The State of Qatar participated in the World Summit on Investing in Child Well-being, held in Samarkand, Republic of Uzbekistan, from 21 to 22 October 2026, under the theme “Investing in Child Well-being: Towards Sustainable and Equitable Development for Future Generations”. Qatar was represented by HE Ms. Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, MSDF Minister. The summit was attended by a number of senior officials and representatives of governments, international organisations and institutions concerned with childhood and social development.

Qatar’s participation in the summit reflects its commitment to strengthening international cooperation and exchanging expertise and experience in child protection and care. It also reflects its support for efforts to develop social policies and programmes that contribute to child well-being and ensure that children have equal opportunities in care, education, health and social protection, enhancing their quality of life and supporting their upbringing in a safe and stable environment.

The summit discussed several key themes related to investing in child well-being, including strengthening child-sensitive social protection systems, early childhood development, and developing policies and financing mechanisms that support social care services. It also explored ways to strengthen international partnerships and expand initiatives targeting the most vulnerable groups.

The summit also highlighted the importance of investing in the early years of a child’s life as a cornerstone of sustainable human development, through supporting early education programmes, enhancing health and social care services, and developing child protection systems, ensuring fair opportunities for all children to grow and develop.

The summit included panel discussions and high-level dialogues on international experiences and practices in social investment for children, and on mechanisms to enhance integration between government sectors, international institutions and civil society. Innovative initiatives that help improve the quality of services provided to children and their families were also showcased.

The summit coincided with the Second International Congress on Childhood Cancer, which aimed to strengthen international cooperation in combating childhood cancer.

MSDF’s participation in the summit underlines Qatar’s interest in childhood and family issues and its commitment to supporting international initiatives that promote child well-being and protect children’s rights. This is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, the targets of the Third National Development Strategy 2024–2030, and Qatar National Vision 2030, which places human and social development at the top of its priorities.

On the sidelines of the summit, HE the Minister met with her counterpart, HE Mr. Mansurbek Olloyorov, Advisor to the President and Director of the National Agency for Social Protection under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The meeting reviewed areas of cooperation in social work and family affairs, and the two sides exchanged views on ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries in these fields.