Doha, Qatar – 28 September 2026: The Middle East Council on Global Affairs (ME Council) and the Institut français du Qatar (IFQ), the Department of Cooperation and Cultural Action of the French Embassy in Qatar, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today to deepen ties between researchers and academic, intellectual, and cultural communities in Qatar, France, and the wider region.
The MoU was signed at the ME Council in Doha by Dr. Khalid Al-Jaber, Executive Director of the ME Council, and Dr. Chrystelle Schaegis, Director of the IFQ, in the presence of H.E. Arnaud Pescheux, Ambassador of France to the State of Qatar.
The agreement brings together the ME Council’s expertise in policy research and regional affairs and the Institut français du Qatar’s work in promoting cultural, educational, intellectual, and linguistic cooperation. Through the partnership, the two institutions will seek to strengthen cooperation in research, policy dialogue, and cultural and intellectual exchange.
The partnership also reflects the growing importance of cultural diplomacy in building trust, strengthening relationships between institutions and societies, and sustaining dialogue across geographic boundaries. At a time of heightened intellectual polarization and competing narratives, cultural and intellectual exchange can provide additional spaces for engagement, mutual understanding, and dialogue.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr. Khalid Al-Jaber, Executive Director of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, said:
“The partnership between the Middle East Council and the French Institute in Qatar is rooted in our shared belief in the importance of intellectual and cultural dialogue as a powerful means of building mutual understanding and advancing progress across different fields. This vision will be put into practice through panel and roundtable discussions, workshops, and training programs, as well as initiatives that bring together researchers and thinkers at a time when building bridges and strengthening understanding between societies is more important than ever.”
He added: “This partnership is part of the Council’s efforts to advance cultural diplomacy as a bridge for strengthening ties between intellectual institutions and opening new avenues for cooperation and dialogue between Doha and Paris.”
H.E. Arnaud Pescheux, Ambassador of France to the State of Qatar, said: “France and Qatar share a long history of intellectual and cultural dialogue. Qatar has also established itself as a power of mediation and France as a power of balance – both committed, well beyond this region alone, to a rules-based international order. Academic and policy research have a vital role to play in that endeavor, helping to generate the ideas and solutions the world needs. This partnership between the Middle East Council and the Institut français du Qatar is a natural extension of that shared commitment, and I am confident it will open meaningful opportunities for research, education, and exchange in the years ahead.”
Dr. Chrystelle Schaegis, Director of the Institut français du Qatar, said:
“The French Institute in Qatar is the only European cultural centre of its kind in Qatar and the country’s leading institution dedicated to promoting the French language and Francophone culture.
Through this MoU, we have much to contribute across a broad range of areas, including scientific and university cooperation, education, language, and culture. These forms of cultural diplomacy are at the very heart of our mission and expertise.
Our programme for the coming year includes, for instance, the Night of Ideas, which is expected to take place in November 2026 and will bring together leading thinkers and intellectuals around the theme of « Ouvrir la voie » – Opening the way.
We would be delighted to work closely with the Middle East Council on this initiative, combining our respective expertise, sharing perspectives and creating new opportunities for dialogue and cooperation. Together, we can contribute to fostering the ideas, connections and collaborations that will help shape the world of tomorrow.”
The partnership will create opportunities for the two institutions to combine their expertise and networks to advance research, policy dialogue, and cultural and intellectual exchange, while strengthening connections between Qatar, France, and the wider region.
About the Middle East Council on Global Affairs
The Middle East Council on Global Affairs (ME Council) is an independent, non-profit policy research institution based in Doha, Qatar. The Council conducts policy-relevant research, convenes dialogues, and engages policymakers and experts on geopolitical, socioeconomic, and governance issues affecting the Middle East and North Africa and its relations with the wider world.
About the Institut français du Qatar
The French Institute of Qatar, the country’s only European and Francophone cultural centre, is a leading institution for French-language education and cultural activities related to the Francophonie and French culture. Through a rich and diverse programme spanning cinema, music, visual arts and more, it promotes French and Qatari artistic creation, organises major annual events, and fosters artistic and cultural exchange.
As an accredited examination centre, it prepares candidates for and administers official examinations and qualifications issued by the French Ministry of National Education (DELF–DALF and TCF), the Alliance Française (DAEFLE), and the Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TEF), as well as the CIMA diploma awarded by the Institut du monde arabe.
