Delegation of Qatar 2022 and American Embassy in Doha Visits USA

Los Angeles, February 19 (QNA) - The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee and the US Embassy in Qatar began a joint trade mission to the Western United States this week to tour sporting venues, visit infrastructure projects, research innovative, sustainable energy technologies and build mutually beneficial partnership opportunities for US companies as Qatar prepares to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The delegation, led by Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee Secretary General Hassan Al-Thawadi and US Ambassador to Qatar Susan Ziadeh, met with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to discuss areas of mutual interest including, infrastructure, green technologies, trade and investment. At a press conference organized by the Qatari-US business council and the American Arab chamber of commerce, Al-Thawadi made a presentation, before over a hundred American companies, on the investment opportunities related to the 2022 FIFA world cup in Qatar. Al Thawadi and Ziadeh expressed confidence that the trade mission would deepen the economic relationship between Qatar and the US and generate economic growth and high quality investment for both countries. "We're in the USA to build mutually reciprocal partnerships with companies who re interested in using the '22 FIFA World Cup in Qatar as a platform to target a market of 300m consumers across the Middle East and the Arab World," said Al Thawadi. "The World Cup in Qatar is a key example of how the country s rising international prominence is bringing about new and exciting partnership opportunities," said Ziadeh. The Joint delegation will travel to Portland and Seattle on Wednesday to study the applications of sustainability and green building ratings to public buildings and sports facilities, as well as opportunities for cross cultural knowledge sharing and international best practice design strategies. The Mayor of Los Angeles announced that he will lead a trade and investment delegation to Qatar later this year. Commercial ties between Qatar and the United States have expanded at a rapid pace over the last seven years, with trade volumes growing from $738m in 2003 to $4.03bn in 2011. Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States and is one of the world largest economies. Moreover Los Angeles is the home of six professional sports clubs. The city of Los Angeles hosted the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics, and was one of nine cities that hosted the matches of the 1994 FIFA world cup organized by the United States. (END)