HH the Amir's European Tour.. New Stage in the Development of Qatar's Relations with the World

HH the Amir

The European tour of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani represents a new stage in the development of Qatar's relations with countries of the world.

HH the Amir's tour aims at strengthening Qatar's relations with friendly European countries, developing them in various fields, promoting them to new horizons, and consolidating the State of Qatar's position as a reliable strategic partner to the countries of the world, whether in the political, economic or investment fields.

The first leg of HH the Amir's European tour was in the Republic of Slovenia where HH the Amir held comprehensive talks with HE Slovenian President Borut Pahor, and HE Prime Minister Janez Jansa, on the bilateral relations and ways of bolstering them and promoting the joint cooperation in various fields of politics, investment, economy, culture and tourism; in addition to exchanging views on regional and international issues of common concern.

HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani underlined that his talks with HE President Borut Pahor were constructive, and will contribute to developing the relations between the two countries at various levels, mainly in politics, economy, trade, energy, infrastructure and tourism.

In joint press statements with HE the Slovenian President at the Presidential Palace in the capital Ljubljana, HH the Amir said that he discussed with HE the President the latest developments in regional and international arenas, especially the latest developments in Europe and the Middle East.

For his part, HE the Slovenian President welcomed HH the Amir, expressing his happiness at receiving HH the Amir and the accompanying delegation, and looking forward to the positive results of HH the Amir's visit. HE the President looked forward to developing and strengthening the bilateral relations at various levels, and praised the development of joint friendship and cooperation relations in various aspects. He reviewed the Slovenian-Qatari partnership in various fields, and aspired for its development to broader horizons, especially with the promising investment opportunities and the field of energy.

HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and HE President of Slovenia Borut Pahor also inaugurated the Islamic Center in the Ljubljana; and unveiled the Friendship Chair, which includes a metal plate bearing the name of HH the Amir and the name of HE Slovenian President, in the Centers garden.

The Islamic Center in Ljubljana, whose Qatar's donation is instrumental in building it, includes a mosque, a cultural building, a library and educational departments. It aims to contribute to the consolidation of the tolerant values of Islam among the Muslims of Slovenia, in addition to playing a role in spreading tolerance and moderation among all its visitors.

The opening of the mosque came after nearly a century of Muslims presence in the country, and 50 years after submitting a request to the local authorities for permission to build a house of worship and a cultural center that represents a symbol of their identity and a bridge to communicate with the younger generations and a step to enhance their integration in the country that was one of the former Yugoslav republics.

HH the Amir's visit to Slovenia, which coincided with the two countries' celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, constituted an important opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relations and joint cooperation in various fields. 

The second station in HH the Mir's European tour was his state visit to the Kingdom of Spain, on his first visit to Madrid.

The Spanish interest in the visit reflected the great appreciation of the State of Qatar, the leadership, government and people, and the position that the State of Qatar has reached, and the respect that the world has for it, due to its diplomatic successes and initiatives to promote peace, security and stability in the world, and its role in establishing dialogue and negotiation as a way to resolve global conflicts.

HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and HM King Felipe VI of Spain held a meeting at Palace of Zarzuela in the capital Madrid, during which they reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance and develop them, especially in the political, economic, commercial and cultural fields.

HH the Amir was presented with the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic from HM King Felipe VI, which is the highest decoration granted to heads of state and high-ranking personalities, as an expression of the strength of relations between the two countries. On his part, HH the Amir presented HM King Felipe VI with the Sword of the Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani, in an embodiment of the bonds of friendship between the two friendly countries and peoples.

Prior of the dinner banquet, HH the Amir gave a speech which he began by expressing his deep thanks and appreciation to HM King Felipe VI for the welcome and generous hospitality accorded to His Highness and the accompanying delegation, and for what was included in His Majesty's speech of feelings of amity and deep friendship that binds the two countries. HH the Amir underlined his keenness to continue enhancing and strengthening the ties that bring the two countries together for the good and interest of the two friendly peoples.

On the relations between the two countries, HH the Amir said that Qatar and Spain will celebrate this year the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, noting that since their establishment, these relations have been characterized by continuous development and growing, and increasing cooperation in all fields, especially education, health, investment, energy and economy. With regard to the Qatari investments in Spain, HH the Amir affirmed Qatar's confidence in the strength of the Spanish economy, noting that he had directed today to increase these investments to $5 billion in the coming years. HH the Amir added that the State of Qatar is currently one of the largest Arab investors in Spain.

HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and HE Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Spain Dr. Pedro Sanchez, also held an official session of talks at the headquarters of the Government at Moncloa Palace. HE the Spanish Prime Minister lauded HH the Amirs historic visit to Spain, and its important results at all levels, and aspects of bilateral cooperation between the two countries, considering that the Kingdom of Spain considers HH the Amir a true and important friend, and the State of Qatar as a reliable partner.

HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and HE Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Spain Dr. Pedro Sanchez witnessed also the signing of an agreement and a number of memoranda of understanding (MoU) between the governments of the two countries at the headquarters of the government at the Palace of Moncloa.

HH the Amir and HE the Prime Minister witnessed the signing of an agreement for cooperation in the education field, and MoUs for cooperation in the legal field between the Qatari and Spanish ministries of justice and in the fields of health and medical sciences, and a declaration of intent to enhance the development of cooperation in the economy and finance fields between the Ministry of Finance in Qatar and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation in Spain.

During the state visit of HH the Amir to Spain, His Highness received the Order of the Senate and the Order of the House of Representatives, as an expression of the ties of friendship and partnership between the two countries. His Highness also received the Golden Key of the capital, Madrid, from HE the Mayor Martinez-Almeida.

In Berlin, the working visit of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to the Federal Republic of Germany, on the third stop of his European tour, reflected the great role that the State of Qatar plays in the world, which was stated in the statements of senior officials where they praised the great role that Qatar plays in resolving many important global issues.

Among the quick and fruitful results of HH the Amir's visit to Germany, is the emphasis on the strategic relationship between Doha and Berlin in the fields of politics, economy, investment, energy, and other vital areas of cooperation between the two countries.

At the regional and international levels, the visit confirmed the consensus of Qatari-German visions regarding the importance of mediation and dialogue to resolve conflicts peacefully in order to reach comprehensive and sustainable solutions, in light of German support for peace talks sponsored by the State of Qatar in several places, such as Afghanistan and Chad.

The visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, and the results of His Highness' talks with HE President of the Federal Republic of Germany Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, HE German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and HE Speaker of the German Parliament Barbel Bas, affirmed the keen interest in developing the distinguished strategic relations between the State of Qatar and Germany and the common desire to push bilateral cooperation and partnership between the two countries to new heights.

The visit witnessed the signing of a joint declaration of intent to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the field of energy, as this agreement lays a strong foundation for partnership by building commercial relations in the field of liquefied natural gas that serve the interests of the two countries and achieve their ambitions in climate action, a partnership that promotes diversity in the supply of natural gas. at the same time to facilitate bilateral cooperation in hydrogen energy, and renewable energy sources.

The partnership of the two countries is not limited to the economic and investment aspects only, as Qatar is one of the largest investors in Germany with investments exceeding 25 billion euros but it goes beyond that to continuous consultation and joint action to support regional and international peace and stability, and German support for Qatar's efforts and mediation to resolve conflicts and peace talks it sponsors, such as Afghanistan, Chad and others. 

The fourth visit within the framework of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's European tour was Switzerland, where His Highness participated in the opening session of the World Economic Forum held in Davos under the slogan "History at a Turning Point".

HH the Amir delivered a speech to the participants in the forum, which was a detailed presentation of the vision of the State of Qatar locally, regionally and internationally. His Highness also spoke about the conditions the world is going through, the real challenges facing its people, and the issues of the Middle East region in particular.

His Highness' speech before the forum participants contributed to introducing world leaders to the issues of the just region, in a way that preserves rights and protects against double standards, aggression, and inequity.

His Highness' speech expressed a set of challenges, as he stressed that the current session of the World Economic Forum is of exceptional importance because it is being held in the midst of economic challenges and geopolitical turmoil. HH the Amir said: "Before we can hope for economic prosperity, we must first examine, repair, and enforce our framework for peace. And we need to send, a re-assuring message to people around the world: Only through unity we can overcome the conflict that divides us. I can tell you that after years of peace-facilitation, through mediation, that we can never give up hope. We should never give up, trying to bring parties together. As long as we believe, our efforts, could save, even a single life, our attempts to mediate will be worth it. Our united efforts need to be based, on the principles already agreed-on: in the Charter of the United Nations, international law, and respecting each others sovereignty."

HH the Amir added in his speech: "Solving dispute through aggression is on the rise, and it has reached one of its worst peaks, in the war here in Europe. We are in touch with all parties concerned in the Ukrainian crisis, and I am ready, to contribute to every international and regional effort, to find an immediate, peaceful solution to the conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine."
His Highness' direct words about the marginalization of the role of the United Nations, and the violation of the rule of law in international relations, were a clear starting point in diagnosing the real causes of the exacerbation of international conflicts and disputes, and the resulting crises that millions of victims around the world pay the price for.

HH the Amir outlined a road map to contain the aggravation of these crises and conflicts, through unity, mediation and dialogue, to reach peaceful solutions, stressing that the interest and responsibility, and the common destiny of all mankind, requires partnership, so that we can all live in peace.

In his speech, HH the Amir also stressed Qatar's commitment to peace, equity, global harmony and economic growth, in addition to strengthening the language of dialogue, emphasizing Qatar's commitment to the environment and the sustainability strategy, His Highness said that Qatar has placed sustainability at the forefront of its priorities, and has allocated its resources to develop technologies for reducing emissions and clean energy.

HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani took part in a panel discussion on the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, entitled "Sport as a Unifying Force" at the World Economic Forum in Davos, on Monday afternoon.

The fifth visit of HH the Amir was the British capital, London, where His Highness held meetings with senior British officials, led by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom, and HRH Prince Charles of Wales the UK Crown Prince, and HE UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and a number of other senior officials, the visit also witnessed the two countries signing two memoranda of understanding in the fields of investment and energy.

During HH the Amir's meeting with HE UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, which was held at the Prime Minister's Office at 10 Downing Street in the capital, London, a number of emerging issues on the regional and international arenas were discussed. The two sides also discussed friendship and cooperation relations between the two countries, and ways to enhance them, in addition to exchanging views on a number of issues of common interest.

UK Prime Minister welcomed HH the Amir, affirming the depth of the historical friendship between Qatar and the United Kingdom, looking forward to developing them to achieve the interests of the two countries in various fields of cooperation, particularly in economics, energy, politics, security and climate. He expressed his thanks to HH the Amir for the State of Qatar's leading role in evacuating British nationals from Afghanistan.

For his part, HH the Amir expressed his happiness with this visit and meeting with the Prime Minister, looking forward to pushing the strategic relations between the two friendly countries and peoples to broader horizons, and achieving their common interests.

In this context, His Highness noted the joint opportunities offered by the strong bilateral cooperation, affirming that His Highness' visit comes in light of the important global sporting event that Qatar will host, which is the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

HH the Amir added that he will discuss during the meeting many issues of concern to both countries, such as security, energy, regional and international issues, foremost of which are the developments in Afghanistan.

After the meeting, HH the Amir and the UK Prime Minister witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding in the strategic partnership for investment between the governments of the two countries that would expand investment cooperation to promote common interests between the two countries, and a memorandum of understanding between QatarEnergy and the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on energy cooperation.

Qatar is considered one of the most important allies of the United Kingdom in the region, in terms of the prominent diplomatic roles it plays on the international scene, which made it a major player in mediating efforts in many crises around the world, and its cooperation with Britain and other partners in contributing to achieving international peace and security.

It is certain that the results of His Highnesss visit will constitute a strong boost to the relations between the two countries, and will enhance the partnership between them, and move cooperation in various fields to higher levels and broader horizons, as His Highness indicated that the relations of Qatar and the United Kingdom are witnessing increasing opportunities in promising fields, which will contribute in consolidating these strategic relations for the good of the two peoples, which was also emphasized by HE the British Prime Minister by noting that there is much that the two countries can do together to deepen the partnership, from boosting investment to diversifying energy supplies and advancing green technology.

(QNA)