CUBA AND QATAR: A BOND OF FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION
Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Cuba and the State of Qatar were formally established on 13 December 1989. They are rooted in the profound friendship and mutual admiration shared between the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, and the Father Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Over nearly four decades, this relationship has evolved into a distinguished example of South-South cooperation, characterized by solidarity, mutual respect, a steadfast commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and a shared vision on key issues of the international agenda.
Bilateral cooperation in the health sector stands out as one of the hallmarks of this partnership. In January 2012, the Cuban Hospital in Dukhan was inaugurated, becoming a center of medical excellence and today a benchmark for healthcare across the Gulf region. Cuba also extended its solidarity to the State of Qatar during the COVID-19 pandemic, when members of the Henry Reeve International Medical Brigade provided medical care to more than 270,000 patients throughout the country.
The mutual commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties across diverse fields has been consistently reaffirmed through high-level exchanges. Notable milestones include the official visits to Cuba by the then Amir, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, in September 2000 and May 2008, as well as the visit by His Highness Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in November 2015. On the Cuban side, the historic leader of the Revolution and then President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Fidel Castro Ruz, paid an official visit to Qatar in May 2001, followed by the official visit of the President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, in December 2023.
The Embassy of the Republic of Cuba was inaugurated in Doha in June 1994, while the Embassy of the State of Qatar opened in Havana in October 2001, further strengthening the institutional framework of bilateral relations.
Cuba and Qatar share a common commitment to the promotion of international peace and security, as well as unwavering support for just causes, including the Question of Palestine. Beyond governmental cooperation, the relationship between the Cuban and Qatari peoples is marked by genuine friendship, mutual respect, and enduring goodwill—laying a solid foundation for a historic partnership that continues to look confidently toward the future.
