mediator and its Strategic Role in the Middle East”.
Qatar has ascended to a remarkable position within the turbulent geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. Endowed with vast natural gas reserves, the once desert nation has leveraged its newfound wealth to establish itself as a crucial actor in regional affairs.
Qatar's strategic deployment of resources has transcended mere economic influence, propelling it towards a distinctive role as a mediator in seemingly intractable conflicts. From facilitating dialogue between disparate factions in a war-torn land to brokering fragile truces amongst historical adversaries, Qatar's adept diplomatic maneuvering has earned it both plaudits and scrutiny.
Join FPI Senior Fellow and Executive Director of the North Africa Initiative Hafed Al-Ghwell as he engages Dr. Al-Ansari in an insightful conversation on Qatar's strategic maneuvers amidst regional discord, its balancing act between diverse alliances, and its pivotal role as a bridge between Washington and the region.
Register for in-person attendance on Eventbrite or follow the livestream on Youtube.
About the Speakers
Dr. Majed Mohammad Hassan Abdullah Al-Ansari, Advisor to H.E. Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar.
Dr. Al-Ansari worked previously as Director of Qatar International Academy for Security Studies (QIASS) and Director of Policy Department at the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI) of Qatar University (QU). During his work at the university, he also served as an assistant professor at QU’s Department of International Affairs. Al-Ansari started his career as a researcher in international relations at the office of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2005. He also took on various roles in multiple civil society institutions. He wrote regularly in Al Sharq and Al Arab national Newspapers between 2006 and 2022. Dr. Al-Ansari serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Center for Strategic Studies at Qatar Armed Forces and is a member of the Advisory Board of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities at Hamad Bin Khalifa University.
Dr. Al-Ansari obtained his MA and Ph.D. degrees in the social change from the Cathy Marsh Institute at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, and a BA in Political Science from Leeds University in the United Kingdom, and contributed to many edited academic books such as the book "Contemporary Qatar" published by the Center for Studies in The Gulf and Springer House, and the book “The Countries of the Arab Gulf” published by the Arab Center for Research. He also published many papers in academic journals such as the Journal of Balkans and Near Eastern Studies, in addition to numerous press articles and media posts.
Hafed Al-Ghwell (Moderator), Senior Fellow at the SAIS Foreign Policy Institute (FPI).
Prior to his current role at the Foreign Policy Institute, Hafed Al-Ghwell has had a long, notable career serving in multiple distinct roles as a consultant, advisor, fellow and scholar in world-renowned think tanks, policy institutes and advisory bodies. At the Atlantic Council, Oxford Analytica, Maxwell Stamp Inc. and Foreign Reports, to list a few, Hafed Al-Ghwell specialized in the political economies of the Middle East and North Africa countries, government affairs, international relations, geopolitics and geostrategic risks. This wealth and breadth of experience dates back to his early days at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the 1980s, followed by a career spanning nearly two decades at the World Bank where he took on multiple roles in senior leadership and ultimately as an Advisor to the Dean of the Board of Executive Directors until the end of 2015. He was also a Director of External Affairs and Communication, and part of the senior management team at the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government—in partnership with Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government until 2009.
Aside from being a featured Arab voice in the Washington, D.C., policy and consultancy circuit, Hafed Al-Ghwell is also a veteran commentator and widely published columnist. His perspectives and analyses are published and televised in several languages across a wide spectrum of international media, notably the Wall Street Journal, BBC, Financial Times and Arab News, the oldest English language daily in the Arab world.
Hafed Al-Ghwell is an alumnus of George Washington University, Harvard University and Stanford University. He is also a recipient of numerous accreditations from the World Bank Group's management executive programs, focusing on public policy and global economic development.