Qatar's Ambassador to Sweden to QNA: Amir's visit to Sweden culmination of 50 years of historical relations

HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Kingdom of Sweden Nadya bint Ahmed Al Shaibi underlined that HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's official visit to Sweden is the culmination of 50 years of historical relations between the two countries established in 1974, and reflects the depth of ties and the joint achievements made over decades.

Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), HE the Ambassador said that HH the Amir's visit, which comes at the invitation of HE Prime Minister of Kingdom of Sweden Ulf Kristersson, will focus on the strategic, political and economic dimensions to push for close partnerships that achieve mutual benefit.

Her Excellency noted the significance of HH the Amir's visit to Sweden in highlighting the depth of bilateral relations and enhancing the strong partnership between the two countries, indicating that the visit comes at a very important time in light of the rapid global transformations.

Her Excellency stressed the importance of diversifying the network of bilateral relations and activating it to serve all parties, in light of the current economic crises in the world, especially in the fields of energy, in addition to the challenges of climate crisis, drought, desertification, and water.

HH the Amir's visit is a valuable opportunity to activate joint cooperation frameworks and explore new horizons with the Nordic countries, based on the great confidence enjoyed by the State of Qatar and its prominent role in the regional and international arenas, HE the Ambassador added.

HE Qatar's Ambassador to Sweden Nadya bint Ahmed Al Shaibi explained that the program of HH the Amir's visit to Sweden will include a number of high-level meetings, most notably a meeting with HM King Carl XVI Gustaf of the Kingdom of Sweden at the Royal Palace. During a visit to the Swedish parliament (Riksdag), HH the Amir will meet with HE Speaker of the Parliament Dr. Andreas Norlen, and a number of MPs and representatives of political parties.

The visit program will include a session of official talks with HE the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sweden, which will cover a host of prominent topics at the bilateral and international levels, mainly in the fields of politics, economic and trade cooperation, sustainable projects, scientific research and innovation, as well as regional and international issues, HE the Ambassador added.

HE the Ambassador said that the visit will promote political understandings and the exchange of views on how to address common challenges, noting that world countries see the State of Qatar as a reliable international partner and seek to enhance international cooperation with it in various fields.

The visit will also contribute to consolidating understanding between the leaderships of the two countries to explore ways to enhance cooperation in the economic and trade fields, thus contributing to developing the bilateral relations and expanding opportunities for cooperation, HE the Ambassador added.

The visit will constitute a driving force for the rounds of political consultations held at the level of the two foreign ministries. These rounds have been held regularly since 2019, the last of which was the third round last February, which resulted in enhancing bilateral understanding and cooperation, Her Excellency pointed out.

HH the Amir's bilateral talks with HE the Prime Minister of Sweden will discuss the cooperation between the two countries at the bilateral and international levels, and are expected to address regional and international issues of common interest, including issues of security and peace, human rights, and sustainable development. The talks will also focus on the latest developments in the region, and other files that constitute a priority for the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Sweden, including climate change, sustainable development, innovation, and technology, HE the Ambassador explained.

The visit program will include the signing of a number of memoranda of understanding and agreements covering several areas, such as cooperation in the fields of innovation, land transport, defense, social development, humanitarian aid, and peace and reconciliation, Her Excellency added.

In light of the State of Qatar's presidency of the 44th session of the GCC Supreme Council, and the Kingdom of Sweden's presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2024, the visit will discuss areas of cooperation between the Gulf States and the Nordic countries, as the first high-level ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers will be held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly next September. This highlights the importance of cooperation between the two countries at the regional and international levels, HE the Ambassador said.

Noting the joint keenness on enhancing bilateral cooperation in the field of development and development aid and fulfilling international obligations, HE Qatar's Ambassador to Sweden hailed the cooperation between the two countries in this framework as a distinguished model of international cooperation, as both sides support humanitarian and development initiatives in line with international obligations, thus prompting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and improving the lives of the most needy communities.

In a related context, HE the Ambassador said that trade exchange between Qatar and Sweden has seen remarkable growth in recent years, and this growth is expected to continue thanks to the strengthening of bilateral cooperation and mutual investments. The volume of trade exchange between the two countries rose by 79 percent in 2023, reaching QR 1.55 billion.

This growth reflects the strength of the economic partnership between the two countries and enhances its sustainability. The economic cooperation between Qatar and Sweden is characterized by diversity and continuous growth, and includes multiple fields such as energy, technology, and heavy industries, in addition to the existence of new opportunities in the sectors of innovation, sustainability, and artificial intelligence, Her Excellency noted.

There are currently about 52 Swedish companies operating in the State of Qatar, including prominent companies such as: Volvo, Consilium, IKEA, Scania and others. These companies contribute to strengthening economic relations between the two countries, Her Excellency pointed out.

These high numbers and percentages reflect the increasing importance of the economic partnership between the two countries, HE the Ambassador stressed, noting that Doha has become a major destination for many Swedish companies and businessmen, and meetings were held to discuss future cooperation opportunities, which would promote the horizons of growth and innovation in the economic relations between the two countrie