Senegalese President Calls on Qatari Businessmen to Invest in his Country

Doha, May 22 (QNA) - Senegalese President Macky Sall has called on Qatari businessmen to invest in Senegal, stressing that his country is earnestly seeking to root out corruption and draw up satisfactory policies to encourage investors to come to Senegal and seize the opportunities available there in the various fields. During a meeting he held yesterday with Qatari Businessmen at Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Senegalese President said his country enjoys a strategic geographical location in west Africa in the vicinity of the European and American continents and is also a gateway to the African continent from the west. He stressed that Senegal is socially and culturally close to the countries of the Islamic world, noting that the Senegalese community, with its Muslim majority which represents 95 per cent of the population, is living in peace and security. President Sall pointed out that Senegal began to achieve a satisfactory economic performance, explaining that it has seen a 1.4 per cent rise in the growth rate between 2003 and 2012, in addition to the relevant moderation recorded recently in the average of the per capita income in the state. Despite the presence of more than 13 million people in the country, the government is bringing the level of inflation under control, President Sall said citing in this respect the international classifications, which exceeded the standards of the African continent. He explained that Senegal was ranked B1 by the international firm Standard & Poor's and was ranked -B in September last year by Moody's credit rating, stressing the balanced measures taken by the Government maintained the economic stability during the recent period. The Senegalese President stressed his personal keenness on establishing the principle of good governance in order to enhance the environment of business and investment with the private sector, reviewing in this regard to the judicial and legislative measures taken by the state to ensure the enhancement of Dakar's relations with the private sector. He underlined the importance of the agreements signed by Senegal and Qatar on the protection of investments and the avoidance of double taxation and tax evasion, saying they are of vital of importance for the business sector, noting that other agreements, in this context, are under consideration.(QNA)