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Sheikh Thani bin Hamad Al-Thani, chairperson of the Qatar Fund for Development, led the delegation to the French capital where he co-chaired a high-level meeting with Eleonore Caroit, minister delegate to the minister for Europe and foreign affairs responsible for Francophonie, international partnerships and French citizens abroad. The gathering included representatives from the French Development Agency, Expertise France and the Crisis and Support Center to discuss enhanced institutional coordination and joint initiatives. Al-Thani and Caroit reviewed opportunities to mobilise complementary resources in support of shared humanitarian and development priorities, the Qatar News Agency reported.
The Qatar Fund for Development signed a memorandum of understanding with the Crisis and Support Center of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs during the visit, according to the Qatar News Agency. Fahad bin Hamad Al-Sulaiti, director general of the fund, and Gaël Veyssière, director of the center, inked the document in the presence of the two principals. A separate memorandum of understanding was concluded with Expertise France and signed by Al-Sulaiti and Jérémie Pellet, chief executive officer of that agency.
The agreements seek to foster joint initiatives and build institutional capacity in humanitarian crisis response, relief efforts and sustainable development, a Qatar News Agency dispatch stated. They focus particularly on fragile settings and countries affected by conflict where improved coordination can deliver better outcomes for affected communities. The pacts form part of broader efforts to expand bilateral ties between Qatar and France in international development assistance.
Qatar News Agency reported that the visit built on longstanding relations between the State of Qatar and the French Republic to reinforce dialogue on shared priorities. Al-Thani posted on X that he was pleased to meet Caroit and discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries in humanitarian work and international development. The chairperson added that the signing of the memoranda reflected the strength of bilateral relations and the shared commitment to supporting communities impacted by crises.
The Qatar Fund for Development announced agreements exceeding QR2.016 billion in 2025 that targeted more than 4.7 million beneficiaries worldwide, according to a Peninsula Qatar report on the sidelines of the Doha Forum. Those pacts spanned health services, education access, infrastructure, food security, youth and women empowerment, conflict response and climate resilience. The fund has partnered with entities including the Agence Française de Développement in previous initiatives.
QFFD and the French Development Agency agreed in December 2025 to co-finance the renovation and expansion of Saint-Joseph Hospital in East Jerusalem, an AFD press release stated. The project combined QFFD funding of $14.4 million with AFD concessional financing and an EU grant to increase specialised medical capacity including new outpatient facilities and an intensive care unit. That collaboration represented one of the first major co-financing efforts between the two organisations using shared standards for procurement and reporting.
The latest memoranda of understanding with Expertise France and the Crisis and Support Center expand the scope of technical expertise and capacity building available through QFFD partnerships, the Qatar News Agency indicated. Officials from both sides expressed intent to translate shared priorities into practical joint projects across multiple regions. The agreements were finalised on October 23, 2026, in Paris.
