Minister of Public Health, H E Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud; Director of the Protocol Department at MoFA, H E Ibrahim Yousif Abdullah Fakhro; and Ambassador of Germany to Qatar H E Oliver Owcza cutting the cake to celebrate the Day of German Unity.
Doha, Qatar: The German Embassy in Doha marked the Day of German Unity on Monday with a warm and reflective celebration, as Ambassador of Germany to Qatar H E Oliver Owcza delivered a speech underscoring the historical significance of the occasion and the strengthening ties between both nations.
Present at the event were the Minister of Public Health, H E Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud, Director of the Protocol Department at MoFA, H E Ibrahim Yousif Abdullah Fakhro, along with several ambassadors, as well as other dignitaries and guests.
In his address at the event, Ambassador Owcza emphasised that the commemoration of German Unity remains a moment of profound meaning not only for Germans but also for friends of Germany around the world.
He recalled the emotional scenes of November 9, 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell, paving the way for Germany’s reunification less than a year later, on October 3, 1990.
“Everybody who experienced Germany as a divided country, Berlin as a divided city, will remember the emotional moments when the Berlin Wall finally came down,” he said.
The Ambassador highlighted that the memory of unity is inseparable from the courage of East German citizens, the solidarity movements that preceded the fall of the Wall in Central Europe, and the support of international partners who welcomed a united Germany into a peaceful European order.
“As we mark 35 years since those events, our gratitude persists,” he noted, adding that this history continues to shape Germany’s foreign policy through its commitment to peaceful conflict resolution, a rules-based international order, and free trade.
Turning to Qatar, Ambassador Owcza praised the alignment of both countries’ foreign policy principles, particularly Doha’s rising role as a mediator in global conflicts. “These principles seem to guide our host nation too,” he said, commending Qatar’s “remarkable embodiment of soft power” and its vital contributions to resolving conflicts in the Middle East. He extended appreciation to Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the Qatari government for their “outstanding contributions to international conflict resolution.”
At the same time, the Ambassador reiterated Germany’s condemnation of the attacks carried out on Qatari soil earlier in the year, describing them as “completely unacceptable and must not repeat themselves.”
Ambassador Owcza highlighted the deepening relations between Qatar and Germany over the past year, which have been marked by high-level political exchanges, business delegations, and collaborative initiatives. Politically, the year witnessed two visits to Doha by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and the launch of the bilateral strategic dialogue.
Economically, Germany has solidified its position as Qatar’s sixth-largest trade partner, with several business delegations working to expand commercial ties.
The Ambassador also highlighted joint efforts on climate change, particularly through the continuation of the “Doha Climate Talks,” a platform for discussing pressing environmental challenges.
Addressing the German community in Qatar, Ambassador Owcza switched briefly into German to express heartfelt gratitude to the engineers, educators, medical professionals, musicians, and other expatriates contributing to Qatar’s development and strengthening the reputation of “Made in Germany.”
The event concluded with acknowledgments to sponsors, musicians, and the German Embassy team, whose efforts brought the evening to life.
