The Chambers of Qatar and the Philippines are discussing strengthening trade and investment cooperation relations

Today, Qatar Chamber discussed with its Philippine counterpart ways to enhance cooperation relations between the business sectors of the two countries, the investment climate and available opportunities, in addition to enhancing mutual and joint investments and increasing intra-trade rates.
This came during a virtual meeting between a delegation from the Qatar Chamber, headed by Mr. Mohammed bin Ahmed bin Tawar Al-Kuwari, First Vice-President of the Chamber, and Mr. George Parcelon, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Al-Kuwari said that trade relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of the Philippines have witnessed remarkable development in recent years, as trade exchange between the two countries has grown by 28% in the past three years, reaching 979 million Qatari riyals in 2022 compared to 761 million riyals in 2019.
He added that the Qatari and Filipino private sectors can play an important role in developing these relations through the establishment of companies, trade alliances and investment projects, calling on Qatari and Filipino companies to benefit from the investment advantages and facilities granted to foreign investments in the two countries, and to take advantage of the opportunities available to enter into joint economic alliances.
The first vice-president of the Qatar Chamber stressed the Chamber’s support for enhancing cooperation between Qatari and Filipino companies in all sectors, especially with the desire of Qatari businessmen to learn about the investment climate in the Philippines and to see the available investment opportunities, as the Philippines is a leading investment destination and provides great investment opportunities. He referred to coordination to organize a visit of a delegation of Qatari businessmen to the Philippines to get acquainted with the investment climate and opportunities available there closely.
For his part, Mr. George Barcelone, Chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the State of Qatar is one of the important investment destinations for Filipino business owners, and there is a desire on the part of the business community in his country to get acquainted with the investment climate in it, and to discuss the establishment of joint projects with Qatari companies in the fields of tourism, agriculture, and energy. And financial and halal services that provide great opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.
He also stressed the importance of developing relations between the Chambers of Qatar and the Philippines in a way that serves the interests of the private sector in the two countries, and called for coordination to increase the frequency of mutual visits of trade delegations, and to activate the memorandum of understanding signed between the two chambers. He also called for discussing the formation of a joint Qatari-Filipino business council.
For his part, HE Ahmed Saad Nasser Abdullah Al-Hamidi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Philippines, stressed the importance of holding the meeting to bring together Qatari and Filipino businessmen to discuss aspects of cooperation and ways to enhance trade and economic relations between the two countries.
In her turn, Her Excellency Mrs. Lilibeth Velasco Puno, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the State, said that there are many economic fields in which the private sector in the two countries can cooperate, especially in light of the attractive investment climate in Qatar and the Philippines.