A high-level Qatari-French economic delegation visited the city of Toulouse, located in the Occitanie region, southwest of France, as part of strengthening bilateral relations between Qatar and the French Republic, and the continuing efforts to develop economic relations with various French cities.

The visit included a tour of several industrial sites, major companies, and research centres, during which a business roundtable meeting was held.

Sheikh Ali bin Jassim al-Thani, ambassador of the State of Qatar to the French Republic, chaired the visit made by the Qatari delegation to the city of Toulouse, in which representatives of the Qatar Chamber, Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA), and Qatari-French Economic Association (Cadran), as well as prominent figures in the business sector in Qatar.

The visit was an opportunity to review new opportunities for co-operation and investment in the city of Toulouse and its suburbs, which is considered the third largest employment area in France and the most attractive in terms of production, thanks to the aircraft manufacturing, electronics, informatics, and biotechnology sectors.

During the visit, a twinning agreement was signed between Qatar Chamber and the Toulouse Chamber of Commerce and Industry, aiming to strengthen economic relations and open new horizons for co-operation between the two sides.

The Qatari delegation began its visit by meeting with Patrick Piedrafitta, president of the Local Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Toulouse, and Jean-François Rezeau, president of the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Occitanie region, where a panel discussion was organised and addressed the investment opportunities available in the two countries.

On this occasion, the Qatari delegation reviewed the business environment in Qatar, where Sheikh Ali stressed in his opening speech that “this meeting represents the beginning of a promising journey,” adding that “the opportunities we generate...today will lead us to prosperity tomorrow."

Qatar Chamber board member Abdul Rahman al-Ansari lauded the strong relations between Qatar and France, pointing out that there are multiple opportunities for investment in the two countries in various sectors.

He noted that Qatar Chamber is working diligently to bring Qatari and French business owners closer together, and to encourage them to co-operate and establish commercial alliances and mutual and joint projects.

For his part, QBA board member Sheikh Nawaf bin Nasser al-Thani spoke about the importance of this visit in strengthening trade and economic relations between the two countries and discussing available investment opportunities.

The visit also included a field tour of Airbus headquarters, where the delegation was briefed on the company's most important facilities and the advanced infrastructure it enjoys. It also included a field visit to the Francazal region and the AURA AERO company, which specialises in aircraft with an electric propulsion system, as well as a visit to the Pierre Fabre Medical Centre and the Oncopole Institute.

After extensive and fruitful meetings with representatives of the French private sector, the Qatari-French business delegation concluded its visit to the French city of Toulouse, which embodied a new step towards strengthening economic relations and expanding the horizons of joint co-operation between Qatar and France, by holding a dinner that brought together members of the delegation with local economic officials.

At the conclusion of the visit, Sheikh Ali stressed the importance of strengthening economic relations between Qatar and France, pointing out that Qatar has become an attractive destination for multinational companies, thanks to its advanced infrastructure and modern transportation networks.