HE Prime Minister Opens Business and Investment In Qatar Forum In Berlin

Berlin , April 15 (QNA) - Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani said Monday that the State of Qatar was moving steadily towards achieving sustainable development of a knowledge-based economy. HE the Premier and Foreign Minister added that the State will achieve that based on the four pillars (economic, social, human and environmental development) of the Qatar National Vision 2030, which was initiated by HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. HE the Premier and Foreign Minister was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Business and Investment in Qatar Forum, currently being held in Berlin. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit and a number of officials attended the opening ceremony. HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister thanked them for being present on the forum's first day. HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani said in his speech that the Qatari economy grew by an average of 13% from 2008-2012, due to an increase in Hydrocarbon exports. That spurred the leadership to lay down a plan that achieves sustainable growth and they laid down the Qatar National Development Strategy 2011-2016, HE the Prime Minister added. As part of the plan, investment in infra-structure should reach $160 billion by 2019. Growth in construction, transport is also expected to reach 10% and 15% respectively in 2013, HE the Premier and Foreign Minister underlined. He said that the growth pattern was reflected in the State of Qatar's budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year which focuses on economic diversity and reflects growing investment opportunities inside Qatar. HE the Premier and Foreign Minister said that Qatar was able to maintain the high growth rates achieved, during and after the global economic crisis, where the Gulf states, including Qatar had played a leading role through the high growth rates and expanding spending policies in the stability of the global demand and offset lower demand and spending in many countries which had been affected by the crisis. That foreign investment is a cornerstone in the State of Qatar's national strategy to diversify its sources of income, HE the Premier and Foreign Minister underlined. At the level of economic relations between Germany and Qatar, HE the Premier and Foreign Minister cited Qatar investments in Germany, including stakes in Volkswagen, Porsche, Hochtief, Siemens, the PSF companies, and a number of other German companies adding that also a number of German companies are present in Qatar to implement some infrastructure projects. HE the Premier and Foreign Minister said: "We in Qatar believe in the need to harness the diplomatic work for peace and development, not only in our region but throughout the world, and perhaps the International Conference on Reconstruction and Development in Sudan's Darfur, which was held in Doha last week with wide regional and international participation was a model for this vision. "When peace is achieved in any region of the in the world that witnessed tension, it means stability and development and opening the doors for investment and economic development in that region" , HE the Premier and Foreign Minister underscored. "Perhaps it is appropriate to take the opportunity of this forum to call on the private sector in both Qatar and Germany to carry out joint investments in the African continent, which is rich in natural resources, economic potential and investment opportunities, especially in the fields of agriculture, livestock, tourism and mining" HE the Premier and Foreign Minister noted, saying that it is true that some regions of the continent are witnessing instability and security tensions, but it is also true that most of these problems are solvable through efforts of regional and international diplomatic efforts to be coupled with effective economic move which would have quick and direct impact on the lives of the population in the areas of tension, HE the Premier and Foreign said adding this could become models in a record time of economic growth and be centres for attracting investment. HE the Premier and Foreign Minister further said : Out of our conviction in the State of Qatar that peace, security and political stability are prerequisites for economic prosperity we stressed that living in peace in the region requires the need for speedy just and lasting resolution for the Palestinian question so that the Middle East would be a stable, and safe region in order to be able to exploit its economic resources that would benefit its countries and their partners around the world. Certainly, the solution to which we aspire cannot be achieved without Israel's compliance with international law and the resolutions of international legitimacy and its withdrawal from the Palestinian and Arab territories occupied in 1967 and through its recognition of the full legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, particularly the right to establish their independent state with its capital in East Jerusalem, HE the Premier and Foreign Minister underscored. He also said: "We also out of our commitment to peace as the way to progress and economic and social development we are looking forward to a peaceful settlement of urgent crisis of the Iranian nuclear file in a way that reserves Iran's legitimate rights, and reassure the peaceful Iranian nuclear program, and thus the Gulf region would avoid the specter of war and maintain the security and stability of this vital and important region for the global economy, and we believe that Germany can play an important positive role in this regard", HE the Premier and Foreign Minister noted. HE the Prime Minister said that stability in the Middle-East should be directly linked with the crisis in Syria and the tragedy resulted from the actions of the Syrian regime which yielded the lives of more than 100,000 people in the last two years, in addition to the millions of refugees that were displaced. HE the Prime Minister added that the conditions in Syria requires an urgent intervention from the international community, through having the UN Security Council protect the Syrian people. HE the Prime Minister noted that Germany, with its influence, can help in achieving this goal and move towards re-building a new Syria. HE the Prime Minister said that he would have liked to focus on economy matters, but maintained that it was difficult to separate it from politics. His Excellency also praised Germany's ability to give an example of how a modern country that provides luxury for its people can be created. HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani stressed that Qatar was keen to enhance its bilateral relations with Germany in all fields. His Excellency maintained that there was an ambition for more economic cooperation between the two countries, despite the strong current levels. His Excellency added that a delegation from the State of Qatar including state officials and representatives of the private sector will present the latest economic developments in the State of Qatar and the investment opportunities available in the country. HE the Prime Minister then concluded his speech by calling on the members of the forum to move forward with achieving its goals. For her part , German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed holding the Business and Investment in Qatar Forum in Berlin. She conveyed her greetings to HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani at the beginning of her speech. Merkel hailed Qatar as an economic force, ever since it became one of the wealthiest nations in the world. She also praised the country's regional role in holding a number of important conferences and summits in the last few years, particularly COP 18. She also added that the German people were awaiting in anticipation Qatar's preparations for the 2022 World Cup. The German Chancellor noted that Germany was looking to become one of the major trade partners with Qatar, along with France and England. She said that trade volume with Qatar has risen to $2 billion and said that German companies will look to offer its expertise in developing infra-structure in Qatar, as a sign of the strong partnership that bonds the two countries. Merkel added that Germany was also looking for partnership opportunities in the field of energy, particularly sources low in carbon emissions. She revealed that her administration was looking to increase the momentum in terms of negotiations on using Qatari LNG. (END)