UK firms successful in meeting Qatar’s growing needs: envoy

British Ambassador Nicholas Hopkins (centre) and representatives of some of the British companies taking part at the Milipol Exhibition in front of the UKTI pavilion at Doha Exhibition Center yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma

By Ramesh Mathew/Staff Reporter

Britain hopes it could continue to support Qatar’s growing needs in the areas of both internal and border security concerns through the delivery of effective and efficient applications and equipment in the coming days.Speaking to Gulf Times on the sidelines of the 10th Milipol Exhibition yesterday, British Ambassador to Qatar Nicholas Hopkins said his country has had nearly one-century-old relations with the region’s states, including Qatar, and Britain, as a friendly nation of the country, knows what could be delivered from its side to strengthen the country’s security and safety of its residents.While hailing the uninterrupted organising of the Milipol  expo for almost two decades now, Hopkins felt the exhibition would provide a win-win situation for both Britain and Qatar as it would help the local armed forces and internal security agencies get a clear picture of the developments taking place in the defence production facilities and applications and solutions available across the world to meet their ever growing requirements.While replying to a query, the envoy said Britain has enjoyed excellent diplomatic relations with Qatar for more than four decades since the opening of the local British embassy and has all along been supporting the country’s security needs and requirements at different levels.Hopkins also felt his country has always been successfully meeting the security training and other requirements of the local agencies and institutions.Also speaking, Head of Defence & Security  Organisation of the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) Richard Panigulan said the participation of 46 British firms, including 26 under the UKTI banner at the Milipol demonstrated how keenly the British firms are watching the growing requirements of Qatar and its neighbours and it also would give the participating companies enormous opportunities to showcase their growing capabilities.“Each company and institution from Britain has an excellent track record in its area of operations and showed over the years how effectively and efficiently they could meet the requirements of the security agencies and institutions of the region, which also includes Qatar,” he said while recalling that Qatar institutions and agencies have always showed interest in the training and solutions that they provided to meet their vital security needs.“In fact the British pavilion at the Milipol is serving as a one-stop shop offering a range of solutions and applications for those seeking British techniques, knowhow and expertise,” said Panigulan while speaking about the response that the British companies has been getting at the expo over the years.