Doha, Qatar, November 29 (QNA/GNA) – Qatar, which hitherto to the commencement of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, came under intense criticisms, has now become a destination for world leaders, since the competition started.
The FIFA World Cup is likely to going to be the first in the history to see such influx of world leaders.
The opening day saw the presence of HM King Abdullah II of Jordan, HE President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria Abdelmadjid Tebboune, HE president of the Arab Republic of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, HE President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas and HE President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The opening ceremony also witnessed the participation of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HH Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, representative of HH the Emir of the State of Kuwait, Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait, and HRH Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II, Crown Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth representing His Majesty the Sultan of Oman, and HE Head of the Caretaker Government of the Lebanese Republic Najib Mikati.
HE President of the Republic of Senegal Macky Sall, HE President of the Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame, HE President of the Republic of Liberia George Weah, HE , Vice President of the Republic of Ecuador Alfredo Borreiro, HE Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres and President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach also attended the opening ceremony along with HE Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation Igor Levitin, HE Vice-President of the Republic of India Jagdeep Dhankhar, HE Vice-President of the Republic of Venezuela, Dr. Delcy Eloina Rodriguez, and HE President of the Republic of Djibouti Ismail Omar Guelleh.
It did not stop at the opening ceremony, as a number of leaders came to the State of Qatar last week, Most notably HM King Felipe VI of Spain, HE President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Akufo, and HE the Second Vice President of Costa Rica Mary Munive.
This presence of world leaders at the World Cup events and matches demonstrates the great status and friendship relations that the State of Qatar enjoys with many countries of the world, as well as the great capabilities that the country has provided for the most important world championship in football, which prompted the leaders to look closely at those capabilities.
With this rate of leaders’ coming to Doha, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is expected to be the first tournament in history to witness this number of world leaders, which confirms the great success of this edition.
GNA