In 2021, the Gulf region was Western Australia’s seventh largest trading partner, with total trade valued at $4.7bn. Now, Western Australia is reconnecting with Qatar to progress opportunities across a range of sectors, said a press statement from the Australian Embassy in Qatar.
Following on from his successful trip to Italy, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Premier H E Mark McGowan continued his Reconnect WA mission by travelling to Qatar recently to reopen doors for new investment, tourism and trade opportunities.
The Premier shared Western Australia had a unique experience of COVID-19 whereby the WA Government’s responsible, reasonable and safe approach to the management of the pandemic kept Western Australians safe and ensured businesses kept operating.
Western Australia has a world-leading COVID-19 vaccination rate which has kept hospitalisations low, minimised deaths and has meant people could live a relatively normal life over the course of the pandemic.
The Premier personally met with Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H E Akbar Al Baker to thank Qatar Airways for their continued operations during the pandemic, which allowed people to safely travel home to Western Australia, all the while when other airlines closed down.
The meeting was an opportunity to discuss the near future expansions of a twice daily service between Perth and Doha, which the WA Government will advocate for with the Australian Government. Meetings with Qatar’s leading travel agencies, immigration agents, student recruitment agencies,and industry and business representatives and government officials were held to understand and discuss opportunities for future collaboration.
Premier Mark McGowan commented: “I am pleased to have had the opportunity to visit Qatar on my first international mission since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Australian Ambassador advised me I am the first Australian State Premier to visit Qatar on official business.
“I was able to see the developments that are taking place in the build up towards FIFA 2022. Qatar is continuously growing and aiming to become a leader in many sectors looking for innovative solutions, including healthcare, education, tourism and investment.”
The Premier’s focus during the visit was on promoting Western Australia’s strategic business opportunities, global reputation for quality and innovation, world-leading industries and many employment opportunities.
McGowan added: “The purpose of our visit was to reconnect with Qatar and celebrate 20 years of the Government of Western Australia having an official presence in the Gulf region.
“It was also to acknowledge and thank Qatar Airways for their consistent service in the past two years, as they played an important role in bringing people home and transporting essential supplies.
“The Reconnect WA mission in Qatar was to promote Western Australia as a safe and ideal destination for visitors, students, workers, and investors. Western Australia successfully managed the pandemic, which ensured we maintained one of the strongest economies in the world and significantly reduced the burden of COVID-19 illness and hospitalisations,” he said.
The Australian Embassy in Doha held an evening reception in honour of Premier McGowan’s visit that was attended by leaders from Qatar’s business, industry and government sectors.
Australian Ambassador to Qatar, H E Jonathan Muir said: “As Australia reopens and restores its border settings to a pre-pandemic footing, the time is ripe to expand our relationships and explore new opportunities for cooperation. Premier McGowan’s visit to Doha is a valuable chance for Qatar and Western Australia to connect across a range of sectors such as investment, trade, education and tourism.”
