PHOTO
24 March 2017
Pratap John
The Qatar-UK Business & Investment Forum in London and Birmingham later this month will facilitate an increase in the bilateral trade between the two countries, which currently stands at more than £5bn a year, said British ambassador Ajay Sharma.
“We want Qatar to invest more in the UK – in different ways. We are encouraging Qatari investment outside of real estate into urban regeneration, infrastructure, energy and science and innovation. These are all opportunities for Qatar in the same way the real estate offered for Qatar,” Sharma told journalists at the British embassy in Doha yesterday.
Ambassador Sharma met journalists in the context of the three-day forum on March 27, 28 and 29.
He said the forum would “celebrate the partnership” between Qatar and the UK in the areas of trade and investment. At the same time, it will “clearly set forward an agenda to enhance that co-operation in a really ambitious way over the years to come - and a practical way that benefits both the UK and Qatar.”
“This conference should be seen against the backdrop of excellent Qatar-UK relationship and a very strong sense of partnership. Just like trade goes two ways to Qatar and the UK… at the same time partnership goes two ways – what we want to see prosperity and security of the UK and Qatar,” Sharma said.
He said what makes the event special “is the very high level of seniority and the breadth of the participation.”
On the Qatari side, HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani will lead the delegation, which comprises six ministers, top officials and leading figures from the Qatari business world. Several hundreds of Qatari delegates will also attend the forum.
The total number of delegates on the first day will be more than 1,000 including UK delegates.
“This is going to be remarkable in terms of participation,” Sharma said. He said: “From the UK side that will be matched. You will have six UK ministers involved in the conference in one way or another. And nothing like this has happened between the UK and Qatar before. That’s what makes it special.”
The other thing, he said that makes the forum special “is the way we are really drilling down on the areas of co-operation.”
“For the UK, it is very important that we will have a real and tangible partnership in areas of co-operation.”
On the first day of the forum in London, Qatar will showcase what it has to offer. On the second day in Birmingham, Britain will showcase what it has to offer Qatar – investment outside of London in particular.
The UK and Qatar share a strong and growing trade and investment relationship. In 2015 total UK exports to Qatar totalled £2,613mn, with Qatar exports to UK at £2.721mn.
Qatar has invested about £35bn in the UK, and there are over 600 UK companies operating in Qatar.
Pratap John
The Qatar-UK Business & Investment Forum in London and Birmingham later this month will facilitate an increase in the bilateral trade between the two countries, which currently stands at more than £5bn a year, said British ambassador Ajay Sharma.
“We want Qatar to invest more in the UK – in different ways. We are encouraging Qatari investment outside of real estate into urban regeneration, infrastructure, energy and science and innovation. These are all opportunities for Qatar in the same way the real estate offered for Qatar,” Sharma told journalists at the British embassy in Doha yesterday.
Ambassador Sharma met journalists in the context of the three-day forum on March 27, 28 and 29.
He said the forum would “celebrate the partnership” between Qatar and the UK in the areas of trade and investment. At the same time, it will “clearly set forward an agenda to enhance that co-operation in a really ambitious way over the years to come - and a practical way that benefits both the UK and Qatar.”
“This conference should be seen against the backdrop of excellent Qatar-UK relationship and a very strong sense of partnership. Just like trade goes two ways to Qatar and the UK… at the same time partnership goes two ways – what we want to see prosperity and security of the UK and Qatar,” Sharma said.
He said what makes the event special “is the very high level of seniority and the breadth of the participation.”
On the Qatari side, HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani will lead the delegation, which comprises six ministers, top officials and leading figures from the Qatari business world. Several hundreds of Qatari delegates will also attend the forum.
The total number of delegates on the first day will be more than 1,000 including UK delegates.
“This is going to be remarkable in terms of participation,” Sharma said. He said: “From the UK side that will be matched. You will have six UK ministers involved in the conference in one way or another. And nothing like this has happened between the UK and Qatar before. That’s what makes it special.”
The other thing, he said that makes the forum special “is the way we are really drilling down on the areas of co-operation.”
“For the UK, it is very important that we will have a real and tangible partnership in areas of co-operation.”
On the first day of the forum in London, Qatar will showcase what it has to offer. On the second day in Birmingham, Britain will showcase what it has to offer Qatar – investment outside of London in particular.
The UK and Qatar share a strong and growing trade and investment relationship. In 2015 total UK exports to Qatar totalled £2,613mn, with Qatar exports to UK at £2.721mn.
Qatar has invested about £35bn in the UK, and there are over 600 UK companies operating in Qatar.
© Gulf Times 2017
