The Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA), in co-operation with the German Industry and Commerce office in Qatar (AHK), has organised the first meeting of the German-Qatari Joint Task Force for Trade and Investment, which was formed in September 2018 during the Qatar-Germany Business and Investment Forum held in Berlin. 
In a statement Monday, the QBA said the meeting was held in the presence of German ambassador Hans-Udo Muzel and Qatar’s ambassador to Germany Sheikh Saoud bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani.
QBA chairman Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani represented the Qatari side, together with Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani; QBA board member and Joint Task Force co-chair Sheikh Nawaf bin Nasser al-Thani; QBA member Salah al-Jaidah; Alfardan Group president and CEO Omar Alfardan; and QBA deputy general manager Sarah Abdullah. 
The German side was represented by DIHK deputy CEO and co-chair Joint Task Force Volker Treier; Dorsch Group CEO Olaf Hoffmann; SAP Qatar managing director Mazen Jabri; Deutsche Bahn Qatar director for project delivery, Hans-Guenther Jaeger, and Siemens Qatar CEO Adrian Wood.
During the meeting, Sheikh Nawaf said he hopes the committee will serve as a platform for exchanging ideas on how to enhance co-operation between the two countries and creating awareness among German companies about Qatar as a gateway for local, regional, and international investments.
He also stressed the need to take advantage of the presence of members of the task force who are pioneers in German industries to support the expansion of joint investments and help find the right partners or contacts to promote Qatari investments in the German market.
Treier, on the other hand, said the formation of the joint task force shows the development of bilateral relations. He also said the task force plays an important role in helping to solve challenges that may face investors from both sides.
Sheikh Faisal said Qatari investors are fully-aware “of the great potential of Germany.”
“We see Germany as a strategic partner through which our co-operation would provide an added value to Qatar’s economy and benefit from its expertise and the transfer of know-how to the Qatari market,” he said. 
Sheikh Faisal stressed the readiness of the Qatari market and its willingness to attract more investors through the state’s advanced infrastructure, including the Hamad International Airport and its air freight services, in addition to reduced electricity prices and other privileges that make Qatar an investment hub and a gateway to penetrate and serve other markets.
Sheikh Khalifa stressed the need to encourage entrepreneurs from both countries to study opportunities for investment in the German and Qatari markets. He also highlighted the importance of organising sectoral “specialised meetings” to study market needs and the ways to address these needs.
Sheikh Saoud spoke on the importance of the agreement in strengthening relations between the private sectors of both countries and the need to focus on developing areas of co-operation, especially in sectors mentioned in the joint task force’s memorandum of understanding, such as infrastructure, trade, industry, information technology, and science.
Alfardan also stressed the importance of establishing “genuine partnerships” with German companies, which could lead to the transfer of German expertise and experience to the Qatari side, “and not limit this co-operation in the traditional methods such as agencies or merchandise trade.”
Al-Jaidah spoke on the successful experience of Deutsche Bank in Qatar and stressed that Qatar is a safe market for foreign investors, and that its infrastructure and legislative system “make Qatar an example for developing economic relations with its partners.”
The meeting also discussed potential ways of collaboration in the field of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and ways to support its development, the challenges of doing business in Qatar and Germany, the potential co-operation between Qatar and German ports, and how to develop links with the port of Hamburg.
Both sides also discussed the importance of supporting the signing of the double taxation treaty, as well as co-operation and investment in free zones. They agreed on the need to participate in conferences and trade fairs in both countries, the most important of which is the Hannover International Fair scheduled on April 2019. 
They also agreed in principle that the second meeting of the joint task force will be held this coming February on the sidelines of the Joint Economic Committee that will take place in Berlin.

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