QATAR
Friday, November 27, 2020 3
Amir visit will add momentum
to ties, says Qatari ambassador
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meets Turkish off icials upon his arrival at the airport yesterday.QNA
Doha
Q
atar’s ambassador to Tur-
key Salem bin Mubarak
al-Shafi said that Qatari-
Turkish ties are governed by a
moral reference and have gone
through many challenges before
reaching the stage of strategic re-
lations and comprehensive part-
nership.
In his statement to Qatar
News Agency, al-Shafi said
what strengthened the status
of that relationship was the
great convergence at the level
of leaders and the people, the
common denominators be-
tween the two countries, the
unlimited solidarity in times
of crises, the converging and
harmonious political visions in
many files and on many issues,
as well as the sincere and con-
tinuous efforts made by the two
sides to preserve this distin-
guished level of relations.
The offi cial visit of His High-
ness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin
Hamad al-Thani to Turkey yes-
terday to chair the sixth meet-
ing of the Supreme Strategic
Committee with Turkish Presi-
dent Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in
addition to meetings, talks and
agreements that will result from
it, will add great momentum to
the bilateral relations and lead
to exploring new horizons, as it
will contribute to strengthening
and developing the existing co-
operation mechanisms, the am-
bassador said.
In December 2014, the Amir
and Erdogan signed the agree-
ment to establish the Supreme
Strategic Committee.
Under this agreement, a large
number of ministries, govern-
mental and private institutions
in the two countries, in addition
to several sectors, have engaged
in talks to prepare for bilateral
agreements, memorandums of
understanding and co-operation
protocols.
The Higher Strategic Commit-
tee has also acted as an importantmechanism to strengthen bilat-
eral relations, al-Shafi added.
These meetings resulted in
opening new horizons of co-
operation and also contributed
to enhancing trade exchange and
co-operation in the economic,
fi nancial, commercial, educa-
tional, agricultural, technologi-
cal and defence fi elds.
In addition, there were benefi -
cial measures that accompanied
all this for the citizens of the two
countries, such as easing restric-
tions on investments, preventing
double taxation and joint exemp-
tion from visas for holders of
regular passports from citizens
of the two countries.
Al-Shafi said the latest visit
of the Amir comes at a time
when the world is suffering
from severe polarisation and
challenges, in addition to the
outbreak of the coronavirus
pandemic and the negative ef-
fects that this has left.
He stressed the visit refl ects
the stability and fi rmness of the
two countries’ relationship, ina turbulent world in which alli-
ances and lineups change all the
time.
The ambassador said this visit
will witness the signing of several
agreements.
Turkish companies have won
huge contracts to implement
infrastructure projects devoted
Qatar’s preparations to host the
FIFA World Cup in 2022, as well
as various Turkish and Qatari
investments in real estate, con-
tracting, tourism, manufacturing
and media, in addition to projects
fi nanced by joint capital between
the two sides, he added.
The ambassador said the
Amir’s visit and the meetings
and agreements will have a
great impact on consolidating
and stabilising the gains that
have been achieved, codifying
and organising various aspects
of co-operation, develop-
ing legal and implementation
frameworks for it, finding oth-
er prospects for co-operation
and providing more beneficial
measures.Ties growing in all fi elds: envoy
QNA
DohaT
urkish ambassador to Qa-
tar Mehmet Mustafa Gok-
su has said Qatari-Turk-
ish ties have seen tremendous
growth as the two countries have
become strategic allies.
In a statement to Qatar News
Agency on the occasion of the
sixth meeting of the Qatar-Tur-
key Supreme Strategic Commit-
tee chaired by His Highness the
Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad
al-Thani and Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara,the ambassador said bilateral re-
lations have witnessed remark-
able progress in recent years in all
fi elds and they are strategic part-
ners who co-operate on many is-
sues at the bilateral, regional and
international levels.
He added that the regular
meetings of the Supreme Stra-
tegic Committee at the highest
level annually are an indication
of the strength of the relation-
ship.
Goksu said the Supreme Stra-
tegic Committee meeting is be-
ing held amid regional and inter-
national political and economic
challenges, making it imperativefor the two countries to consult,
co-ordinate and exchange views.
He said the Qatari-Turkish
relations are distinguished by
the diversity of co-operation in
many vital areas such as energy,
manufacturing, technology,
banking, tourism, agriculture,
real estate, culture, religious, so-
cial and security aff airs.
The ambassador said the rela-
tions between the two countries
have refl ected positively on the
trade and investment fi eld, add-
ing that trade exchange between
Qatar and Turkey have grown,
and last year it recorded a growth
of about 6%.Strategic partnership built on joint
interests and mutual respect
QNA
DohaT
he sixth meeting of the
Qatar-Turkey Supreme
Strategic Commit-
tee, under the chairmanship of
His Highness the Amir Sheikh
Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and
Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, refl ects the unwavering
commitment of the two leaders
to enhance bilateral co-opera-
tion for the benefi t of the people
of the two countries.
This year’s meeting held yes-
terday focused on advancing the
strategic partnership in diff erent
fi elds.
At the meeting, the two sides
exchanged views on regional and
international issues of joint in-
terest, and signed several agree-
ments and Memorandums of
Understanding.
The new agreements covered a
range of fi elds including invest-
ment and industrial co-opera-
tion, commerce, free zones, wa-ter resources, and Islamic aff airs.
With this the two countries
have signed almost 60 agree-
ments.
The two sides sign new agree-
ments every year at the meeting
of their joint Supreme Strategic
Committee since the meetings
fi rst started in 2014.
The agreements refl ect the
strong intention of both sides to
enhance co-operation.
The sixth meeting was pre-
ceded by several sessions and
consultations.
Erdogan visited Doha on Oc-
tober 7 and discussed with the
Amir strategic bilateral relations
and the means to enhance them.
They also exchanged views on
regional and international issues
of joint interest.
The two countries also held a
preparatory ministerial meeting
for the sixth session of the Su-
preme Strategic Committee in
Antalya on November 5.
That session was led by HE the
Deputy Prime Minister and Min-
ister of Foreign Aff airs SheikhMohamed bin Abdulrahman al-
Thani Turkish Foreign Minister
Mevlut Cavusoglu.
A virtual Qatari-Turkish Busi-
ness Forum took place on Sep-
tember 29 through, where 1,
companies from both countries
discussed investment opportu-
nities.
The Joint Technical Commit-
tee also held its second meeting
through video conference.
The meeting discussed is-
sues related to the use of skilled
workers from Turkey in Qatar,
as well as an employment fair in
which the Turkish side will dis-
play the Turkish labour skills
suitable for the Qatari market,
and co-ordinate with the Qatar
Chamber to hold a virtual exhi-
bition.
Bilateral ties have seen a ma-
jor boost recently thanks to the
commitment of the Amir and
Turkish president.
Trade ties continue to grow
rapidly, with trade volume tri-
pling over the past fi ve years to
more than $2bn in 2019.His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani being received by Turkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.Amir, Erdogan visit Library of the Presidency
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday
visited the Nation’s Library of the Presidency in Ankara. During the visit, they were briefed on the contents of the
library in terms of books, journals, and university dissertations, in addition to the electronic database of books.
The Amir and the president were also briefed on ways the library’s research and scientific services provided to its
visitors.
Qatar, Turkey sign pacts to strengthen ties
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan witness the signing of agreements
between the two countries. Among them were a memorandum of understanding between Qatar Investment Authority and Altin Halic on
potential joint investment in the Golden Horn project, a memorandum to purchase a stake in Borsa Istanbul, an announcement on the
establishment of a joint economic and trade committee between the Qatari Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Turkish Ministry of
Trade, and a letter of intent between the Qatari Ministry of Finance and the Turkish Ministry of Finance and Treasury.