Doha, Qatar: Bilateral relations between Spain and Qatar will promote and expand mutually beneficial political, economic and social cooperation for both countries, Ambassador of Spain to Qatar H E Javier Carbajosa said yesterday during Spain’s National Day celebration.

The envoy referenced Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s state visit to Spain last year upon the invitation of His Majesty King Felipe VI, where bilateral relations between both countries were raised a strategic partnership.

“The extraordinary moment in the bilateral relations between Qatar and Spain is noticeable in every field of our partnership. I am convinced that the ever-stronger relations between Spain and Qatar will promote and expand mutually beneficial political, economic and social cooperation. I look forward to a promising new year of common projects and initiatives that will bring our countries closer together and contribute to improving the well-being of our people,” Carbajosa said, also praising Qatar for the successful launch of the Expo 2023 Doha.

The envoy added that 15 bilateral agreements and MoUs have been signed in recent years in several areas, including education, economy and science.

“On the scientific domain, I would like to stress that 2023 has been a turning point in our bilateral cooperation. Spain and Qatar launched the QASIP Innovation Program, the first international partnership for Qatar in the scientific arena,” he added.

Regarding tourism, Carbajosa said Spain is the second destination of international tourists, with more than 30,000 Qataris visiting Spain annually which he called a “strong enthusiasm by Qatari tourists to visit Spain.”

On the other hand, Qatar and Spain trade passed pre-Covid level in 2022 to €1.3bn in 2022, according to the envoy, adding that Qatar is consolidating its position as one of the main suppliers of LNG to Spain. Qatar announced that it will invest $5bn in Spanish projects, paving the way for further cooperation in direct investment.”

In direct investments, Qatar´s capital investment stock has registered steady growth in the last years, and QIA has made important investments in Spain, Carbajosa said. He added that Spain being the first European investor in Latin America offers Qatar a trustable partner to open the door for new markets investment. He said the ties with the Latino world in telecommunications, finance and insurance sectors, energy, tourism, and infrastructure makes Spanish companies attractive partners for cooperation.

Carbajosa noted that 2023 is also a very special year for Spain as its women’s national football team claimed its first FIFA World Cup title. He added that Spain looks forward to emulating Qatar in hosting a successful FIFA World Cup in 2026 after it was announced it will jointly host the tournament with Portugal and Morocco.

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