Qatar’s Quiet Rise as Africa’s Unexpected Peacemaker

Qatar has quietly carved out a role as a key mediator in some of Africa’s most entrenched conflicts, deploying its wealth and diplomatic finesse to broker peace where others have stumbled. From securing hostage releases in Eritrea to facilitating rare talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, the Gulf state has positioned itself as a neutral player in a continent long plagued by violence and mistrust. Yet, its growing influence in Africa is complicated by persistent American skepticism about its foreign policy, particularly its support for Islamist movements in the Middle East.

In the United States, critics, including policymakers and community leaders, question Qatar’s status as a Major Non-NATO Ally. They point to its historical backing of the Muslim Brotherhood, funding of groups accused of promoting anti-Semitism, and the ethical controversies surrounding its state-owned Al Jazeera network. Many argue that Qatar’s financial generosity, often perceived as a tool for influence, destabilizes the Middle East by bolstering groups like Hamas. Qatari officials counter that their mediation efforts, including with the Taliban and Hamas, have been at the behest of successive U.S. administrations, from President Donald J. Trump to President Joe Biden, filling gaps where Washington lacked leverage. They also highlight their cooperation with U.S. military and intelligence officials as critical to counterterrorism in volatile regions.

In Africa, Qatar’s diplomatic track record speaks for itself. In 2008, when Eritrean forces invaded Djibouti, kidnapping soldiers and civilians, Qatar’s intervention secured the release of most prisoners, including some Eritrea initially denied holding. More recently, in March 2025, Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, hosted a landmark trilateral meeting in Doha with President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda—the first direct talks between the two leaders in three years. These efforts, followed by Qatar’s discreet engagement with the M23 insurgent group, de-escalated a military buildup in eastern Congo, a region scarred by violence since the 1994 Rwandan genocide. A peace agreement between Congo and Rwanda is set to be signed in Washington today, with prospects for a presidential ceremony involving Tshisekedi and Kagame.

“In Africa, Qatar isn’t picking sides, which is why they’ve succeeded where others haven’t.” — Comfort Ero, president of the International Crisis Group

This pragmatic approach has filled a void left by other powers. France, once a dominant force in African diplomacy, has faced a string of setbacks over the past 15 years. Its colonial legacy and heavy-handed interventions in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have fueled anti-French sentiment, leading to military withdrawals and eroded influence in the Sahel. Similarly, Russia’s operational capacity in Africa has waned since the defeat of the Wagner Group in Ukraine in 2023, which disrupted Moscow’s ability to sustain mercenary-driven influence in countries like the Central African Republic and Sudan. Qatar, unburdened by such historical or ideological baggage in Africa, has capitalized on these gaps, using skilled diplomacy—and, some speculate, financial incentives—to build trust among conflicting parties.

Despite these successes, Qatar’s African diplomacy is viewed warily in the United States, particularly among American Jews, who question Doha’s role in mediating the Israel-Hamas conflict. Many see its financial support for Hamas as undermining its credibility as a neutral broker. Qatar’s defenders argue that its African engagements demonstrate a non-ideological flexibility absent in its Middle East policy, where ties to Islamist groups sow distrust. The contrast is stark: in Africa, Qatar’s mediation in Eritrea and Congo has prioritized pragmatism over ideology, while in the Middle East, its alignment with certain groups raises questions about its motives.

As Qatar seeks to expand its African footprint, opportunities abound in conflict zones like the Central African Republic, Somalia, and Cameroon, where insurgency between the Francophone government and Anglophone separatists persists. Yet, Doha’s challenge remains clear: to sustain its role as a global mediator, it must address the contradictions between its African successes and its Middle East entanglements. Qatar’s ability to navigate this divide will determine whether its African gambit can reshape its global image—or remain overshadowed by skepticism.

Roman Hryshchenko, Ph,D

Special Representative

for the International Human Rights Agency "West Support"