Jabri Bin Ali Al-Dosary was the Qatar Ambassador to Kenya from March 2018 to July 2023.
He stood out as the representative from the Middle East who made a mark as an envoy who played a big role in humanitarian assistance and enhancing relations between the East African country and Qatar.
During his time in the country, the name of Arab countries, namely Qatar, dominated the news headlines in East Africa.
Al-Dosary was politically and humanitarian engaged. During the tour of Kibera slums in Nairobi, several individuals said they used to receive support from Qataris but this was cut after the exit of the former ambassador in 2023.
Ambassador Al-Dosary was actively interested in addressing social problems in Kenya, especially in the slums. He had plans to build avoidable houses for Kenyans, which President William Ruto later picked up.
Ambassador Al-Dosary supported former president Uhuru Kenyatta’s development blueprint, The Big 4 Agenda, which included; Food Security; Affordable Housing; Manufacturing, and Affordable Healthcare.
Unlike the US Ambassador Meg Whitman who is always in the media, Al-Dosary was a behind-the-scene operator but very much effective.
Al-Dosary was not only involved in humanitarian activities in the slums but also in other countries like Narok. In June 2019, the former Governor of Narok County, Samuel Kuntai Ole Tunai entered into cooperation over Tourism and Agriculture.
“We explored the possibility of promoting the Masai Mara Game Reserve as a tourist destination to Qatari nationals through various platforms. we deliberated on how to export value-added wheat, maize, sugar, and importantly, high-quality beef products to Doha” said Mr Tunai.
The only challenge is that the practice of international diplomacy does not allow an envoy to serve in the same situation twice, even though the people in Kibera miss Al-Dosary.
In September 2018, the then UN-Habitat Executive Director, Maimunah Mohd Sharif held talks with Al-Dosari focusing on the cooperation with Qatar in areas of sustainable urban development. Tope on the agenda was the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
They include: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; universal primary education; promoting gender equality and empowering women; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; and ensuring environmental sustainability.
UN-Habitat presented proposals to the Government of Qatar, through its Embassy in Nairobi, to support its activities in the areas of youth, livelihoods, water and sanitation, housing, and infrastructure rehabilitation in Kenya and Somalia.
