• The total number of joint Qatari-Turkish companies exceeded 636
H.E. Mr. Sultan Bin Rashid Al-Khater, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, participated in the opening session of the Izmir Business Days forum, taking place virtually on September 2 and 3, 2021, within the framework of the 90th edition of the Izmir International Fair
During his speech at the session, H.E. Mr. Al-Khater praised the distinguished bond of fraternity between Qatar and Turkey. This relationship has been established under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and his brother, H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Turkey, H.E. Mr. Al-Khater added.
The Qatari-Turkish relations stem from joint views and positions, and shared visions in various fields, H.E. Mr. Al-Khater stated, further adding that this had reflected positively on the volume of Qatari-Turkish trade, amounting to about 1.9 billion USD in 2020, despite the economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on international trade.
At the investment level, H.E. Mr. Al-Khater pointed out that over 636 Qatari-Turkish joint companies were operating in Qatar, in the trade, contracting, and information technology sectors. Qatar is also home to 38 wholly-owned Turkish companies, operating in the construction and industrial sectors, H.E. Mr. Al-Khater further stated.
Regarding the Qatari economy, H.E. Al-Khater stressed that Qatar had succeeded in continuing on its path of steady economic growth, thanks to the effective policies established by its wise leadership. These policies supported and motivated the private sector to contribute to the process of achieving economic diversification, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, and the Second National Development Strategy 2018-2022, H.E. Mr. Al-Khater added.
In this regard, H.E. Mr. Al-Khater pointed out that the World Bank’s latest report had confirmed the promising growth prospects for the Qatari economy by about 3% and 4.1% during 2021 and 2022, respectively, despite the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the end of his speech, H.E. the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry affirmed that Qatar’s participation in the 2021 edition of the forum presented an ideal opportunity to underline Qatar’s commitment, and its firm orientation towards enhancing international cooperation, according to the highest standards of sustainability, in an endeavor to ensure the wellbeing of all peoples and fulfill their aspirations for progress, development, and prosperity.
Over the past nine decades, the Izmir International Fair has succeeded in becoming an important and diverse platform for exchanging views on global and domestic trends in trade and policymaking, as well as for forging new partnerships.
This year, the Fair hosts the seventh edition of Izmir Business Days, themed, Trade and Logistics: Circular Economy and Green Deal Perspective. The forum includes about six panel discussions, featuring over 30 speakers, including Ministers, senior officials, experts, CEOs of major institutions and companies, as well as media representatives from different countries. The sessions address a number of topics, including the future of global trade in the post-Covid era under recent trends; the circular economy and the European Union’s Green Deal; the fate of the agricultural and food sectors during the climate crisis; as well as marine transportation and new logistics strategies.
