Venezuelan ambassador to Qatar Carlos Jose Mata Figueroa affirmed that Qatar has proven to the world its ability to face major challenges thanks to the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and the unity of the Qatari people, which reflects the symbolism of the 2022 National Day slogan 'Our Unity is the Source of Our Strength' and the sublime meanings it represents.
In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), the ambassador said that the unity of the Qatari people was a fundamental pillar in strengthening the state's efforts to confront the unjustified campaigns that targeted Qatar since it was given the honour to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The National Day is a great opportunity for the brotherly Qatari people to reaffirm their identity and unity, their ties as a nation and their high patriotic spirit, uniting under the wise leadership of the country to further develop Qatar as a modern country with a great future, he added.
He noted that unity was also a very important principle for Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani, who established Qatar and devoted himself to unite the Qatari people and give them national meaning and belonging, which made the Qatari people very united — showing great patience and flexibility in facing adversity historically.
Since it was given the major task and responsibility of organising the World Cup, Qatar has worked diligently to host this global event in record time and with the highest international standards, overcoming all the challenges and unjustified attacks that the country has been receiving from those who cannot accept the fact that such a major event is being held at an Arab and Islamic country, he said, noting that it will also help change the image, stereotypes and assumptions about the Arab and Islamic culture.
On the development that Qatar is witnessing, he said that the state has made great accomplishments in many fields in recent years, adding that the country has an ambitious and long-term development plan within the framework of the National Vision 2030 to diversify its economy in various fields, including transportation, education, sports, health care, communications and hospitality.
He commended Qatar's determination to diversify its economy from one based on gas export to one on knowledge, as well as enhancing the policy of self-sufficiency by supporting and developing national food production.
In terms of foreign policy, the ambassador pointed out that Qatar's diplomacy succeeded in developing its role in the international scene, as a pioneering country at the regional and global levels in maintaining peace and collective security, choosing dialogue as a platform for resolving differences between conflicting parties around the world.
Regarding the Qatari-Venezuelan relations, the ambassador emphasised that they have seen a great progress in various fields during the past few years, which is reinforced by the exchange of high-level visits between the leaderships of the two countries to strengthen relations and elevate them to broader horizons.
He noted that May 2023 will mark the 50th anniversary of Qatari-Venezuelan relations, expressing his hope that the two countries will have the opportunity to further strengthen the relations by signing various agreements on the protection and encouragement of investment, culture, agriculture, fisheries and tourism, as well as developing an agenda with various cultural events during the year.