Qatar, Belgium explore economic cooperation

Doha, Qatar: Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al Thani, Chairman of the Qatar Chamber (QC), met yesterday in two separate meetings, H E Eugene Krens, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the State of Qatar, and H E Pong Kok Tian, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to the State, in the presence of Mohamed bin Ahmed Al Obaidli, QC Board Member.

The first meeting reviewed economic relations between Qatar and Belgium, as well as prospects for enhancing cooperation and investment between the business sectors of both countries.

In his remarks, Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim highlighted the strength and resilience of the Qatari economy in the face of challenges, noting that the country’s economic strategies have proven effective in addressing crises. He added that trade continues through several ports in neighboring countries, including the Sultanate of Oman and Saudi Arabia, with ongoing efforts to open new routes to facilitate trade flows to and from Qatar.

For his part, Eugene Krens praised the strong relations between Qatar and Belgium, noting the close cooperation between the private sectors in both countries. He added that Belgian companies are keen to expand their presence in the Qatari market across various sectors.

In turn, Mohamed Al Obaidli affirmed that Qatar remains open to strengthening economic and investment cooperation with Belgium, highlighting the technology, healthcare, and energy sectors as promising areas for partnership.

During the meeting with the Singaporean ambassador, Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim stressed that the Qatari economy has remained unaffected by recent developments and underscored the importance of enhancing economic cooperation with Singapore, which is considered a leading global investment destination.

Pong Kok Tian noted that Singaporean companies are interested in collaborating with Qatari counterparts in sectors such as digitalisation, technology, infrastructure, and renewable energy.