Qatar and Belgium have formalized an agreement to enhance cooperation between their police forces, signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) during a recent meeting between their interior ministers. The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the Milipol Qatar 2026 exhibition, where Qatar’s Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force, HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, met with Belgian Minister of Security and Interior Bernard Quintin.

The agreement aims to strengthen collaboration in several areas, including information exchange, training, and joint efforts to combat organized crime, drug and weapons trafficking, and terrorism. Both ministers discussed enhancing and developing the existing cooperative ties primarily in the security and policing sectors, emphasizing the importance of translating bilateral agreements into practical implementation.

Minister Quintin highlighted that the MoU builds upon strong existing relations between Qatar and Belgium, which extend beyond government institutions to include people-to-people connections and ties between the two countries’ royal families. He described Qatar and Belgium as “natural allies,” noting their shared interests and geographic characteristics such as access to the sea, which presents both opportunities and security threats.

Quintin also expressed admiration for Qatar’s security systems and expertise, particularly mentioning Barzan Holdings, and indicated a desire to explore co-operation opportunities that could strengthen Belgium’s security capabilities through knowledge exchange and technological collaboration.

The Belgian minister reaffirmed his commitment to starting concrete cooperation in the coming weeks and stressed the significance of giving “life” to the agreement by implementing practical measures rather than merely signing documents. Both sides view the MoU as another step in a longstanding relationship that seeks to enhance coordination and foster shared expertise in tackling security challenges.