Relations between Qatar and Brazil have always been characterised by its stability and growth, with both countries keen to develop in various fields.
The visit of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to Doha, which began yesterday, represents a new step to consolidate friendship relations and effective partnerships that serve the aspirations and ambitions of the two countries and their two friendly peoples in various fields, especially in the political, commercial, economic, investment, sports fields and everything that would bring the common benefit and interest of the two friendly countries.
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and President Bolsonaro discussed the bilateral relations and ways to enhance and develop them in various fields of co-operation, and the most prominent regional and international developments of common interest.
The Brazilian president’s visit to Doha coincides with the celebration of the 47th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, dating back to Nov 4, 1974.
In January 1997, the Qatari embassy opened in the capital, Brasilia, while in May 2005, the Brazilian embassy opened officially in Doha.
The strong diplomatic relations that the two countries are witnessing culminated in several official visits at the highest and ministerial levels.
In March 2009, former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited Doha to participate in the Arab and Latin American Summit.
That visit marked the beginning of promoting and developing bilateral relations, which was followed by an official visit to Brazil by His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani in January 2010, at the head of a large delegation of ministers and businessmen, during which several agreements were signed covering many areas of co-operation between the two countries.
In May 2010, the former Brazilian president Lula da Silva paid an official visit to Doha at the head of a large delegation of ministers and businessmen.
In November 2014, the former Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff visited Doha, during which the two countries further enhanced co-operation in the energy, sports, education, trade, and investment fields.
In 2019, the Qatari and Brazilian sides witnessed the signing of a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoU) during the first visit of President Bolsonaro to Qatar.
A bilateral air services agreement and an agreement between the governments of Qatar and Brazil on the joint exemption regarding the entry visa requirements for holders of ordinary passports, and a number of MoUs, including one in health and another for co-operation in major international events, as well as an MoU in diplomatic training, were signed.
The Qatari-Brazilian relations are getting stronger and stronger each year.
They are regulated by a set of agreements covering co-operation between them in the political, cultural, sports, and civil aviation fields, mutual exemption from entry visa requirements for diplomatic and special passports, co-operation and news exchange, the formation of the joint ministerial committee, and avoidance of double taxation on income and profits for international air transport.
Over the past years, relations between Qatar and Brazil have become stronger paving the way for the establishment of strategic and investment partnerships in many sectors, especially since the Brazilian economy is strong and offers many opportunities. The two countries provide conducive environments for investment and the participation of foreign capital.
Qatar is a major partner and an important market for Brazilian products, and Brazil is the 18th trading partner of Qatar in the world. Total trade volume between Qatar and Brazil in 2015 reached about QR4bn, and it will witness further growth with the major projects in preparation for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, especially that Brazilian companies have great experience in such projects, as Brazil hosted the last World Cup in 2014.
At the investment level, both countries offer many incentives and advantages to local and foreign investors. There are many Qatari investments in Brazil, especially in energy, banking, and real estate.
QatarEnergy has won exploration rights for an offshore block in Brazil, in partnership with ExxonMobil, in its third important achievement in Brazil in less than a year.
Several senior Brazilian officials, during their multiple visits to Doha, promoted the business and investment climate in their country, especially in Sao Paulo, which has huge potential and promising investment opportunities in all fields.
Sao Paulo is the largest city in Latin America, it contributes to 18% of the Brazilian GDP. It is also a distinguished investment destination that attracts business owners from all over the world, especially in infrastructure projects, real estate, and others.
In September, a high-level Brazilian delegation headed by the speaker of Brazil’s lower house of Congress, Rodrigo Maia, visited Ras Bufontas Free Zone of the Qatar Free Zones Authority, to get acquainted with the investment opportunities and advantages offered to foreign investors.
The delegation was briefed on the projects and activities of the free zones and the advanced services they provide, which contribute to strengthening the country’s position on the global investment map and attracting direct capital from various countries of the world.
The free zones provide many opportunities and competitive advantages for companies seeking to expand regionally and globally, including modern infrastructure, trained manpower, and 100% foreign ownership, in addition to benefiting from investment funds, tax exemptions, and partnership opportunities with major Qatari companies and the private sector.
Qatar Airways (QA) operates direct flights from Doha to Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires in Argentina.
In August 2017, QA entered into a unilateral codeshare agreement with the Brazilian LATAM, enhancing the number of destinations that QA can access in Brazil.
LATAM Airlines Group serves 143 destinations in 25 countries around the world.
Brazil has a population of more than 200,000,000 people, and its economy is the 9th largest in the world.
It is the fifth-largest country in the world in terms of territory, exceeding 8mn sq km.
Low mountains and wide plateaus make up two-thirds of this area, and the remaining part consists of low lands covered with forests and more than a thousand rivers penetrate its lands, the largest of which is the Amazon, and rain falls on it abundantly, and its warm climate has helped make it one of the world’s leading countries in the production of agricultural crops. (QNA)
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani with Brazilian President Jair Bolsanaro.
