France is extremely pleased at the pace in which bilateral relations are growing with Qatar, said the French ambassador to Qatar, Eric Chevallier.
The envoy said France which was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Qatar, has all along enjoyed good relations with this country and he was optimistic that the ties would continue to flourish in the coming years as the two nations have been working together in a number of fields of mutual interest.
“We work closely with Qatar on such areas as political, strategic, education, research, economic, health, cultural, defence and architecture among others,” said Chevallier.
France was the second largest supplier of goods to Qatar in 2015 with a market share of 9.1%. There has been an 89% increase in French exports to Qatar between 2014 and 2015.
While expressing happiness at the growing number of people visiting France and Qatar, the ambassador said this can contribute to generate better understanding among the people of both the nations.
“In fact, Qatar Prime Minister HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani was among the first leaders to visit France to express solidarity with our nation soon after the terrorist attacks in Paris. His visit showed how Qatar looked at the growing ties with our country,” he said.
Answering a query, Chevallier said the French oil major Total was one of the first companies to start operations in the oil sector in this region and it has been 80 years since they started their activities locally.
“Similarly, there are several other French firms that have wide ranging business activities here. More than 100 French companies are actively involved in Qatar and many of them are working in vital areas like infrastructural. Many of them are associated with development projects such as Doha Metro and Lusail Light Rail,” said Chevalier.
In the field of healthcare, he mentioned the recent signing of a partnership between Institut Pasteur and Qatar.
Last year when French President Francois Hollande visited Qatar, agreements were signed between the two countries including one related to the hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. “Besides exploring new possibilities in building facilities for the World Cup, France is also looking at how it could contribute to strengthening security during the conduct of such a major sport event,” he said.
Speaking on the contributions of French architects and designers, the ambassador said it is a matter of pride that one of their main architects, Jean Nouvel, has designed the upcoming Qatar National Museum overlooking the sea. “When completed the Qatar National Museum would be one of the major landmarks of not only this country but the
entire region,” he said.
Chevallier said French companies have an extensive experience in smart cities.
The ambassador said it is a matter of immense joy that so many Qatar residents are showing an interest in learning French and enrollment for the language is on the rise at most institutes and other facilities where the language is taught, including the Lycée Voltaire, The French Institute, Qatar University and several schools.
 
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