The UK wants to support Qatar in achieving its National Vision 2030 and deliver a successful 2022 Fifa World Cup, said British ambassador Ajay Sharma, who welcomed around 800 guests to the British embassy to mark the 91st birthday of Queen Elizabeth II and celebrate the strong partnership between the UK and Qatar.
The guests of honour in attendance were HE the Minister of Economy & Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani and HE the Minister of Municipality & Environment Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi.
The British ambassador also hosted senior Qatari figures from business, government and sport, the diplomatic corps and other key members of the local community. They were entertained by the Qatar Armed Forces band and musicians from Musiqaa, the Instrumental Music Programme at Doha College and Doha Jazz.
Ambassador Sharma said, “I was delighted that so many of the embassy’s friends and contacts were able to attend the Queen’s Birthday Party. This event marks an important opportunity to celebrate the close friendships and partnerships that exist between the UK and Qatar, through our trade and investment ties, through education, through our military ties, through tourism, and most importantly through the close personal links established over the years between Qatari and British people.
“Last week, we laid the foundations for a bold new chapter in this partnership between our nations through the Qatar-UK Business and Investment Forum, the largest trade and investment event ever delivered in the UK. This announced Qatari plans to invest £5bn in the UK over the next five years, and saw a number of co-operation agreements signed, including the historic memorandum of understanding to support Qatar National Vision 2030. The forum was attended by both our prime ministers, alongside many other ministers from the UK and Qatar, and really demonstrated the strength of the excellent relationship between our countries. This was a testament to the importance we both place on our bilateral relationship and the scale of our shared ambition to develop it.
“As the UK embarks on the next stage of its journey and leaves the EU, it is more important than ever that we build on our relationships with old friends such as Qatar and becomes a leading advocate of free trade across the world. The UK also wants to support Qatar in achieving its ambitious 2030 National Vision and deliver a successful 2022 World Cup. Qatar’s World Cup will be an important event, which will bring people of different faiths together in the first tournament of its kind to be held in the Middle East. Together, Qatar and the UK can work to help shape our exciting futures.
“Together, we should, as our prime minister said, ‘meet the shared challenges to our security; grasp the shared opportunities for our prosperity; and build a brighter future for the United Kingdom and Qatar, today and for generations to come’.”
The British embassy has thanked Serco, Cobham, Shell, BAE systems and Alfardan for their sponsorship of the Queen’s Birthday Party. “We would like also to thank Molton Brown, the Edge Picture Company and Fifty One East for their support,” he added.