Doha, September 13 (QNA) - HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani begins an official visit to the Republic of El Salvador, during which he will discuss with HE President of the Republic of El Salvador Nayib Armando Bukele relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them in various fields, in addition to discussing several global issues of common concern.
The visit of HH the Amir to El Salvador and the talks HH will hold there will contribute to further develop relations between Doha and San Salvador, advancing them to broad and new horizons of cooperation and partnerships that would serve the common interests of the two friendly countries and their peoples.
The State of Qatar and the Republic of El Salvador are linked by distinguished relations and bonds of friendship and cooperation that are developing each day. The two countries signed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations on Sep. 24, 2003. In April 2006, the Republic of El Salvador established its embassy in Doha while the State of Qatar established its embassy in El Salvador in 2009.
ince then, bilateral relations between the two countries have seen significant qualitative development, with exchanges of visits by officials from both sides.
There are a set of agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) that regulate relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of El Salvador in the fields of politics, diplomacy, trade, industry, finance, culture, education, sports, tourism, civil aviation, cooperation and joint news exchange, in addition to coordination in international platforms such as the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Several Salvadoran officials receive invitations to attend meetings and forums organized by the State of Qatar such as the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH).
In December 2019, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani met HE President of the Republic of El Salvador Nayib Armando Bukele on the sidelines of the Doha Forum 2019 at the Sheraton Doha Hotel, where bilateral relations between the two countries and the prospects for developing them were discussed.
In press statements made at the time, HE President Bukele said that in addition to the participation in the Doha Forum, his visit to Doha aims to strengthen diplomatic, political and commercial relations, as well as enhance cooperation and investment relations with the State of Qatar. He added that the two countries have not yet explored their full potential, expressing El Salvador's interest in collaborating and working with the State of Qatar in various fields, especially in oil and gas since his country has great oil wealth and cooperating with Qatari companies would help take advantage of it.
HE the Salvadoran President also discussed his country's investment opportunities, especially in the agricultural field, noting that El Salvador is a gateway to Latin American markets due to its location in the Central of the continent. He expressed his aspiration to see Qatari investments in El Salvador, especially since it is one of the most stable countries in the region, has signed a free trade agreement with the United States of America and has great relations with China and other countries in the world.
In March, Doha hosted the second round of political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar and the Republic of El Salvador. The Qatari side was chaired by HE Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, while it was chaired on the Salvadoran side by HE Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of El Salvador Adriana Mira. The round of political consultations discussed bilateral cooperation, in addition to other issues of joint interest.
Within the framework of cooperation between the two countries, the State of Qatar provided the Republic of El Salvador with shipments of medical aid, equipment and various supplies to support the country during COVID-19 pandemic. Food and supplies were also provided to affected families.
The State of Qatar also provided support to El Salvador after the country was struck by a tropical storm, floods and torrents in 2011 where many infrastructures were destroyed including the El Espino school in the municipality of Comasagua, which was later reopened with the support of the State of Qatar.
In June of last year, the State of Qatar expressed its thanks to the Republic of El Salvador for joining the initiative to plant 10 million trees ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the first ever carbon-free tournament. El Salvador's contribution includes providing 125,000 trees annually, out of a total contribution of one million trees until 2030.
To strengthen ties with Latin America, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani made several visits and tours in a number of its countries in 2015, 2016 and 2018. These visits contributed to expanding cooperation with these countries and opening doors for strategic partnerships. His Highness's tours and visits to these countries also enhanced the position of the State of Qatar on the international scene and embodied its foreign policy of positive openness, humanitarian cooperation and building long-term partnerships.
The presence of 14 Latin American embassies in Doha underscores the strong Qatari-Latin American relations and the mutual respect between the two sides. The relations between the State of Qatar and countries of Latin America can be described as strong and good, especially at the level of the countries' leaderships. Doha also hosted the second Summit of South American-Arab Countries on March 31, 2009, in which Doha announced its support for the strategic relations between the two regions.
In recent history, Latin America has maintained close ties with the Arab people, opening its heart and doors to them without any discrimination. It has also shown sympathy towards Arab issues and supported them in international forums, most notably the Palestinian cause.
Latin America is the world's fourth-largest region in area and the fifth-largest in population. It possesses vast water resources and some of the most fertile agricultural lands globally. Additionally, several Latin American countries have significant reserves of oil, iron ore, steel, and account for a quarter of the world's copper reserves. These resources will play a vital role in future markets. Furthermore, there is a significant focus on automation software, artificial intelligence, and smart industries, with an expected annual revenue of $500 billion by 2030.
El Salvador is a mountainous country in western Central America, bordered by the Pacific Ocean in the south, Guatemala in the west and Honduras in the north, and it shares maritime borders with Nicaragua. It is the only country in Central America that does not have a coastline on the Caribbean Sea. With an area of 21,000 square kilometers, El Salvador is the smallest Central American country and has a population of about 6,400,000 people.
El Salvador's nature scene is known for its volcanoes, as there are 23 dormant volcanoes and five volcanic fields, in addition to three lakes and many rivers. Agriculture is key to El Salvador's economy, as it provides about two-thirds of the country's exports and employs a third of its workforce. It is also one of the most important countries in Central America in the industrial field which includes the industries of cotton textiles, sugar and petrochemicals.
Over the past decade, El Salvador was able to achieve political and economic stability and witnessed great economic development, pushing its economy to new heights. Recent reports indicate an upward path in the economic index of El Salvador, which reflects the country's commitment to creating a strong and prosperous economy which has contributed to decreasing poverty and increasing growth rates as well as raising confidence among investors, which will further enhance El Salvador as a rising economic power in and out of the region. El Salvador seeks to further develop the country's tourism which has many beautiful natural monuments and archaeological and cultural sites that would attract many people from all over the world. (QNA)