Rabat – In a speech he gave today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani spoke out against the “anti-Arab attacks” his country has been receiving as the first Arab country to host the FIFA World Cup.
“For decades now, the Middle East has suffered from discrimination,” said the Qatari Emir, adding that this discrimination is “based on people not knowing us, and in some cases, refusing to get to know us.”
He further said that while Qatar is not perfect, it is “constantly trying to improve, and [is] full of hope for a brighter future.”
The major investments that have gone into the realization of projects such as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the ambitious bridge and tunnel system, Sharq Crossing, reflect the steps the Gulf country has made in recent years towards a “brighter future.”
Emir Tamim concluded his Davos speech by expressing his pride in “the development, reform, and progress” that his country has made in the past few years. “We are grateful for the spotlight that the World Cup provided, which inspired [Qatar] to make these changes at lightning-speed,” said.
Emir Tamim’s words come after many expressed their disagreement with Qatar hosting the World Cup.
A number of human rights activists have attacked Qatar and called on FIFA to strip the Gulf country of the rights to host the World Cup due to alleged human rights violations.
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Some football federations around the world have also called for boycotting the Qatari World Cup over claims of systemic violation of the rights of migrant workers who built the stadiums and other venues like hotels as Qatar prepared to host world football’s biggest event.
Lise Klaveness, Norway’s Football Federation President, said in a speech on March 31 that FIFA’s decision to allow Qatar to host the World Cup was “unacceptable.”
Klaveness was influenced by an open letter by the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPRO), CNN reported at the time. The letter, which was released to the public on March 30, 2022, criticized the “poor working” conditions migrants work under in Qatar.
In response to the claims, the Qatari Emir emphasized in his Davos speech that other countries have staged major events, “despite the fact that each of those countries has its own particular problems and challenges.”
