Qatar vigorously weapon in a tense regional context – Les Echos

INSIGHT – Doha accelerates its weapons program since the Arab Spring

It was during a stopover in. Doha Monday, properly programmed on top of the path of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), Francois Hollande to sign the contract with the emir export Gust. This is the first time a foreign leader is invited to a summit of the GCC (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait), says one at the Elysee Palace, an honor illustrating the “ reputation for reliability of Paris ” militarily. A reputation tarnished by not breaking the Mistral contract with Russia in view of the three contracts Rafale exports in Egypt, India and Qatar today.

It is no coincidence that the Rafale is purchased by these three countries on the eastern edge of a region close hotter than ever. Qatar enjoys even the dubious privilege of being the first lodges or actor wars can spread to the entire region (Yemen, Iraq and Syria) on background of rivalry between Riyadh and Tehran, and even less than three hours plane of the majority of current conflicts (Somalia, Afghanistan, Sudan-South). Only wars in Ukraine and Nigeria do not resonate in Doha.

head Trio

Because of this growing tension, the emirate accelerates its weapons program since Arab Spring in which he was involved financially and politically for the camp of the Muslim Brotherhood, angering its Saudi neighbor. Doha has signed for $ 11 billion of purchases missiles and helicopters in the US in July and $ 23 billion in March 2014 for air tankers to Airbus and US Apache helicopters.

It is for this small emirate of 2.3 million inhabitants, of which only 13% of Qatari citizenship compensate its demographic inferiority (it aligns as 12,000 soldiers) by weapons art. Qatar is in the top three countries with the highest military expenditure as a proportion of GNP, about 10% (against 1.5% only five years ago), five times more than European countries. With gas revenues of the ranking second in the world for GDP per capita, Qatar may invest $ 500 million a week.

It usually buys US since Washington, which has of a base in the country, is the protector of the oil monarchies. This does not prevent Qatar, like most other importers, not put all your eggs in one basket. “ They are keen to have two feet, one American and the other French” says a local diplomat.