Qatar: General Graziano visits General Al Ghanim

(To Greater Defense)
19/04/18

General Claudio Graziano's visit to Qatar ended today. Two days during which the Defense Chief of Staff met his counterpart, General Ghanim Bin Shaeen Al-Ghanim, and accompanied by the Ambassador of Italy in Doha, Pasquale Salzano, visited the National Security Shield and met political and military summits.

That today follows the meeting that took place in Rome in March 2016, at the end of today's visit General Graziano underlined "between Italy and Qatar there are relationships of friendship and trust, we are increasing cooperation in the field of defense and security, especially at this moment where we live a moment of profound instability and we face complex, multidisciplinary and global crises that must necessarily involve all actors of the international community".

The topics addressed

In talks with his counterpart, they analyzed the geostrategic situation of common interest, especially in the Middle East, and possible future areas of technical-military collaboration between the Italian and Qatari Armed Forces. 
Qatar is allied with Italy in the fight against Daesh and hosts the "Combined Air Operations Center" (CAOC) of the American forces, "fundamental for the success in the operations carried out in the fight against international terrorism"added General Graziano.

Bilateral Cooperation between Italy and Qatar

Between Italy and Qatar a structured bilateral military cooperation has been in place since 2002, with periodic meetings, the last one being in February last year, and the signing of Cooperation Plans on an annual basis, in particular sectors of high technical-operational value, such as the joint training of the army paratroopers, the Qatari aviation pilots and the training and training of the Carabinieri, to establish a police force with military status in Qatar for public order, VIP protection and counter-terrorism activities. There are frequent meetings between the two countries, the last visit dates back to last March when a Qatari delegation went to the headquarters of the Army Aviation Command in Viterbo. Furthermore, the Qatari military are regularly admitted to the national training institutes (ISSMI, IASD, Naval Academy). "The bilateral cooperation that has existed for years between the two countries is now solid and well structured. particularly important for the Italian defense is the relationship between the armed forces of Italy and Qatar".