Doha, January 22 (QNA) - HE President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and HE Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al-Thani on Monday opened the Qatari-Tajik Business Forum.

The forum aims to highlight the investment opportunities available in the two countries and discuss boosting cooperation and economic partnerships between the two sides, in the presence of a host of high-ranking businesspeople, investors, as well as heads and representatives of the largest Qatari and Tajik companies specialized in a variety of fields.

In his inaugural remarks before the forum, HE Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al-Thani praised the close and outstanding relationships between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Tajikistan that have been deepened by virtue of the official visits between the two nations during the past years.

The forum primarily aims to provide a platform for dialogue between government and private sectors in the two countries to further identify cooperation and investment opportunities in multiple fields and sectors that serve development orientations for the two nations, His Excellency pointed out.

First Vice-Chairman of Qatar Chamber, Mohammed bin Ahmed bin Twar Al Kuwari said the forum aims to enhance cooperation between the private sectors in the two friendly countries, in addition to discussing cooperation, partnership and investment opportunities among businesspeople.

Addressing the event, Al Kuwari noted the strengthened relations between the two countries that have been upgraded by the shared visits and the agreements signed between them in numerous fields, pointing out that the Qatar-Tajikistan intergovernmental committee on economic, trade and technical cooperation represents a critical step to reinforce bilateral cooperation.

The current level of trade exchange between the two countries does not reflect the strength of relations and available potential, Al Kuwari outlined, pointing out that the Qatari and Tajik private sector can play a pivotal role in bolstering bilateral trade, once shared investments are activated, and joint projects are established.

Al Kuwari called on Tajik companies to capitalize on inducements Qatar offers to foreign investors, especially with the existence of a world-class infrastructure, along with pioneering economic legislations and prolific investment opportunities. He emphasized the significance of strengthening cooperation between the Qatari and Tajik companies, either through trade alliances or active partnerships.

He underscored the significance of activating the Qatar-Tajikistan Joint Business Council within the framework of the agreement between Qatar Chamber and its Tajik counterpart signed last June, noting that the council plays a vital role in reinforcing cooperation between the private sectors in the two countries in multiple fields.

The forum shed the light on the advantages of business environment in Qatar and Tajikistan and discussed avenues for enhancing cooperation in many fields, in addition to holding bilateral meetings between representatives of the Qatari private sector and a number of Tajik producing and exporting companies with the aim of exploring opportunities for cooperation, sharing experiences, and building new investment partnerships in the sectors of common interest.

Tajik investors and companies have been invited to benefit from the economic and investment environment the State of Qatar provides to foreign investors, in addition to forging new partnerships in several critical sectors, such as pharmaceutical industries, food manufacturing, innovation, technology and other fields to meet the needs of the local Qatari market, and pivot towards new markets in the region and the world. (QNA)