Qatar Calls for Safe Navigation Through International Straits to Be Restored

Qatar has called for the prompt restoration of safe navigation through international straits, saying recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz have demonstrated the wider consequences that disruption to navigation can have for the global economy and stability.

H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the remarks during an event on straits used for international navigation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 21 September 2026.

Al Khulaifi said international straits were of vital importance to the global economy and stability. He noted that the consequences of disruption to navigation through a major strait extend far beyond the states directly concerned, adding that recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz had demonstrated this clearly from Qatar's perspective.

During his remarks, the Minister of State outlined four key points concerning straits used for international navigation.

He said the legal framework provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea should remain the starting point for addressing issues related to international straits. He also stressed the need for the interests of coastal states and states using the straits to be addressed through cooperation.

Al Khulaifi further highlighted the important supporting role that should be played by the International Maritime Organization. He also called for consideration of how the international community should respond when a strait is closed unilaterally or when navigation through it is seriously impeded.

He said Qatar's position was that the resumption of safe navigation should not depend on the resolution of every outstanding political dispute. In his view, the restoration of navigation and the resolution of political disputes could be pursued in parallel.

Al Khulaifi said the Strait of Hormuz, like any other strait used for international navigation, should be addressed through future solutions that combine respect for the Law of the Sea with a practical mechanism enabling navigation to be restored quickly.

He added that Qatar believed consideration should be given to developing an agreed roadmap setting out the steps to be followed when a strait is unilaterally closed or navigation through it is seriously disrupted.

According to the Minister of State, the roadmap should establish clear stages and defined timeframes for action. Its primary purpose would be to provide a pre-agreed pathway for communication, de-escalation and the restoration of navigation before a disruption develops into a broader international crisis.

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