In brief
At the Oxford Union, Qatar’s foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced a new label for small states – "Thriving States" – and urged them to unite for global peace. He highlighted the importance of collective action and mentioned ongoing mediation efforts between the US and Iran.
At a Friday session of the Oxford Union, Qatar’s foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani introduced the idea of a new *Thriving States* bloc, a coalition of small nations that could together help build a global "supply chain of peace." He spoke from Doha, citing his country as an example of how a small state can turn its size into an advantage.
In his address, the minister defined the "Thriving States" as agile, stable, prosperous and trusted nations that have turned their size into an advantage and have become significant contributors to global peace and prosperity. He said the bloc would not act individually but would combine expertise, economic capabilities and diplomatic networks to maintain stability worldwide.
Sheikh Mohammed warned that "smaller states are increasingly the first casualties in conflicts not of their own making," and urged that these states cannot resolve challenges alone.
He also spoke about ongoing mediation efforts related to the war between the United States and Iran. "Doha has worked with US administration colleagues who have very genuine intentions to find a way to contain the situation and de‑escalate it," the minister added, noting that the efforts continue to prevent escalation.
Speaking about the situation in Tehran, he said "thanks also to some wise voices in Tehran, we have prevented that from getting out of control." He added that political changes following the election "may affect their policies in the future, but it does not affect their intentions."
When asked about the pace of diplomacy, the minister remarked that "it is not as active as it was a few days ago," but emphasised that "our engagement did not stop and will not stop."
"We cannot outsource our stability, nor should we surrender to inaction. History is littered with the ghosts of passive onlookers and only celebrates those who act to shape it," said Sheikh Mohammed at the Union.He further explained that "we will never have a perfect peace deal, but we cannot just wait for this moment of a perfect deal and avoid having a good deal."
The declaration of a *Thriving States* bloc marks a new diplomatic concept that the minister believes small states can bring together to act in a more structured and cumulative way on global peace issues.
For Qatar, the initiative aligns with its broader foreign‑policy objective of leveraging its strategic position to mediate and support conflict resolution between larger powers.
The Oxford Union, a historic debating society, has been the venue for numerous diplomatic speeches in the past. The minister’s proposal was met with comments from other international observers in the following day’s press briefings, although no other source materials double‑checked those remarks.
In conclusion, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani’s call for the *Thriving States* bloc underscores a proactive stance by small nations to shape an overarching framework for peace, echoing Doha’s role as a mediator in current geopolitical tensions.
