Qatar and US sign MoU on energy co-operation

Qatar and the UnitedStates signed a memorandum of understanding for co-operation in thefield of energy, in Washington, DC yesterday.The MoU was signedduring a meeting on energy co-operation, on the sidelines of the firstUS-Qatar Strategic Dialogue, between HE the Minister of Energy andIndustry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada and US Department of EnergySecretary Rick Perry. According to the Ministry of Energy andIndustry, the MoU seeks to create a framework for good-faithco-operation in the field of energy between Qatar and the US and tofacilitate their sharing of technical knowledge, advice, skills, andexpertise.The MoU includes, among various areas, oil and gasdevelopment; carbon capture utilisation and storage; energy efficiencyand renewable energy; green building technologies.The two sides alsodiscussed ways and means to further develop opportunities forco-operation in the field of energy at large. The US Department ofEnergy also presented a Letter of Intent on nuclear safeguards.Dral-Sada said: “Qatar looks back with great satisfaction to the closeunderstanding and co-operation between the two countries. History of USenergy companies in Qatar goes back several decades. Major US energycompanies are engaged in Qatari energy ventures across oil, gas anddownstream petrochemical and refining industry”.Al-Sada expressedQatar’s appreciation to US companies for their support in thedevelopment of Qatar’s energy sector, which has benefited both countriesand enabled Qatar to meet the world’s energy needs.HE Dr al-Sadaadded, “We are confident that the spirit of our co-operation expressedthrough this strategic dialogue will continue to further strengthen thisspirit in future”.‘Qatar flourishing despite blockade’HEthe Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamedal-Thani has stressed that Qatar is flourishing despite the illegalblockade. “The illegal blockade has presented the opportunity for Qatarto make its economy more accessible to the world. We have seized thisopportunity,” he said at a US Chamber of Commerce event.“Our economyis open and we welcome US businesses and investors to join us todevelop our country,” he noted. Meanwhile, addressing the Chamber event,HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed binAbdulrahman al-Thani highlighted the strong Qatar-US partnership acrossmultiple areas. “We are coming from Qatar with the desire to develop,and the determination to develop, this partnership further. We are nottalking about security and defence only... the business element of thisrelationship is critical.”