The Strategy of Small State in Mediation: Qatar s Engagement in the Afghanistan Peace Process

This paper examines how small state, Qatar, utilizes mediation as a key tool of foreign policy strategy to maximize its geopolitical influence in the West Asian Region. Despite small geographical size and military capability, Qatar strategically employs culture, economics and media to shape the perception of the country. The study analyses the Qatari role in facilitating mediation in the signing of the United States (U.S.)-Taliban agreement. The paper highlights the limitation of realist approach in mediating the conflict in Afghanistan, which emphasizes formal alliances and national security to resolve the conflict through military means in international politics. In contrast to this, in mediation strategy, an impartial third party provides help to disputing parties to search the common ground for negotiations and peace settlements. The study concludes that how Qatar can mediate the regional conflict through the various mediation strategies such as financial assistance, humanitarian aids and cultural diplomacy to bring peace and prosperity across the region.

Keywords:
Mediation, small-state diplomacy, Afghan peace process, geopolitical influence