UK seeks to increase co-operation with Qatar in all fields

UK Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has highlighted his country's desire to enhance co-operation with Qatar, particularly in the economic, investment, and trade fields stemming from both countries' strong and historical relations.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA) on his visit to Doha, Dowden said that relations between the United Kingdom and Qatar are going strength to strength, particularly their political and economic ties, in addition to their co-ordination, adding, "Our bilateral trade, which is currently worth £11.4bn — an increase of 29% or £2.6bn from last year."
He said: "It's excellent to have the opportunity to visit Doha and to have productive and wide-ranging discussions covering existing UK-Qatar partnerships." adding, "I am also keen to discuss with our partners the ways in which the UK can support Qatar in delivering its new Third National Development Strategy."
Dowden said that his meeting with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani is an important occasion, adding, "To discuss our broad bilateral relationship in the areas of defence and security, prosperity, and regional security, and to convey the UK's commitment to the close and continually expanding partnership between our two countries."
"We are committed to taking steps to further deepen the political, trade, and investment relationship we share with Qatar. We achieve this through the UK-Qatar Strategic Dialogue which was inaugurated in 2022, and is due to take please in Doha in 2024, and also, through the UK-Qatar Joint Economic and Trade Committee."
He added, "The UK and Qatar also have a Strategic Investment Partnership, signed in 2022, which aims to boost mutual investment. The UK's export credit agency, UK Export Finance (UKEF), has a memorandum with Qatar Development Bank focused on boosting efforts to support Qatari companies export more whilst collaborating with British companies in third markets."
Regarding bilateral co-ordination on resolving international and regional issues, Dowden said: "We work together very closely. It is important to acknowledge the vital role that Qatar is playing on mediating in Gaza. We need an immediate pause to deliver on hostage releases, on humanitarian access and to relieve suffering, and we need that to achieve our wider goals, including of regional stability and a path to a sustainable cease-fire. So, Qatar is playing an essential role, and the UK government, at all levels, appreciates those efforts and is supporting them."
He explained bilateral co-ordination further by saying, "We have worked very closely across a wide range of files, including on Afghanistan, across the Middle East and we are exploring doing more on joint aid and development work including in Gaza and Africa. We also have very close defense ties the only joint squadron the UK has anywhere globally since WW2, is with Qatar."
On future investment and economic cooperation, he said: "Our hope is to keep building on the success of our economic relationship with even stronger ties between the UK and Qatar built through Free Trade Agreement we are negotiating with the Gulf Co-operation Council.
"We have a very strong relationship already on the investment front, which was strengthened by the UK-Qatar Strategic Investment Partnership signed in May 2022."
The UK Deputy Prime Minister said that over the past year, Qatari investment in the UK have reached around £40bn, which includes investments into: Heathrow; Sainsbury's; London Stock Exchange; Harrods; Olympic Village, London; Rolls Royce Small Modular Reactors.
He said: "Qatar announced they will look for opportunities to invest around £10bn in the United Kingdom over the next five years. Were pleased with this partnerships progress and look forward to further enhancing mutual investment in areas like technology, life sciences and clean technology."
As for co-operation in innovation and future technologies, he said: "The UK has a clear vision on how we will build and grow our worldleading expertise on critical future technologies, including AI and Quantum. This is a major priority for the UK, and we are mobilising a national effort behind this."
Commenting on Qatar's new National Development Strategy, he said: "It sets out a clear vision to develop innovation clusters across priority areas. Qatar is making advances on AI, with the Qatar Computing Research Institute as a forerunner to an AI Strategy." He welcomed Qatar's participation in the London Tech Week this summer.
Dowden added: "Our common approach means that the UK and Qatar can partner closely in developing cutting edge technologies and building mutual investments. Pleased that Qatar has invested in new tech companies in the UK including on AI: this is key to our Strategic Investment Partnership."
With regards to Qatar's cultural scene, he said: "Qatar has seen remarkable development of its cultural sector, particularly the museums and the library."
"Creative industries are also a real strength for the UK: they generate over £108bn and employs over 2.3mn people in every corner of the UK."
Dowden said that his country aims to grow its creative industries by an extra £50bn by 2030, expressing eagerness to foster a partnership with Qatar across sport, museums, film, TV, theater, festivals, music, and fashion. (QNA)