Britain’s security will be strengthened through a new defence agreement signed with Qatar on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom said in a statement.
The agreement was signed by the Defence Secretary during his visit to Doha, where he met with the Amir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The new enhanced Defence Assurance Arrangement deepens the UK’s defence partnership with Qatar, paving the way for enhanced interoperability across land, air and sea.
The agreement sees the UK and Qatar commit to increasing interoperability between our Armed Forced and conducting joint planning on threat scenarios to ensure we can better face the threats of tomorrow together, the statement added.
It underlines the UK’s unwavering commitment to supporting the defence of Qatar as a key partner in the region, and to strengthen the wider strategic partnership between Qatar and the UK.
Britain’s partnership with Qatar extends beyond defence. UK exports to Qatar reached £4.4 billion in 2025, whilst Qatari investment in Britain stands at more than £40 billion, supporting jobs across fintech, life sciences, renewable energy and cyber security sectors throughout the UK.
Whilst Qatar is a key regional security partner, defence investment leader, it is also a big investor in the UK with their investment in our country currently standing at approximately £40 billion.
While in Qatar, the Defence Secretary also joined His Excellency Sheikh Saoud Bin Ali Al-Thani in co-chairing a discussion covering the latest security developments in the region.
UK Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said: “Qatar and the UK are close partners with historic defence ties going back decades. This partnership bolsters the national security of both our nations and supports stability in the Gulf region.”
“Today, we build on that proud legacy by starting a new chapter in our partnership, as we strengthen the bonds between our militaries and defence industries.”
“This is part of our drive to strike new defence deals to strengthen our alliances and our UK defence industry.”
Later in the day, the Defence Secretary visited Al Udeid Air Base where he met with Group Captain Jim Mastin, Deputy Air Component Commander, and personnel from the Royal Air Force’s 83 Expeditionary Air Group.
During the visit, he was briefed on recent operational developments and toured the Combined Air Operations Centre.
The arrangement builds on the success of the UK-Qatar Joint Typhoon Squadron, the UK’s first joint fighter jet squadron since the Second World War. This unique partnership will provide to foundation to jointly enhance our air defence capabilities and strengthen operational cooperation between British and Qatari Armed Forces.
Aligning with the government’s Plan for Change, the agreement demonstrates how Britain’s global partnerships strengthen national security through modernised armed forces and international cooperation whilst delivering tangible benefits at home through job creation and economic growth.
In another related development, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign and Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in the United Kingdom on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the area of the settlement of disputes, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.
On the Qatari side, the MoU was signed by Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi and for the UK side by Minister for the Middle East and North Africa at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Hamish Falconer.
The MoU provides for strengthening collaboration between Qatar and the United Kingdom in the fields of mediation and the peaceful settlement of disputes, as well as exchanging expertise and experiences in supporting dialogue tracks and building capacities in the field of preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution.
The Memorandum also aims to coordinate joint efforts in backing regional and global peace initiatives.
On the sidelines of this signing, both sides discussed advancing bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of mediation and regional dialogue, in addition to coordinating positions on Middle East issues of shared concern. They also conferred on the latest regional developments, especially in the Gaza Strip, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, as well as the diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation in the region. (UK Ministry of Defence; QNA; Photo © UK Ministry of Defence)
