Readout of 16th U.S.-Qatar Military Consultative Commission

Pentagon Spokesman Lt. Col. Bryon McGarry provided the following readout:

The United States and Qatar held the 16th U.S.-Qatar Military Consultative Commission (MCC) at the Pentagon on Oct. 15, 2024. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for the Middle East, Daniel B. Shapiro, and Qatar Defense Attaché to the United States, Major General Ali Al-Kuwari, co-chaired the event. The Qatari delegation included members of the Qatar Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces, including the Qatar Emiri Air Force, Qatar Emiri Engineering Corps, the Intelligence and Security Project, the Logistics and Support Authority, the International Military Cooperation Authority, and the Qatari Ministry of the Interior. The U.S. delegation included representatives from the State Department, U.S. Central Command, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

As the primary defense forum between the United States and Qatar, the MCC reinforced bilateral defense ties through discussions on confronting shared threats, advancing critical security assistance programs, expanding military cooperation, and exploring the potential for defense industrial collaboration.

DASD Shapiro and Major General Ali reaffirmed their countries' enduring commitment to the bilateral strategic partnership. The delegations exchanged perspectives on regional security challenges, including the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, Houthi threats to the free flow of international commerce in the Red Sea, and the destabilizing activities of Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups. The U.S. delegation emphasized the importance of multilateral security approaches to address shared threats.

The U.S. delegation expressed appreciation for Qatar's hosting of U.S. forces at Al Udeid Air Base, which remains essential to regional security. Both sides agreed to continue to work to develop the capabilities of the Qatari Armed Forces and deepen bilateral military cooperation through training, exercises, information-sharing, and defense trade. U.S. representatives also welcomed Qatar's central role in enabling U.S.-led regional security integration efforts, which are critical to promoting stability at a time of heightened tensions.