Qatar is no longer the world’s largest LNG exporter, having been overtaken by Australia in 2020. But when a global gas-crunch threatens to exacerbate a ‘cost of living crisis’ in major Western economies, who does the US President pick up the phone to? Qatar.

Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani made the most of a high-profile visit to the US this week for talks with US President Joe Biden. Discussions on 31 January focused on a number of high-profile topics including the situation in Afghanistan, Iran, and the gas supply crunch. Qatar is a key player in all three; it has long been a mediator between the US and the Taliban, it has traditionally sought to balance its relationship between the Gulf Arab states and Iran, and it is the second largest global LNG supplier. (CONTINUED - 915 WORDS)