Permanent Representative of Qatar in Geneva H E Dr. Hend bint Abdalrahman Al Muftah, UNCTAD Secretary-General H E Rebeca Grynspan, and other dignitaries at the event.
Geneva: Qatar's Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva organised an official ceremony at the Mission’s headquarters to honour Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) H E Rebeca Grynspan for winning the ‘Doha Best Negotiator of the Year’ Award, which is awarded annually by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in recognition of outstanding contributions to international negotiation and mediation.
In her speech at the ceremony, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN Office and other international organisations in Geneva H E Dr. Hend bint Abdalrahman Al Muftah welcomed the attendees, including ambassadors, diplomats, and representatives of international organisations, as well as officials from the UNITAR and the ADN Group, an international agency specialising in negotiation.
She said that the 2024 award is special to Qatar, as it has been named the ‘Doha Best Negotiator of the Year’ Award, given its announcement during the Doha World Negotiation Day, hosted by the UNITAR and the ADN Group, in partnership with the Doha Forum.
Organising this ceremony falls within the framework of Qatar’s commitment to promoting a culture of negotiation, mediation, and peaceful solutions, she added, noting that these principles constitute fundamental pillars of Qatari foreign policy. She further added that the award aims to honour individuals who effectively contribute to resolving international conflicts and finding humane, just, and sustainable settlements.
Over the past two decades, Qatar has acted as a neutral, reliable, and responsible mediator, and has achieved a remarkable record of successes in dozens of regional and international issues, including establishing ceasefires, restoring diplomatic relations, releasing hostages, exchanging prisoners, paving the way for national dialogue, resolving border disputes, achieving humanitarian outcomes, and concluding peace agreements in numerous regional and global conflicts, she said.
She also commended the career of H E Grynspan who deserved the award for her pivotal role in the Istanbul agreements, including the Black Sea Initiative, which facilitated the export of millions of tons of grain and food supplies from Ukraine, helping to support global food security and reduce famine in low-income countries.
Commending Grynspan’s commitment to ethical standards, to protecting human rights, and to environmental considerations in the negotiation process, she emphasized that these values represent the essence of effective diplomacy.
