Niche small States in humanitarian diplomacy: Qatar’s positionality in the protection ecosystem

Humanitarian diplomacy emerged as a concept in the 2000s to describe the vital work
effected by non-State humanitarian organizations to negotiate access, protect civilians
and uphold humanitarian principles. This paper charts the rise of State-led
humanitarian diplomacy in the Middle East, arguing for the need to expand the
conventional lens that is focused on non-State actors. It does so through a detailed
examination of Qatar, a case study that has emerged over the last two decades as a
significant State actor engaging in a range of forms of humanitarian diplomacy.
Following a brief theoretical examination of the concept of humanitarian
diplomacy, the paper describes Qatar’s role in humanitarian diplomacy in relation
to the changing context of armed conflict and humanitarian response in the
Middle East. It then presents a categorization of Qatar’s humanitarian diplomacy,
employing a framework structured around multiple levels including practice, policy
and normative/ideational, carried out by both non-State and State actors. Finally, the paper reflects on the significance of Qatar’s experience and the implications it may
have on the conduct of humanitarian diplomacy in the region, and in particular what
a niche small State can do to contribute to the protection of the humanitarian sphere.