HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi inaugurated yesterday ‘Hall 19’ at the United Nations Palace in Geneva after it was renovated and modernised with support from Qatar valued 22mn Swiss francs. The ceremony was attended by Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva Tatiana Valovaya, HE Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN Office in Geneva Ali Khalfan al-Mansouri and a number of high-ranking officials and guests.
In a speech during the inauguration ceremony, HE al-Muraikhi underlined that the contribution of Qatar to the renovation of the Hall comes in the framework of promoting the strategic partnership with the United Nations, and to contribute effectively to enabling it to achieve its lofty goals of maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, achieving international co-operation to solve the economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems, and finding appropriate solutions to the challenges and crises facing the world.
HE al-Muraikhi noted that important agreements were signed on the sidelines of Doha Forum in December 2018, including a financial contribution of $500mn over several years to support and fund the work of the United Nations and its bodies and agencies, in the framework of strengthening the relations and the strategic partnership between Qatar and the United Nations.
He said that Qatar endeavours to enhance its hosting of the offices and missions of the United Nations and other international organisations and to provide all the necessary requirements to enable them to carry out their tasks and activities in the best possible manner, noting that efforts are continuing to open the “UN House” in Doha, which includes representative offices for a number of UN agencies. Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva Tatiana Valovaya praised the generous support provided by Qatar to the United Nations and the UN Palace in Geneva to renovate Hall 19 at the UN Palace in Geneva. 
In a speech during the inauguration ceremony, the Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva said that the renovation of the Hall was the result of the generosity of Qatar which aimed to express its commitment to support the organisation’s international efforts to preserve and modernise the United Nations premises. 
She looked forward that the Hall will host future meetings of the international community as part of its efforts to find lasting solutions to current and future challenges.