By Peter Townson
KIM HOWELLS, British minister of state for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, officially opened the new British embassy building in Doha yesterday, declaring Qatar “an oasis of peace and prosperity in a region which has experienced so many difficulties in the past”.
The opening was attended by director of protocol for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mohamed Khater al-Khater, acting director of European and American Affairs for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed al-Jaber, other dignitaries, representatives of companies involved in the project and other guests.
Charge d’affaires at the embassy, Roddy Drummond said that the occasion marked a “very proud day for the embassy team”.
“The Qatari and UK flags flying at the embassy represent the close relations between the two countries,” he said, adding that he was very grateful for the efforts of the companies involved in the project including Gulf Contracting, Jordan and Bateman, Gleeds and others.
Before opening the embassy, Howells said: “It is a great honour for me to be here today to open this modern building, a symbol of our dynamic expanding relationship built on a long history of friendship.
“Britain-Qatar partnership goes back as early as the 1940s and has grown steadily in strength. This new embassy, the first in the new Diplomatic Area, will allow us to offer an even better range of services, for Qataris as well as British nationals, including promoting trade and investment, enhancing our consular services and providing an even quicker, better process for visa applicants.”
The opening ceremony included a press conference with Howells addressing the media, and a reception featuring a photographic exhibition of the history of the British embassy in Doha.
Howells said the new facility was as good as any he knew in the region. “This is the most extensive operation in the Gulf, and with the inclusion of the energy conserving and environmental features, we hope that this building can be an example for other embassies in the country and the rest of the region,” he said.
John Kennedy, general manager of Gulf Contracting, the main contractor of the new embassy building, said: “We are delighted to have been a part of the team that has put this embassy together. This is a project we have followed for many years, and we are glad to see it come to fruition with the formal opening tonight.”
Howells referred to the “spectacular changes” taking place in Qatar as well as the developing relationship between the two countries, pointing out that UK exports to Qatar had increased to £624mn in 2007. |
