Qatari Emir’s mother removed from awards ceremony nomination

CAIRO – 8 July 2017: The Arab Women Foundation has withdrawn the nomination of Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned, mother of the current Emir of Qatar and wife to the former ruler, from the seventh First Arab Lady Awards scheduled for 2017, the U.A.E. state news agency WAM reported on Saturday.

The foundation also froze all forms of communication and engagement with Qatari bodies concerned with women’s issues in protest against “the dangerous role played by Qatar in harboring terrorism and extremism entities and conspiring against the safety of Arab states.”

The foundation said that their Board of Directors has unanimously adopted a decision to cancel the nomination file of Mozah Al-Missned for the final award and to delete all references to her in all communications of the foundation.

Mohammed Al-Dulaimi, the Secretary-General of the Arab Women Foundation said ,“the decision to cancel the nomination of Mozah Al-Missned for the most prestigious Arab award presented for the First Arab Ladies, who was nominated months ago, came in the light of statements and definitive evidence revealed to the public that condemn the Government of Qatar and its rulers for supporting and financing terrorism in all its forms and promoting the discourse of hatred and extremism among peoples.” He added that this contradicts with the criteria and pillars for nominations for the award.

He also called on all civil society organizations and all Arab women unions to boycott Qatar's organizations and research centers that have become “sleeping cells to spread division and rivalry among the components of the nation to achieve a harmful agenda aimed at breaking all pillars of joint Arab action.”