Qatar may select from a range of investment opportunities in Romania in 21 “promising projects” in the fields of transport, health, tourism, agriculture, and energy, according to Prime Minister Vasilica Viorica Dancila.
Dancila made the announcement during a high-level meeting with Qatar Chamber officials led by first vice chairman Mohamed bin Towar al-Kuwari on Wednesday at Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel.
Citing the major role of both countries’ private sectors, Dancila said the “strategic projects” are being offered in Romania for the first time and will be completed under a public-private partnership (PPP) programme
In a speech during the meeting, Dancila expressed Romania’s keen interest to enhance trade and investment activities between Qatar and Romania, even as she lauded both countries’ bilateral relations.
The prime minister also stressed the need to boost trade exchange between Qatar and Romania, adding that the meetings held with Qatari officials during her visit “would pave the way for a new chapter of activating co-operative relations between both countries.”
Dancila also assured Romania’s commitment to providing Qatari investors access to licences for potential projects, which would get special guarantees from the Romanian government.
“I am encouraging Qatari investors to visit Romania to explore these projects, the investment opportunities, and our country’s investment climate. We hope to partner with Qatari investors to undertake projects in Romania,” Dancila said, adding that Romania had implemented legal and legislative reforms to ease doing business, including a new PPP law.
Al-Kuwari said trade volume between Qatar and Romania stood at around $71mn in 2017, and stressed for the need for stronger private sector co-operation and to activate more joint ventures in the business community.
The Qatar Chamber official also called for more partnerships and investment alliances between Qatar-Romania private sectors “to push forward bilateral trade.” Al-Kuwari said there are about 50 Qatari-Romanian joint companies operating in the Qatari market.
Al-Kuwari lauded Qatar’s “balanced economic policies and distinguished relations” with the international community, which allowed the country to overcome the June 2017 economic blockade.
He stressed that Qatar “professionally managed the crisis” and had launched direct sea routes linking the Hamad Port with many ports worldwide to maintain export and import activities, which prevented any impact on the domestic market.
“These measures have enabled us to contain the unjust siege and overcome its effects in a short period of time. It has become a catalyst for encouraging businessmen to invest in the industrial sector, offering industrial investment opportunities in many sectors in which Romanian companies can also invest,” al-Kuwari stressed.
