Inter-Parliamentary relations, peace and education - a focus for a historic visit from House of Commons Speaker to Qatar

The Speaker began his official visit with an audience with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Speaker held meetings with his counterpart, HE Hassan Al-Ghanim, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, CEO of the Qatar Foundation.

The Speaker attended public engagements taking questions from students at the Community College Qatar University and pupils from Doha College and Parkhouse School about his role as Speaker, how the parliamentary system in the UK works and the recent election. The Speaker met UK university alumni at a reception by the British Council hearing about the important role the education sector has played in building partnerships between the two countries.

The Speaker was visiting to further parliamentary relations, strengthen the relationship between the two countries and promote greater inter-parliamentary cooperation, including exchanges and exploring opportunities for cooperation between the two parliaments.

This is the first ever visit of the Speaker of the House of Commons to Qatar and comes as part of the Speaker Hoyle’s role in leading UK’s parliamentary diplomacy, seeking to establish enduring ties between countries and parliamentarians.