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Peru is keen to further strengthen its bilateral relations with Qatar as trade volume between the two countries surged by 60% in 2021 compared to the previous year, Peruvian ambassador Jose Benzaquen has said. “You can see in the Qatari market many of the Peruvian fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, avocados, lime, grapes, gingers, and pomegranates, among others,” the envoy told Gulf Times, noting that Peru imported a significant amount of petrochemicals and construction materials from Qatar. Peru is renowned for producing organic agricultural fresh produce, he stressed. Some of the seven ‘agreements under negotiation’ with Qatar includes a ‘Declaration of mutual intent on cooperation in the field of agriculture. “This year will mark the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between Peru and Qatar, which started on November 7th, 1989, and it has been developing positively since that day. “The bilateral agreements signed so far include cooperation in the legal field, Memorandum of Understanding in Education, on mutual cooperation and news exchange, abolishing visa requirement for diplomatic and special passports, and letter of intent on fighting illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, among others,” Benzaquen said. Peru is in talks with Qatar on the investment promotion and protection agreement, and the embassy expects to receive a Peruvian delegation to finalise it in the coming months. The envoy highlighted the importance of cultural cooperation between Qatar and Peru, noting that an Executive Programme of Culture agreement for the years 2022/2024 is set to be signed soon. Benzaquen underscored Qatar’s generosity and concern to various countries during the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. “We highly appreciate the precautionary measures Qatar has taken to protect the health and safety of its community during the Covid-19 pandemic. Qatar has been considered the perfect role model in dealing with global crises by supporting many other suffering nations worldwide to combat the spread of this pandemic,” he said, noting that Qatar donated equipment and medicines to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. The envoy also underlined the high-level visits between the two countries, “which had become significant signs in our ties. “We had the privilege to receive His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in October 2018 in my country, and we are sure that the president of Peru reciprocally will be here in Doha as soon as we have the possibility,” Benzaquen said. About the much-anticipated football tournament, he said: We consider that Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 will be a global event that promotes friendship between all nations. At the same time, I would like to express my admiration for the Qatari organisation through the amazing stadiums and places we have. Doha has been converted into an international attraction city for all people around the world to visit.” Abut Peru contributing to Qatar’s National Vision 2030, Benzaquen said the two countries have many common goals such as the prosperity and happiness of their people, promoting a close link between external action and development priorities.

Qatar has made great strides in ensuring that mental health services are easily accessible through a number of initiatives and programmes, an official of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said. “Qatar has really moved immensely over the last few years in this regard, and with the plans that we have, we hope to see further developments and make it easier for people to seek help,” said National Health Strategy Lead of the MoPH’s Mental Health and Wellbeing, Iain Francis Tulley, who is also the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)’s Mental Health Service chief executive. He was speaking on the sidelines of the recent opening of *Your Brain to Me, My Brain to You exhibition by renowned Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist at the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ). Citing the MoPH’s National Mental Health help plan, Tulley said that the country witnessed further improvements in its mental health services, allowing people to seek help anonymously and confidentially and “a way that perhaps they couldn’t do before”. He noted that in conducting regular attitude surveys to understand what public attitudes are to mental health, they have seen huge improvements in terms of people’s awareness and willingness to seek help if they feel the need. Tulley said that citizens and residents can reach mental health professionals without giving their names or health card number (unless they decided to seek medical treatment) via the helpline 16000. As part of the service, he said they also launched a virtual women service for problems such as post-natal depression, and “perhaps people who have had domestic abuse or some form of trauma”, among other issues, in addition to opening a new women’s in-patient service. “We have the redevelopment of our current hospital to ensure that we provide much greater privacy and dignity to people who need to be admitted to the hospital, and we will continue to open and develop our community services so we provide services to where people live,” he said, adding that these programmes aim to “improve access, reduce stigma, and integrate care so physical and mental health are look at in the same way”. “People are prepared to seek help in a way they didn’t before … the need has always been there, but what we do is to create the opportunity for people to seek help,” Tulley said. He noted that the MoPH has been running a campaign aimed at raising public awareness on the importance of mental health and psychological well-being, which shares its goals with Rist’s exhibition. Tulley lauded the *Your Brain to Me, My Brain to You exhibition, saying that “it is a fantastic metaphor in terms of helping people to forget the stigma and enter an experience that allows people to become much more mindful about life”. “It’s such a normal setting; it’s not a clinical place, it’s not a hospital, it’s not somewhere that people perhaps would feel shameful to go to, and the reach of this exhibition in terms of the message that we want to convey that mental health is something that we should all think about looking after our mind, looking after our psychological wellbeing is essential if we want to be healthy,” he pointed out, adding: “It’s a big opportunity for people to be much more open about how they feel and to seek help if they ever feel the need.”

Art exhibitions create spaces of reflections, self-awareness, and “cultural exposure on different levels”, allowing people to view a wide range of perspectives and beliefs, and have a deeper understanding of issues, according to National Museum of Qatar’s (NMoQ) head of Exhibitions Bouthayna M Baltaji. Speaking to Gulf Times on the sidelines of the recently inaugurated “Your Brain to Me, My Brain to You (2022)” exhibition by renowned Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist at NMoQ, Baltaji underlined the importance of exhibitions (held at various locations across Qatar) and their accessibility, as well as presenting different narratives amid the various challenges the world is facing. “With the current state of the world, dialogue is something very important, tolerance is also something very important, not jumping into conclusions, not reacting immediately before really coming and assessing the whole situation from all angles. “This is again perfectly reflected in the exhibition (“Your Brain to Me, My Brain to You") in the sense that you have to sit and you have to contemplate and think about what is happening… what has happened in the past and then looking to the future,” Baltaji said. The installation, described as a “pixel forest” featuring 12,000 LEDs (light-emitting diodes) strung on cables throughout the gallery for visitors to navigate, will be on view until December 20. It will allow residents and hundreds of thousands of football fans who will be coming for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 the chance “to embark on a journey of self-discovery through a multisensory experience that inspires introspection and awe”. Baltaji highlighted the importance of using technology and collaboration with various institutions and organisations in presenting a unique and large-scale exhibition in the region. “For us, we don’t just look at ourselves as a museum or a cultural institution, this is why we collaborated with the Ministry of Public Health and we try to collaborate with different institutions across Qatar because we are all part of one government. “We are all part of Qatar and the whole end goal is to work towards the National Vision 2030, how do we bring this to life and we all need to be collaborating and these exhibitions are one form of that,” she said, adding that NMoQ continuously works in making these exhibitions accessible to the entire community. “In the end, we all become role models and individuals representing the country.” “This was Sheikha Amna bint Abdulaziz al-Thani’s vision, we are a national museum… and the whole idea is to talk to each other (like) what’s going on and does it link to any of the content in our museum and how we can bring it to life so that the National Vision is accessible to the entire community. “In the end, we all become role models and individuals representing the country,” she stressed.

Art exhibitions create spaces of reflections, self-awareness, and “cultural exposure on different levels”, allowing people to view a wide range of perspectives and beliefs, and have a deeper understanding of issues, according to National Museum of Qatar’s (NMoQ) head of Exhibitions Bouthayna M Baltaji. Speaking to Gulf Times on the sidelines of the recently inaugurated “Your Brain to Me, My Brain to You (2022)” exhibition by renowned Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist at NMoQ, Baltaji underlined the importance of exhibitions (held at various locations across Qatar) and their accessibility, as well as presenting different narratives amid the various challenges the world is facing. “With the current state of the world, dialogue is something very important, tolerance is also something very important, not jumping into conclusions, not reacting immediately before really coming and assessing the whole situation from all angles. “This is again perfectly reflected in the exhibition (“Your Brain to Me, My Brain to You") in the sense that you have to sit and you have to contemplate and think about what is happening… what has happened in the past and then looking to the future,” Baltaji said. The installation, described as a “pixel forest” featuring 12,000 LEDs (light-emitting diodes) strung on cables throughout the gallery for visitors to navigate, will be on view until December 20. It will allow residents and hundreds of thousands of football fans who will be coming for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 the chance “to embark on a journey of self-discovery through a multisensory experience that inspires introspection and awe”. Baltaji highlighted the importance of using technology and collaboration with various institutions and organisations in presenting a unique and large-scale exhibition in the region. “For us, we don’t just look at ourselves as a museum or a cultural institution, this is why we collaborated with the Ministry of Public Health and we try to collaborate with different institutions across Qatar because we are all part of one government. “We are all part of Qatar and the whole end goal is to work towards the National Vision 2030, how do we bring this to life and we all need to be collaborating and these exhibitions are one form of that,” she said, adding that NMoQ continuously works in making these exhibitions accessible to the entire community. “In the end, we all become role models and individuals representing the country.” “This was Sheikha Amna bint Abdulaziz al-Thani’s vision, we are a national museum… and the whole idea is to talk to each other (like) what’s going on and does it link to any of the content in our museum and how we can bring it to life so that the National Vision is accessible to the entire community. “In the end, we all become role models and individuals representing the country,” she stressed.    

The Embassy of Italy inaugurated the ‘Beauty, Sustainability, Innovation: Design as a Bridge between Italy and Qatar’ exhibition on Wednesday at the Doha Design District at Msheireb Downtown Doha’s Doha Design District, marking the ‘Italian Design Day’ in the country. The event, under the patronage of HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad al-Thani and curated by Italian Architect Giampiero Peia, is in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency in Doha, Peia Associati, Doha Design District and Msheireb Properties. The opening was attended by Italian ambassador Alessandro Prunas, Qatar Museums vice-chair Issa al-Mohannadi, and Qatar Tourism chairman and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive HE Akbar al-Baker and other dignitaries. Some 55 design objects from Italian brands and designers are on display at the exhibition – and all are available in Qatar’s showrooms in the country, starting from Msheireb Downtown Doha. The exhibition runs until March 30, from 9am to 9pm. The embassy noted that the interlacement between design and smart cities is indeed pivotal to the project, as confirmed by Msheireb itself, a virtuous example of an ideal Smart City where the quality of innovative architecture and urban spaces merge together with avant-garde design to express the best contemporary interpretation of the Qatari identity.

Qatar is one of the first countries in the world to announce its participation in Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan – a major event “that is expected to have an economic ripple effect of approximately ¥2tn ($168bn), Japanese ambassador Satoshi Maeda has said. “We are pleased to announce that the location of Pavilion A-16 has been officially confirmed, which is the place for the largest pavilion size and located in the area with the sub-theme of ‘Empowering Lives’, has been selected,” the envoy said at a reception organised by the Embassy of Japan at his residence in Doha recently. Ministry of Commerce and Industry Undersecretary HE Sultan bin Rashid al-Khater took part in the event, marking the launch of Qatar’s pavilion at Expo 2025. It was also attended by members of the preparation committee for Qatar's participation in Expo 2025, as well as a number of CEOs of Japanese companies in Doha. Maeda also announced that Qatar's pavilion will be located near the Japan Pavilion at Expo 2025 – scheduled from April 13 to October 13 with the main theme "Designing Future Society for Our Lives". “The Japan World Exposition 1970 (Expo 1970) – the first Expo to be held in Asia – was also held in Osaka in 1970. Following Expo 2005 Aichi, Expo 2025 is the first international exposition to be held in Japan in 20 years and returns again in Osaka. “The main theme of Expo 2025 is to see a society in which various global issues are solved through technologies such as Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, robotics, big data, and biotechnology, and in which the SDGs will be achieved. Moreover, Expo 2025 is expected to have an economic ripple effect of approximately ¥2tn ($168bn),” Maeda said, hoping that Expo 2025 will further promote the attractiveness and potential of Qatar to the Osaka-Kansai region, to all of Japan, and to the world. He thanked the Qatari government, Qatar Expo Committee, and those involved in the decision for Qatar’s participation and their efforts to build and maintain the excellent and long-lasting friendly relationship between the two countries. HE al-Khater said Qatar was pleased to participate and contribute to the success of Expo 2025 Osaka, alongside other friendly countries, as well as regional and international organisations. He stressed that Qatar’s involvement stems from the long-term relations between Qatar and “the friendly nation of Japan, which is currently witnessing growth and development in all fields. “We believe that Qatar's participation in this global event will open new opportunities for economic and trade co-operation between Qatari and Japanese businesses which will contribute to the benefit of both economies. Qatar will display its real-world solutions, past successes, as well as future projects and initiatives. Our core message is a deep commitment to a shared future of well-being, harmony, and stability,” HE al-Khater said. Al-Khater affirmed that the State of Qatar’s participation in the global event comes from its belief in the importance of the exhibition’s theme, ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’, which aligns with the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030. Expo 2025 Osaka, which also has sub-themes: Saving Lives, Empowering Lives, and Connecting Lives, will address how to build sustainable, social and economic systems of the future that draw on robotics, modern tech, and artificial intelligence. The expo activities and events fall in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, as well as with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to achieve a diverse, inclusive, and sustainable society. On the economic level, al-Khater cited a steady growth of trade and investment in industrial and development projects between Qatar and Japan, as the co-operation between the two countries expanded from the energy sector, in addition to construction, health, sports, security, education, as well as research and development.    

The National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) has unveiled a large-scale and Middle East first museum installation by renowned Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist Sunday, offering visitors “an immersive experience of light and sounds”. The NMoQ has partnered with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) to organise this one-of-its-kind exhibition, titled *Your Brain to Me, My Brain to You (2022), as it puts a spotlight on the importance of mental health. The show, curated by Qatar Museums (QM) curatorial adviser Tom Eccles and the NMoQ's Head of Exhibitions Bouthayna M Baltaji, also serves as a reminder for people to engage in self-care by a number of means such as practicing mindfulness, being thankful, or even seeking professional counselling. In a press statement, QM chairperson HE Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani said: “Visitors of all ages are sure to be captivated by Pipilotti Rist’s dazzling artwork *Your Brain to Me, My Brain to You, a journey of light and sound that plunges participants into the intricacies of the human brain while at the same time sweeping them across the natural landscape of Qatar.” “I am thrilled to announce that after its initial presentation at the NMoQ, this specially commissioned artwork will be permanently installed at Dadu, Children's Museum of Qatar, where it will be part of the future museum’s stimulating and inspiring family experiences in the heart of Doha,” she added. The exhibition will be on view until December 20, giving residents and hundreds of thousands of football fans who will be coming for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 the opportunity “to embark on a journey of self-discovery through a multisensory experience that inspires introspection and awe”. The installation, described as a “pixel forest”, comprises 12,000 LEDs (light emitting diodes) strung on cables throughout the gallery for visitors to navigate. Representing neurons, constantly firing and communicating with each other, the pulsing resin-encased bulbs have been programmed in choreography with a soundscape and featuring abstract footage of Qatar’s landscapes. “The idea with the exhibition is to tackle mental health … for this reason, we partnered with the MoPH, which has a national mental health campaign called ‘Are You OK? Your Mind Matters’,” Baltaji said. The exhibition supports the goals of the partnership between the MoPH, the World Health Organisation, and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, aimed at making the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar a beacon for physical and mental health promotion, and a model for ensuring future mega sport events are healthy and safe. Rist said that her work is both a collective and individual experience, aiming to understand what is happening inside the brain of the other. “And culture is the main way to try to understand each other beyond language,” she said. “I'm very much interested in rooms where people come together. Today, the electronic image is often separating us, everyone is looking to their own device.” “And then I'm searching for possibilities how we can use electronics as wonder lights to bring us together," Rist added. Organisers noted that the exhibition is inspired by the NMoQ and the landscape, history, and people of Qatar. Following the trajectory of the NMoQ – from early geology through the evolution of the Qatari people, pearling, oil exploration and the incredible growth of Qatar – the installation is a place for contemplation and awe. In a press statement, Assistant Minister for Health Affairs Dr Salih Ali al-Marri said: "This installation demonstrates our commitment to raising mental health awareness across a diverse range of cultural organisations and population groups.” “Specifically, engaging people through the medium of art to express themselves and connect to others in ways which surpass cultural, language and psychological barriers,” he added. HMC’s Mental Health Service chief executive Iain Francis Tulley, who is also the National Health Strategy Lead of the MoPH’s Mental Health and Wellbeing, lauded the exhibition. “The exhibition is a fantastic metaphor in terms of helping people to forget the stigma and enter an experience that allows people to become much more mindful about life,” he said. As part of the commission, the NMoQ has allocated two educational spaces inside the gallery, inviting visitors to practice mindfulness and to express their interpretation of Rist’s installation in relation to mental well-being on a dedicated writing wall. In line with the coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions imposed by the MoPH to ensure the health and safety of the public, it is mandatory for all visitors to book tickets online ahead of their visit to the museum. Entry to the exhibition is free of charge.

The US embassy in Doha has underscored the strong and deep-rooted relations between Qatar and the US, marking the two countries’ 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations on March 19. “The bond between our two countries has never been stronger, thanks to our enduring partnership to address regional and global challenges. Bilateral cooperation between the US and Qatar on trade, education, humanitarian assistance and security have broadened and deepened significantly in recent years,” US embassy charge d'affaires Natalie Baker told a press briefing on Thursday. She said the two countries’ friendship, commercial ties, cultural exchanges and security collaboration will continue to deepen in the coming years, as she cited the meeting between His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and US President Joe Biden at the White House early this year. The two leaders, Baker said, reaffirmed their mutual interest in promoting security and prosperity in the Gulf and the broader Middle East region, ensuring the stability of global energy supplies, supporting the people of Afghanistan, and strengthening commercial and investment cooperation. She noted that His Highness the Amir was the first Arab leader to be invited by President Biden to have a meeting and a state visit to the White House. “So it was extremely significant. Both President Biden and the Amir also welcomed the signing of a $20bn deal between Boeing and Qatar Airways, which will support manufacturing jobs at Boeing, General Electric and hundreds of high quality suppliers across the US, but also in Doha. This was significantly Boeing's largest deal in the history of the company,” Baker said. In recognition of the strategic partnership between the US and Qatar, she stressed that President Biden also designated Qatar as a major non- North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) ally. “This will confer on Qatar a variety of military and financial advantages not otherwise available to non-NATO partners. The Bilateral Security Partnership has been central to many of our most vital interests, relocating tens of thousands of vulnerable people from Afghanistan, maintaining stability in Gaza, and providing lifesaving assistance to the Palestinian people. “Keeping pressure on ISIS and deterring threats across the Middle East, supporting peace and diplomacy in Ukraine as it endures a Russian invasion, and much more,” ,” the envoy added. According to Baker, what a non-NATO ally designation means is a variety of financial advantages and also access to technical expertise and different forms of exchanges whether it is exchanges of military and security advisers, a fast track to purchasing some exclusive US military and defense equipment or other collaboration and consultation related to security issues. Such designation, she added, also reinforces security partnership between the two countries, pointing out that Qatar and the US now share a very strong military and security relationship. The envoy noted that Qatar is host to the largest US air force footprint outside of the US with the Arab base, further strengthening their partnership and providing Qatar with more access to training opportunities, as well as building the interoperability of military partners. “We understand that there's also going to be expanded maritime relationships between the US military and Qatar. So in all of those areas, as we continue to pursue mutual goals of regional stability and prosperity and global security and stability, this is another reaffirmation of the bilateral commitment to military cooperation and partnership,” she said. On cultural field, Baker said they are pleased to be recognised as the guest of honour for Qatar Museums’ 2021 Year of Culture, vowing to continue celebrating the strong bilateral partnership through a host of events throughout 2022. Such collaboration, she said, aims to further enhance diverse people to people connections, promote intellectual and intercultural dialogue, and build bridges between the two countries. Baker added that they witnessed exchanges in cultural envoys for various programming in music, food, the arts, and science across the board, developing cultural partnerships between the two countries. On education, she said the US embassy saw a decline in Qatari students going to the US in recent years due to Covid-19 and travel situations. “It was just very difficult globally but we are redoubling our efforts to try to recruit more Qatari students to US universities and to have more exchanges. At the same time, we want to bring more educational opportunities from the US here. So with Education City, that's a great model for of excellence in educational exchange,” the envoy said. “We're trying to bring and support more US branch campuses to come here to develop exchange programmes with Qatari universities and institutions”. On trade relations, the envoy said Qatar and the US share extensive economic ties that have flourished over the last 50 years, where the latter is Qatar's largest foreign direct investor and second largest source of imports while Qatar also has billions of dollars invested in the US. “Our partnership continues to deepen and diversify as together we work to achieve Qatar's ambitious Vision 2030 goals. For instance, just this week we witnessed Microsoft and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology launched the Digital Centre of Excellence at Msheireb, that's a launching pad for next generation skilling for people of the US and here in Qatar,” Baker said. She noted that the US remains to be the leading equipment supplier and partner for Qatar's oil and gas industry, highlighting the key role that US companies play in the development and expansion (and continue to be highly involved) of the oil and gas sector. In addition to energy, Baker said US companies have performed well in export sales to Qatar’s defence, aviation, health care, ICT, food, and engineering and construction sectors. In addition, the US imports from Qatar include liquefied natural gas, aluminium, fertilisers and sulphur. The US is also committed to expanding close interagency cooperation with Qatar to ensure a safe and successful 2022 FIFA World Cup this year, collaborating on cybersecurity, law enforcement training, public relations, human rights and a carbon neutral footprint for the tournament, according to the envoy. “We congratulate Qatar for its innovative preparations thus far and will continue to support the Supreme Committee on Delivery and Legacy in advance of the 2022 FIFA men's World Cup in Qatar,” she said. “The US also welcomes the opportunity to consult Qatar in advance of the 2026 FIFA men's World Cup, which will be hosted in North America, across Canada, the US and Mexico. So we recognise that we have a lot to learn from the Qataris and that collaboration and lessons learning has already begun.    

A number of US officials and special envoys for various issues, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will take part in the 20th edition of the Doha Forum, taking place on March 26 to 27 at the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, US embassy charge d'affaires Natalie Baker has said. “We will have a significant presence at the Doha Forum, we're looking forward to that. We also have senior-level congressional officials coming out. So a variety of talks will happen on the margins of the Doha Forum in addition to participation in the panels,” she told reporters at a recent press briefing at the US embassy in Doha. The Doha Forum 2022, organised under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, will be held under the theme ‘Transforming for a New Era’ and will focus on four core areas: Geopolitical Alliances and International Relations; Financial System and Economic Development; Defense, Cyber and Food Security; and Climate Change and Sustainability. According to Baker, the US’ participation reflects the direction it is looking in terms of future initiatives for its partnership on climate change and energy security. “That's a big focus right now because of the conflict and crisis in Ukraine. We'll have our special envoy for energy issues here discussing with his counterparts how to secure energy resources, how to look to expanding those resources in a timely and efficient manner, and how the US can be supportive in those efforts. “On climate change, we're looking at reaching our 2030 climate goals, how we can work together in partnership for that on various initiatives, including through the World Cup and the commitment to a carbon neutral footprint and how those lessons can continue to be to be implemented as the US takes on the hosting of the World Cup in 2026,” the envoy said. About the Ukraine crisis, Baker stressed that “Qatar has been a very strong partner to the US in solidarity and support of the people and the government of Ukraine as they face the Kremlin's aggression, which has been unprovoked. “And we're equally appalled by Russia's brutal tactics and its blatant disregard for innocent lives. The Qatari foreign minister has spoken with State of Secretary Antony Blinken a number of times since the beginning of this conflict. “We share goals of trying to resolve this situation diplomatically. We've been very, very encouraged by Qatar’s use of its good offices to try to promote a resolution, and have been very thankful that through our strong partnership, we've been able to coordinate on some of that outreach that the Qataris have been making to the Ukrainians, but also on the Russian side. “We have been in touch with the Ukrainians, of course, from the capital, but also here and maintain close contact with the Ukrainian ambassador regarding his assistance requests. And I know that he's made those directly to the Qatari government as well, and that His Highness, the Amir himself, has been in regular contact with President Zelensky. So through our partnership, we are exchanging information and determining the best way forward in support of the Ukrainian people,” Baker said. On Afghanistan issue, she said Qatar has been their most reliable partner in terms of evacuation that happened in August and September from Afghanistan, but also in support of rebuilding the country after years of crisis and conflict. “The Qataris are providing humanitarian assistance. We're also helping with that, trying to rebuild the country economically so that the people of Afghanistan do not continue to suffer and do have access to resources to ensure that governance is inclusive, that women's rights are respected there, that girls are able to have an education,” Baker said. She pointed out that Afghanistan will continue to be a focus of their joint efforts, citing that they signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Qatar in November last year – mainly on protecting a power arrangement whereby Qatar represents US interest in Afghanistan. “That means addressing consular services to American citizens and also caring for our facilities there, our embassy compound, and playing a role where they're also helping us to find a path eventually in the future, to go back into Kabul diplomatically,” Baker said. About the Doha Strategic Dialogue, she said the dates have not been fixed yet but she hopes the meeting will take place before the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Dialogue was held in Washington, DC last year and it is expected to be hosted in Doha this year. Part of its economic component tackles further expansion of trade and investment relations between the two countries. As the Covid situation continues to improve and travel is increasing, Baker said they hope to host a number of trade delegations and support trade missions from Qatar to the US across all of the states. “We have a lot of those types of exchanges, both to expose Qatari investors to different markets across the US and also especially with small and medium sized enterprises from the US, bringing them here to make introductions and to expose them to a lot of the opportunities that are happening here, especially with the Vision 2030 goals and all of the development that will happen,” she said. However, the envoy noted that they are currently working on trying to maintain the momentum from the last strategic dialogue, as working groups focus on identifying the deliverables or announcements for the next meeting. “Some of the working groups are on educational issues and curriculum development. Other conversations we're having are on justice and security issues, how to promote exchanges, of course in the run-up to the World Cup, (and) also across the board security cooperation that we've had,” Baker said.    

 Qatar’s efforts to protect the environment and attain food security continue to make headway as the government focuses more on sustainable solutions to address challenges, LuLu Group International director Dr Mohamed Althaf has said. Speaking to *Gulf Times, he lauded Qatar for its initiatives – charted in the country’s climate change strategies and action plan – that are centred on achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While Qatar is a small country and “already on the worst side of the weather”, Dr Althaf stressed that “Qatar is making good progress in that regard now, and that is why private companies like us are participating in many of those initiatives”. “We are targeting to reduce our carbon footprint by 50% by 2030 and go carbon neutral by 2050,” he stated. “And I think, with what we are doing and the progress that we are seeing, we are making very good progress and I hope we will achieve those numbers even before the deadlines.” Dr Althaf was sharing his view about Qatar’s key role in the fight against climate change and other environmental challenges, as well as the country’s policies towards self-sufficiency on food, at the 9th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ) and 3rd Qatar International Environmental Exhibition (EnviroteQ). LuLu participated in the five-day event at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, which concluded yesterday (March 14). It brought together more than 650 local and international entities from the agriculture, environment, food and animal production industries. Organisers noted that AgriteQ and EnviroteQ provided “opportunities for industry specialists to explore a wide range of agricultural technologies, equipment, and related products, meet key decision-makers, gain valuable insights, and discover the best practices”. From a food security perspective, Dr Althaf said that Qatar, despite experiencing numeorus disruptions, has become “very wise in terms of devising its policies, and what Qatar has achieved is that there is a very good co-operation and blending of synergies between public and private sector players”. He said that the Qatar government has partnered and supported people and institutions, providing broad guidelines and creating infrastructure to achieve its food security goals. According to Dr Althaf, Qatar has been attracting foreign direct investments due to its sound food security strategy and diversification efforts. “I think a lot of initiatives are taken, and Qatar stands far more confident, stronger in terms of the food security component,” he said.    

Qatar is now an agricultural hub within the region, allowing many companies to operate and expand their businesses, Italian ambassador Alessandro Prunas has said. “It’s not just a local market that is interesting, but also the positioning of Qatar as a logistical hub, as a platform to reach other markets in the region,” he observed. Prunas was speaking on the sidelines of the 9th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ) and the 3rd Qatar International Environmental Exhibition (EnviroteQ), which conclude today (March 14) at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) – Trade Promotion Office of the Italian embassy is participating in the event, hosting five companies from the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, “Federunacoma”, at a 120sq m pavillion. The ambassador said that Qatar is a promising market that is both a local market and a platform for the region, which is “a very important aspect to be analysed for Italian companies”. “Qatar is a small but ambitious country, and it is amazing that it is now exporting dairy products,” Prunas said. “This tells you that magnitude of the ambition of the Qatar authorities when it comes to agricultural self-sufficiency … and (Italy) has the technical solutions, we have lots of expertise, we would gladly trade with Qatar and expand our exports here.” The envoy noted that Italy has been renowned for its organic farming (possibly the largest production in Europe) – an expertise it is currently sharing with Qatar, and “we are more than willing to continue sharing it with them”. Prunas said that Italy has many research programmes with Qatar and has successfully linked their scientific institutions with Qatar Foundation and the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (Qeeri). He added that the Italians have been in contact with Qeeri “about six months now, they already have some talks with Italian research institutes, and the aim is to help finding environmental solutions (that are also) also solutions for agriculture”. About AgriteQ and EnviroteQ, Prunas said that the exhibitions have become greener, bigger, and continuously growing – “a clear indication of how much (Qatar is) interested in agriculture and environmental solutions, and it looks very promising and we will surely be continuing partnering with Qatar on this matter”.    

Indonesia is willing to share its expertise with Qatar in spice production, aimed at further boosting the latter’s growing agriculture sector and self-sufficiency efforts, according to Sustainable Spices Initiative – Indonesia executive director Sidi Rana Menggala. “Qatar could improve its bilateral relations in areas of agriculture to benefit from spices and other agricultural products abundant in the country; Indonesia can provide Qatar with the needed expertise to improve its spices and other agricultural products industry,” he said. Menggala was one of the speakers at the 9th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ) and the 3rd Qatar International Environmental Exhibition (EnviroteQ), which concludes today (March 14) at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. In his presentation, titled ‘Strengthening Partnership Qatar and Indonesia for Spices’, he said enhancing their collaboration will play a key role in further improving both countries’ agriculture sectors and “could serve as an essential avenue for foreign exchange earnings and help improve their economies in general. “Through the collaboration, with the output as earlier that can boost food production and create employment”, Menggala stressed. He noted that Qatar, despite having harsh summer, can grow spices such as black and white pepper, among others, using modern farming technologies. Qatar and Indonesia, Menggala said, use various spices in their cuisine, besides offering a unique characteristic of plant species used as spices. He pointed out that while spices are plant materials (seeds, fruits, leaves, root buds, whole plants) traditionally used for flavouring, garnishing, or improving the quality of food, “they occupy a pivotal role in the traditional health care system as medicine, perfumes, and cosmetics for traditional rites.” Menggala said Qatar imported $18.9mn in spices in 2019, becoming the 35th largest importer of spices in the world. In the same year, he noted that spices was the 258th most imported product in Qatar and primarily from India ($5.96mn), China ($4.96mn), Iran ($2.67mn), Pakistan ($1.29mn), and Netherlands ($1.25mn). “What about Indonesia, especially for spices? Indonesia is a country rich in abundant natural resources, one of which is spices. Currently, spice commodities are still one of the leading export commodities to European and American countries. “Types of Indonesian spices that are well known to the world include pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla, turmeric, and ginger. Based on data released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2016, Indonesia occupies the fourth largest position in the world as a spice-producing country with a total production of 113,649 tonnes and total exports reaching $652.3mn. “This is the entry-point of the south-south partnership, where educators, trainers, and other professional agriculture experts from Indonesia may have the opportunity to enrich the production and postproduction of agriculture-spices practices that lead to increased import of Indonesian spices to Qatar,” he said. Indonesian ambassador Ridwan Hassan said that high-quality agricultural products, as well as farming technologies, are being showcased at the event. These include spices and herbs, tea and coffee, various kinds of end-products from moringa and processed food from agricultural or fishery items. He stressed that the Indonesian government is working with the relevant ministries, as well as private sector, in Qatar "to discuss the cooperation that we can further elaborate in the agriculture sector, considering the two countries share the view of the importance of food security."    

LuLu Group International has stepped up its green and sustainability practices, showcasing a number of initiatives at the 9th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ) and 3rd Qatar International Environmental Exhibition (EnviroteQ). “We are revealing our ‘reduce.recycle’ machine here … this is a first and we are launching it across LuLu stores,” LuLu Group International director Dr Mohamed Althaf told *Gulf Times on the sidelines of the exhibitions taking place at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. “We are now in a position to reduce and recycle the plastics and cans in all our supermarkets.” LuLu, which has set up a pavilion at the event, plans to install one “reduce.recycle” machine in every LuLu store across the country as part of its commitment to protecting the environment. Depending on the demand, Dr Althaf said that LuLu is looking into increasing the number of these machines and will start working with companies to at least use 50% of their packaging from recycled materials. It is learnt that LuLu has been continuously exerting efforts to help reduce carbon emissions and food waste, in addition to promoting healthy eating through an array of programmes. Dr Althaf noted that LuLu’s pavillion at AgriteQ and EnviroteQ 2022 puts a spotlight on how much of localisation that the company has done in terms of food production, increasing the category of local food products. “We are growing our category of local production tremendously on fruits and vegetables, (in which) we have achieved very high numbers … and the meat and poultry (too),” he said, citing LuLu’s keenness to implement sustainable policies. “Now we are also looking at package groceries, as well as other non-food items.” LuLu, he added, is also launching what it calls the eco-friendly category in all its supermarkets, which will introduce a wide range of biodegradable products. “The other food items that we want to highlight here are those with less than 100 calories. We are now generating a category where anything that you take will be less than 100 calories,” Dr Althaf said, noting that these food products contain less sugar, fat and sodium. About the event, he said LuLu has been partnering with AgriteQ and EnviroteQ since their inception and witnessed the exhibitions’ rapid growth over the years, getting bigger and better. “You will find that LuLu has almost doubled its presence in this (event) and we are very proud to be a partner of this particular initiative,” Dr Althaf said. “We are very happy that this is one of the major events happening after (the coronavirus pandemic) where people could actually meet up with one another. We are very excited to be back.” AgriteQ and EnviroteQ 2022, organised by the Ministry of Municipality and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, concludes tomorrow. The exhibitions have brought together more than 650 local and international entities from the agriculture, environment, food and animal production industries.

Right legislation plays a key role in boosting Qatar’s agricultural sector – a move that will encourage more people to invest, in addition to further increasing the country’s food production, a prominent agriculturist has said. Speaking on the sidelines of the ninth Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ) and the third Qatar International Environmental Exhibition (EnviroteQ), Agrico managing director Nasser Ahmed al-Khalaf underscored the importance of enacting laws that would advance the country’s agricultural industry. Apart from protecting investments, he said right legislation would significantly help enhance the agricultural (vegetable in particular) production in the country. Enacting the right laws, he stressed, also ensures the protection of local produce against imports, preventing some local farms from shutting down. Such a move, al-Khalaf noted, will lead to more developments of local farms – from infrastructure and road connectivity, telecommunication, and sewage management systems, among others. “In comparison and to be equal to the industrial sector, you take the licence first, the government provides you land, electricity, sewage (systems), telecommunication, that’s how it becomes interesting for the investor… money is not the most important part,” he said. Al-Khalaf also highlighted the importance of close cooperation between public and private sectors – not deciding alone by themselves – in addressing issues and challenges in the agricultural industry. He said that listening to each other and taking decisions together would generate right solutions. About modern technology in the sector, al-Khalaf pointed out that it “is a necessity and the key to increase production, reducing the cost of production, and to be more competitive in terms of quality.” “We focused a lot on the hydroponics system but for the past few years I don’t think there is much more to develop in this system, we are satisfied with the results and there is no need to develop more. “We developed the aquaponics system and for the past five years we’ve been studying indoor farming… we are developing at the moment (under construction) around 1,500sqm for indoor farming, for the lettuce, and we are opening the shrimp farm production as well. “We have under construction fish farm production and we have the egg farm production. So we look for different items with different technologies to increase our basket and to increase production,” al-Khalaf said. “We produce all around the year, of course, the winter is easier but summer we continue to produce but it is a little more difficult. We have no seasons, so our production is not stopped.” He expressed confidence that Qatar is ready to export such agricultural technology, saying that they have advanced negotiations with Oman and Kuwait, in addition to other countries with hot climate. “They are interested in our technology”. AgriteQ and EnviroteQ exhibitions, which kicked off on March 10 and will conclude on March 14 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, showcase cutting-edge farming technologies and present the best innovations in the field of sustainable development.

The trade in agricultural and horticultural mechanical appliances between Qatar and Italy increased 28.7% in 2021 compared to 2020, putting Italy third among the suppliers in the category, ambassador Alessandro Prunas has said. “This increase in trade prompted the Machinery Federation (Federunacoma) to participate," he told reporters on the sidelines of the opening of the 9th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ) and the 3rd Qatar International Environmental Exhibition (EnviroteQ) yesterday at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC). Federunacoma is the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, representing enterprises in the field of implements, self-propelled machines, tractors, components, and gardening machinery. Citing the last available data collected by Qatar Customs, Prunas said that the imports from Italy grew approximately 23% compared to 2020 in the floriculture products and live plants category.   The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) – Trade Promotion Office of the Italian embassy is taking part in the event, hosting five companies from Federunacoma at a 120sq m pavillion. All the exhibitors offer cutting-edge solutions in the field of agricultural machinery: * Ageon, specialised in technological greenhouse and soilless crop consulting * Cermac, consortium of Italian manufacturers of machinery, equipment, technologies and accessories for agriculture * Nardi Group, a leading company in agricultural machinery and equipment production * T RTuroni, specialised in production and supply of agri-measurement instruments * Trelleborg Wheels System Italia focuses on the production of wheels, rims and tires for agriculture and machinery. “With our participation to AgriteQ and EnviroteQ 2022, we wanted to provide a compact but high-quality selection of companies that can play a fundamental role in the outstanding development process of Qatar agriculture,” Prunas said. “I am sure that the fair will be another successful opportunity to further tighten the relations between our countries in the field of agriculture, with an eye to sustainability and innovation.” Echoing the ambassador’s statements, Italian Trade Commissioner Augusta Smargiassi underscored the enviable business ties between Qatar and Italy over the years, saying: “In this fast-growing environment, we feel that Italian cutting-edge technologies in the field of agriculture can play an important role in the expansion of this business in Qatar.” According to ITA Doha, Qatar’s agricultural sector continues to grow at a rapid phase based on the latest figures in imports of agricultural equipment and live plants, prompting it to present at AgriteQ and EnviroteQ some of the Italian excellences in the field aimed at enhancing Italy’s contribution to the expansion of Qatar agriculture. The ITA pavilion showcases a wide range of opportunities to explore Italian technology, knowledge and experience in the agricultural sector. ITA Doha also plans to further strengthen its co-operation by inviting local trade operators to attend the main exhibitions and events in Italy in this sector such as the recent My Plant & Garden in Milan, and the upcoming Cibus (Parma, May 3-6) and Macfrut (Rimini, May 4-6).    

The ninth Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ) and the third Qatar International Environmental Exhibition (EnviroteQ) kicked off on Thursday at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, showcasing cutting-edge farming technologies and presenting the best innovations in the field of sustainable development. HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani inaugurated the exhibitions, which have been organised by the Ministry of Municipality and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and run until March 14. HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior visited the pavilions of the two exhibitions and was briefed on the most prominent modern technologies used in the sectors of agriculture, environmental sustainability and food security. He also listened to an explanation about the events accompanying the exhibitions, including local and international seminars and workshops. He was accompanied by a number of ministers, state guests and ambassadors accredited to Qatar. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change public relations director Farhoud Hadi al-Hajri said the latest edition of AgriteQ and EnviroteQ witnessed an increase in the number of countries, companies and other institutions participating - bringing together more than 650 local and international entities from the agriculture, environment, food and animal production industries. From 42 countries in 2021, more than 50 – including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Sudan, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Australia, Albania, Italy, Pakistan, Poland, Tanzania, Cyprus, Kirghizstan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, the Netherlands and India – are taking part in this year’s event, setting up official pavilions through their embassies and commercial offices in Doha. According to the organisers, more than 150 companies in Qatar, which include 60 from the agriculture sector, 50 from food industries, and 25 from the area of environment, as well as a number of companies engaged in livestock and veterinary fields, are participating in the two exhibitions this year. Al-Hajri noted that the event serves as an ideal platform for different countries and companies to present various strategies for advanced and sustainable farming, as well as environmental preservation. He said the participating countries will also present investment opportunities during the discussion and workshops at the event, which also offers sharing of experiences and know-how in these fields. “There will be a lot of researches and their results that will be presented and as a result of that, there will be agreements that will be signed between some of the local research entities and institutes, and their counterparts from different countries,” al-Hajri added. “Another part is the government-to-government relations, which most of it is already existing but we might have some opportunities during this event to expand that field." “In addition, there will be some publishing of some of the works that have been done in the form of studies or books that will also be commissioned during this event,” he said. According to the organisers, the exhibition also features “a specialised business matchmaking platform to help exhibitors and visitors meet key decision-makers from the public and private sectors, through pre-arranged meetings, to discuss potential opportunities and partnerships”. Dr Mohamed Saif al-Kuwari, director of the Environmental and Municipal Studies Institute at the Ministry of Municipality, said the event provides an opportunity to exchange information and knowledge, and discuss new innovations in protecting the environment amid the numerous challenges caused by climate change. “At the end of the day, we collect all the recommendations from the discussions and send it to higher authorities of the ministry,” he said, adding that a committee could be created to study these recommendations if they are useful or beneficial. Dr al-Kuwari highlighted the importance of waste segregation and recycling saying that these kinds of strategies significantly help in proper waste management. He pointed out that apart from adopting modern technologies, raising public awareness and educating the public also play a key role in efforts to fight global warming.      

Qatar and Australia have a huge potential to further expand their collaboration in the food industry due to enhanced connectivity between Doha and major Australian cities, LuLu Group International director Dr Mohamed Althaf has said. “There are historical ties between Australia and the Middle East, especially now the airline connectivity to various airports has improved tremendously. We have direct flights from Qatar to almost all the major cities in Australia now, and all the ports are connected also,” he explained on the sidelines of the Australia Week 2022, which concludes Wednesday. The event, organised in co-operation with Austrade – the commercial division of the Australian embassy – aims to promote Australian products in the Qatari market. LuLu Group has been conducting the Australian festival since 2018. “We are importing a lot of things there directly now, there is still scope for adding and setting up a centre in Australia so that we can procure food directly from the farmers, from the producers and Qatar always has a deep cooperation with Australia,” Dr Althaf said. He noted that Qatar has invested in several agricultural companies in Australia, which has a very vibrant academic agriculture and food industry partnership. According to Dr Althaf, the demand for Australian food products in Qatar and in the region due to the high-quality and standards it maintains. “Right from the beginning, Australia was the first country outside the region to have mastered the halal concept. So they have a trustworthy halal certification programme. “It is a very industrial scale they do, anything they do in Australia is done because they produce far more than their domestic requirements so it is a very export-dependent market and export-driven market,” he stressed. LuLu Group, Dr Althaf said, is introducing new Australian products – from fresh produce such as carrots, mangoes, and an array of vegetables to fresh meat (lamb and beef) – in the country every year. Australian ambassador to Qatar Jonathan Muir echoed Dr Althaf’s statement saying that a wide range of Australian products can be found on the menus of Michelin-star restaurants, and in the premium cabins of global airlines – including Qatar Airways. “As citizens and residents of Qatar know better than most – Australia has a reputation for producing some of the best meat in the world,” the envoy said, adding that many Australian companies now specialise in organic products and foods.

Co-operation in the field of education remains to be a significant part of the Qatar-Australia bilateral relations, undertaking various projects between academic institutions of the two countries, Australian ambassador Jonathan Muir has said. Speaking to reporters recently, the envoy said Qatar and Australia have done a number of research projects – between Qatar Foundation, Qatar University, and about 23 Australian universities over the past few years. Citing the reopening of Australia’s borders to the world, Muir said that students in Qatar will have the opportunity to study in Australia, which he noted has the 3rd largest number of international students around the world after the US and the UK. “It is important that Qatari students and students in the Qatari community more broadly know that Australia is open for business. Like many countries, we were closed for a long time to new students for a couple of years. Australia is consistently ranked in the top 10 for students around the world,” Muir said. He noted that many students from various countries go to Australia – renowned for its excellent education system – taking up courses like engineering, marketing, and business, among others. Muir said that there are many potential scopes for co-operation between Qatar and Australia in the education field, as well as in trade and investment, and culture. Noting that Australia enjoys a “great trading relationship” with trade volume reaching QR5.5bn in 2021, he pointed out that Aviation services remained Qatar’s top export to Australia, bringing goods not only to the country but also through Europe and the Middle East. Qatar Airways, the envoy pointed out, plays a key role in this co-operation and has been bringing travellers from Qatar and other parts of the world. He urged citizens and residents to visit Australia this summer.