Doha, December 03 (QNA) - HE Chairman of the Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani said that HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's visit to the United Kingdom comes as part of the commitment of the leaderships of both countries to strengthen the historic partnership between the two nations at the strategic level, especially after the launch of the annual strategic dialogue between the State of Qatar and the United Kingdom.

His Excellency praised the growing trade between Doha and London in statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), noting that both countries share significant trade and investment ties, with Qatari investments in the British economy reaching 40 billion pounds, which led to the creation of many job opportunities, innovation, and economic development in both countries.

His Excellency also noted that the United Kingdom is an important trade partner for the State of Qatar, with Qatar being the third-largest market for British exports in the Middle East and North Africa.

Over 79 British companies are operating in the State of Qatar in the fields of oil, gas, infrastructure, and information technology, with total capital exceeding QR 8 billion, His Excellency said, adding that the number of joint Qatari-British companies operating in Qatar has surpassed 650, working in areas such as engineering consultancy, contracting, information technology, trade, and services.

His Excellency Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani further emphasized that the State of Qatar is one of the largest investors in the United Kingdom, both at the government and private sector levels, adding that investments are concentrated in sectors such as energy, infrastructure, real estate, tourism, and others. He considered Qatar to be one of the United Kingdoms main partners in the energy field, as Qatar supplies around 30% of the UK's natural gas needs.

His Excellency explained to QNA that the visit will focus on exploring further joint investment opportunities in both countries, especially since Qatar National Vision 2030 aims to attract further major companies to Qatar as part of the country's strategy for the next five years.

(QNA)