Qatar and the West Virginia National Guard are entering their fourth year of a formal partnership encompassing active engagements, training opportunities and interoperability of forces.

The two formed the partnership in 2021 under the US National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program (SPP). The relationship marks a milestone in military cooperation and the strategic alliance between Qatar and the US state.

The journey to this partnership began in 2016 when the Qatari Ministry of Defense formally requested a partnership through the SPP. By 2018, West Virginia had become Qatar's partner state.

They sealed the partnership with a signing ceremony in Doha on June 21, 2021, attended by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice.

West Virginia and Qatar work to facilitate unique joint training opportunities.

Brig. Gen. William Crane, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, noting Qatar's role in supporting global peace and stability.

"Qatar is a key ally to the United States and is no stranger to supporting global peace and stability," Crane said in a statement. "Our strategic alliance helps further advance US and Middle East national security and peace objectives in the region, and there is much that we can learn from our allies in Qatar."

The US Defense Department launched the SPP 30 years ago to build and strengthen military-to-military and civilian-to-military relationships between US states and partner countries.

The SPP links a unique component of the Department of Defense, a state's National Guard, with the armed forces or equivalent of a partner country in a cooperative, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship.

The SPP has been building relations for more than 30 years and now includes 96 partnerships with 106 nations.

Active engagement

Through this program, the West Virginia National Guard and Qatar's International Military Cooperation Authority have actively engaged in a variety of training opportunities and military-to-military exchanges to improve the interoperability of forces.

Their collaboration is crucial for deterring and disrupting crime and terrorism in the Middle East.

The West Virginia National Guard has extensively trained Qatari forces, covering special forces operations, domestic response, civil support and contingency operations.

Engagements have also centered on emergency response, land forces interoperability, the intelligence enterprise, and professional development, including multilateral security planning and execution for the 2022 FIFA World Cup hosted by Qatar.

By sharing knowledge and expertise, West Virginia and Qatar are better equipped to handle a wide range of challenges, from terrorism to natural disasters.