107Received 26.06.2023. Revised 01.08.2023. Accepted 02.08.2023.
Acknowledgements. The article was prepared within the project “Post-crisis world order: challenges and technologies, competition and cooperation” supported by the grant from Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation program for research projects in priority areas of scientific and technological development (Agreement no. 075-15-2020-783).
Abstract. Foreign policy of Qatar, a dwarf emirate with considerable geographic and demographic limitations, demands special attention. Not only has this small Gulf monarchy succeeded in overcoming its smallness, but also managed to establish itself as an influential actor, both regionally and internationally, in the shortest possible time, breaking and revolutionizing conventional perceptions of capabilities and opportunities of small states in world politics. The paper aims to explore various characteristics of Qatar’s foreign policy, its main principals and goals, instruments and paths of their implementation, as well as its achievements. The author also intends to determine the essence of Qatari foreign political identity and its components, arguing that it was the key to the small Gulf emirate’s global success. Through formulation and assertion of its exceptionalism, skilled promotion of its image as a modern and progressive state, useful military and political partner, reliable supplier of fuel, sought-after international mediator and donor of humanitarian assistance, powerful investor, a transport, cultural, educational, financial hub and a tourist destination in combination with efficient balancing strategy, Doha was able to carve a distinguished niche for itself and cement its position as an important global actor. Despite of a number of setbacks in foreign policy tactics and reputational losses that followed, regardless of speculations about the unrepairable damage to all the previous achievements, the young emir has proven his commitment to the resonant foreign political identity his predecessor had shaped. Its core elements include demonstrative independence and self-sufficiency, exceptionalism distinguishing the emirate form other Gulf monarchies, refusal to accept the bounds of conventional perceptions of “friends” and “foes”, combination of traditions and modernity, as well as vision and proactivity.
Keywords: Qatar, foreign policy, small Gulf monarchies, foreign political identity, balancing strategy
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