President Joe Biden on Monday announced he’s designating Qatar a major non-NATO ally, a largely symbolic honor but one that was meant to convey his administration’s gratitude for the tiny Persian Gulf nation’s assistance during last year’s U.S. evacuations in Afghanistan and in ending last year’s Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Biden announced the designation during a meeting with the ruling leader of Qatar at the White House on Monday. It comes as he looks for the gas-rich nation to step up once again to help the West as it faces the prospect of a European energy crunch if Russia invades Ukraine.
“Qatar is a good friend and a reliable partner,” Biden said. “I’m notifying Congress that I will designate Qatar as a major non NATO ally to reflect the importance of the relationship. It’s long overdue.”
The move could be helpful in Qatar’s bid to get U.S. approval for a more than $500 million sale of MQ-9 Reaper drones The request has been languishing since 2020, when Trump was still in office.
