Relationship dossier
Italy
Qatar
Relationship assessment
Italy and Qatar cooperate in energy, investment and defense, including major Qatari naval procurement from Italy.
Italy toward Qatar
+40Italy has pursued bilateral energy and investment cooperation with Qatar and engaged in defense cooperation, including arrangements connected to Qatar’s acquisition of naval vessels from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.
Qatar toward Italy
+40Qatar has pursued bilateral energy and investment cooperation with Italy and contracted Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to supply naval vessels for the Qatari armed forces.
Overall relationship
+40The relationship is characterized by practical cooperation in energy, investment and defense, with major naval procurement linking the two countries. The known arrangements indicate sustained engagement, although their wider scope and implementation are unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Italy and Qatar have developed practical cooperation in energy, investment and defense. Italian-Qatari cooperation includes Qatar’s purchase of naval vessels from Fincantieri and energy and investment agreements. The breadth and implementation of bilateral arrangements are not fully clear.
Key developments
Qatar contracted Fincantieri to build naval vessels for its armed forces, creating a major defense-industrial link with Italy.
Italy and Qatar advanced bilateral strategic cooperation in areas including energy and investment.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral energy and investment agreements are unclear.
- Details of current defense cooperation beyond major procurement arrangements are limited.