Qatar and the Philippines… Decades of Friendship and Fruitful Partnerships

Doha: The State of Qatar is keen on establishing strong and firm relations with various Asian countries, as part of its strategy aimed at deepening cooperation and partnership with the Asian continent, given its political and economic weight as an important vital gateway to achieving food security and maintaining international peace and stability. In this context, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani will embark on a tour of three Asian countries: the Philippines, Nepal and Bangladesh. In Manila - the first leg of HH the Amir's Asian tour, His Highness will meet with HE President of the Republic of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to discuss relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them in various fields, in addition to a host of international issues of common interest. HH the Amir's visit to the Philippines is expected to open a new phase for the bilateral relations and mutual cooperation to serve the interests and common aspirations of the two countries and their frie ndly peoples. HH the Amir's visit to the Philippines coincides with the 43rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1981. The Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines was opened in Doha in 1992, while the Embassy of the State of Qatar was opened in Manila in 1994. The relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of the Philippines are based on the principles of partnership and mutual cooperation in many vital fields, including labor, trade, investment, tourism, and others. The two friendly countries share convergent views on many international issues, and many bilateral agreements in various fields, such as economy, trade, labor, culture, media, health, education, technical and vocational training, investment protection, avoidance of double taxation and others. The relations between Doha and Manila have seen remarkable growth and expansion at all levels over the past four decades, and have been strengthened through mutual visits at various levels. T he visit of HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani to the Philippines on April 10, 2012 served as a cornerstone for consolidating the relations between the two friendly countries and promoting them to the highest levels. This visit marked the beginning of a new era for strengthening the Qatari-Philippine relations in various fields, and was the first visit of its kind by an Arab leader to the Philippines in more than three decades, which gave it a great significance in opening new horizons for strengthening the Arab-Philippine relations. In December 2008, HE former President of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal Arroyo paid an official visit to the State of Qatar; and former President of the Philippines Rodrigo Roa Duterte visited Doha in April 2017. The high-level mutual visits between the two countries include the visit of HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani to the Philippines in August 2018. In the context of continuous commun ication and consultation between the two countries, HE Undersecretary of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, Maria Theresa Lazaro, visited Doha in August 2022. In statements to Qatar News Agency , Her Excellency stressed the importance of the visit in strengthening and developing the bilateral relations between Doha and Manila. She described the Qatar-Philippine Joint Committee meeting as a "milestone event", being the first political consultation between the two countries to discuss a wide range of topics of common interest, especially political and economic cooperation, immigration issues, climate change, and various regional and international issues. Her Excellency added that Qatar and the Philippines enjoy excellent relations, and referred to many bilateral agreements that the two countries were discussing through the Joint Committee which meeting was agreed to be held on an annual basis in order to advance the bilateral relations to broader horizons. She looked forward to promoting trade and investment exchange between the two countries and exploiting the resources, expertise and strength of the two countries to address the negative effects of the current global political and economic challenges. She said that her country attaches great importance to achieving food and energy security through partnerships and cooperation with the State of Qatar. In May 2023, Qatar Chamber discussed with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry means to enhance cooperation between business sectors in both countries, the investment climate and available opportunities, and the promotion of mutual investments and intra-trade between the two countries, during a virtual meeting held by a delegation from Qatar Chamber chaired by HE First Vice Chairman of Qatar Chamber Mohamed bin Ahmed bin Twar Al Kuwari, and President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry George T. Barcelon. Al Kuwari noted the remarkable development in trade relations between Qatar and th e Philippines in recent years, with the trade exchange growing 28% in the past three years. Al Kuwari added that the private sectors in both countries can have a significant role in developing these relations through the establishment of companies, trade alliances, and investment projects. For his part, the President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry noted the keenness of the business community in the Philippines to explore the investment climate and discuss the establishment of joint projects with Qatari companies in the fields of tourism, agriculture, energy, and financial and halal services, which provide great opportunities for cooperation between the two countries. He called for coordination to increase the frequency of mutual visits by trade delegations and activate the memorandum of understanding signed between the two chambers. He also called for discussing the formation of a joint Qatari-Philippine business council. In September 2017, the Qatar Philippines Food Security Summit was held in Doha. The event discussed mechanisms for strengthening the partnership between the two sides in the agricultural field with the aim of achieving food security plans of both countries, in addition to various fields that benefit the economies of both countries and support the public-private partnership in Doha and Manila. In June 2018, the Philippines chose the State of Qatar to hold the 120th anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence and the Migrant Workers Day, in recognition and gratitude for the efforts exerted by the State of Qatar, especially in the field of protecting the rights of Filipino migrant workers in general and those working in Qatar in particular. The State of Qatar hosts tens of thousands of Filipino citizens who work in various development projects, contribute to the cultural renaissance witnessed by the country, and play a vital role in advancing the economy, in addition to their effective role in achieving Qatar National Vision 2030. The Philippines provides via ble investment opportunities in various sectors including energy, public services, banking, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and others. The country offers attractive legislation and promising opportunities in the investment, financial and economic fields. Located in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is an archipelago consisting of 7,100 islands with a total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers. It is the second biggest archipelago in the world, and has fifth longest coastline of 36,289 kilometers in the world. (QNA Source: Qatar News Agency