DOHA, Dec. 6, 2025 – The 23rd Doha Forum opened Saturday in Qatar’s capital under the theme “Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress,” attracting more than 6,000 leaders, diplomats, thinkers, and activists from over 150 countries to confront a world plagued by war, inequality, and the erosion of international law.
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, delivered the keynote address, warning that humanity is trapped in “an unprecedented cycle of crises” driven by a pervasive culture of impunity. “Justice has, in many cases, become invisible on the path of international law,” he said, pointing to weakened legal mechanisms and selective enforcement that have deepened conflicts from Gaza to Ukraine to Sudan. He described mediation not as an occasional diplomatic tool but as a foundational pillar of Qatar’s foreign policy — “not a political luxury but a deep-rooted and consistent method.”
Sheikh Mohammed called for urgent restoration of trust in the global legal order and the creation of a fairer system that applies the same standards to all nations. He stressed that regional challenges cannot be isolated from the broader decline in respect for international norms and human rights.
The two-day summit, held under the patronage of Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the Sheraton Doha Hotel, features an unusually high-profile and diverse guest list. Among the most notable attendees is Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, making his first major international appearance since the fall of Bashar al-Assad exactly one year ago. Al-Sharaa, the former leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham who dissolved the group after taking power, met Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on the sidelines to discuss refugee returns and border security.
Other prominent figures include Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, World Economic Forum President Børge Brende, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, and foreign ministers from Nigeria, Liberia, Greece, and Iraq.
- The 2025 program, developed in partnership with leading global think tanks, includes hard-hitting sessions such as:
- “The Gaza Reckoning: Reassessing Global Responsibilities and Pathways to Peace,” moderated by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour and featuring President al-Sharaa;
- “Gulf–EU Relations in the Age of Strategic Isolation,” exploring energy security and migration cooperation;
- “AI as a Double-Edged Sword: Strategies for Responsible Use in the Military Domain,” examining ethical risks of autonomous weapons;
- “US–China Relations: Navigating the Risks and Opportunities of a Changing Global Order,” analyzing trade wars and technological decoupling under the second Trump administration.
Additional panels address Asia’s role in 21st-century governance, youth-driven climate solutions, and the future of multilateral institutions.
Qatar has positioned the Doha Forum as a neutral space where adversaries can speak directly, a role it has played in real-world crises: hosting U.S.–Taliban talks, mediating the October 2025 Gaza ceasefire, and brokering prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. This year’s emphasis on “justice in action” reflects growing frustration with institutions seen as paralyzed or selectively blind — a sentiment echoed across the Middle East, Africa, and the Global South.
Executive Director Mubarak Ajlan Al-Kuwari described the gathering as a deliberate effort to move “from dialogue to deliverables,” while General Manager Maha Al-Kuwari emphasized that justice must be a shared responsibility rather than a slogan. Bill Gates, in his keynote, linked global health inequities directly to ongoing conflicts, announcing an additional $2 billion commitment for vaccine access in fragile states.
The forum builds on last year’s edition, themed “The Innovation Imperative,” which drew 5,000 participants and focused on technology’s role in solving geopolitical and security challenges. That event honored journalists covering the early stages of the Gaza war, including Al Jazeera’s Wael al-Dahdouh.
As the summit continues Sunday with closed-door working groups and bilateral meetings, participants are expected to issue policy recommendations on Gaza reconstruction, Syrian transition support, AI governance frameworks, and reforms to international financial institutions.
In an era of deepening polarization, the Doha Forum remains one of the few remaining platforms where leaders from opposing camps — from post-Assad Syria to Western powers, from Gulf monarchies to European democracies — sit at the same table. Whether those conversations translate into the concrete progress the organizers demand will be the true measure of this year’s gathering.
