DOHA - The Qatar-French bilateral relations will be further strengthened in various field including trade and security, said French ambassador Antoine Sivan. Sivan was talking to The Peninsula while France celebrating its National Day, yesterday. Economic exchanges between France and Qatar are increasingly on the rise. In fact, it doubled during the last fiscal year, he said.
The envoy said that several construction majors and big names in France's industrial sector are actively involved in the development of Qatar. "Engineering Oil Company Technip is involved in building tankers for LNG in Ras Laffan. French Degeremo Company is running two mega desalination projects and there is French Telet Company which is busy involved in the development of Doha International Airport", he said. French company Total is working in Qatar since 1939 and is investing in gas and oil industry. There is also an agreement with French Observatory and Weather Forecasting Agency with Qatar, he added.
The envoy said both countries witnessed at least half a dozen ministerial visits from the respective countries. From the Qatari side, we received Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and H E Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani. I am glad that the Emir and H H Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned have accepted the invitation to attend the French National Day celebrations.
"Our relationship is exclusively special and distinct, because there is a strong confidence and trust between both countries. One must not forget the fact that the Emir was the first Arab leader to visit France and congratulate personally the newly elected French President Sarkozy", the Ambassador said.
On the Cultural relations he said:" France wish to train the new Qatari generations, and the Qatari educational systems are good and from this perspective, we opened the Voltaire Lycee, which target the young Qatari people and also for other French speaking communities living in Qatar. It is a private school and the faculty is excellent. They have been specially sent from the French National Ministry for Education. At the school the students will also be taught Arabic, English and Qatari history, he said.
© The Peninsula 2007
