New York/  29 March 2016/ The State of Qatar and the Republic of Kiribati have sign a joint statement to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The joint statement was signed by HE Qatar's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani on behalf of the State of Qatar, while it was signed for Kiribati by Permanent Representative of Republic of Kiribati to the United Nations Ambassador Makurita Baaro.

The signing of the joint statement comes within the desire of the Government of the State of Qatar and the Government of the Republic of Kiribati to strengthen and develop friendship and cooperation between their two countries in political, economic, trade, scientific, technological and cultural fields, as well as to establish bilateral relations in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter and on the basis of peaceful coexistence, equality, mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity of each country and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

The signing ceremony took place at the headquarters of Qatar's Permanent Mission to the UN in New York.