Yesterday’s meeting brought together senior Qatari businessmen and the representatives of the public sector with UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade Liam Fox.
HE Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi, Minister of Municipality and Environment and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Qatar Business and Investment Forum with UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade Liam Fox at yesterday’s meeting.
In his opening speech during the meeting, HE Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi, Minister of Municipality and Environment and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Qatar Business and Investment Forum, said that this forum includes two events. The first, which Qatar has been organising over the past few years in a number of Western cities and capitals such as London, New York and Berlin, will be held in London. The second is the Qatari-British joint meeting which will be held the following day in Birmingham, the UK’s second largest city, he said.
The Qatar Business and Investment Forum, he said, includes debate sessions focusing on financial, energy, industry, infrastructure, tourism, transportation and information technology sectors, and reviews the most important trade, economic, investment and construction projects available for investment in Qatar and Britain.
He added that the forum’s meetings will shed light on a number of projects and economic opportunities in Britain after Brexit and will seek to increase co-operation between the Qatari private sector and its British counterpart.
HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment and Chairman of the Organising Committee added that the Qatari delegation will travel on the second day of the forum to Birmingham, where the British side will present new investment opportunities in the Birmingham area and in north Britain.
He said the purpose of yesterday’s meeting was to learn about the views of Qatari businessmen as well as the representatives of companies, banks and various business entities before the organisation of the Forum to follow-up on them with the British partners, along with trying to meet the expectations of the British side in relation to the upcoming meeting in Birmingham.
Al-Rumaihi deemed the Forum as an opportunity to make an investment plan and build strong economic ties over the next five years for both sides in the two countries, pointing to the availability of a range of opportunities for Qatari companies in the fields of industry, health and education in both public and private sectors.
Meanwhile, UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade Liam Fox said that trade and investment relations between Qatar and the UK have witnessed remarkable progress in recent years, stressing that the UK is keen to strengthen its partnership with Qatar.
The UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade pointed out that trade exchange between the two countries reflects the evolution of bilateral relations, adding that Qatar National Vision 2030 presents a real opportunity for British companies to participate in projects that Qatar is planning to set up in health, education and sports sectors and in all fields.
He added that his ministry was created after UK voted to leave the European Union in order to promote foreign investment in the UK and develop business policies, stressing that the exit of his country from the European Union will further promote the economy.
Fox said that one of his Ministry’s key priorities is to enhance exports and find appropriate markets, adding that current visit to Qatar was in this context. The UK is home to leading global financial centres and hosts more than 20 banks offering Shariah-compliant products, he said, calling on Qatari companies to explore the opportunities available in his country in these areas.
On holding the Qatari British joint meeting in Birmingham, UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade pointed out that Birmingham is an important industrial and economic city in Britain, and it is a major hub for British exports.
Qatari businessmen from various private sector entities discussed during the meeting with the UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade investment opportunities in the UK and the State of Qatar as well as the role of the Forum in increasing investment in both countries.
