Minister of the Economy visits Qatar in investment attraction drive

This week, Portugal’s Minister of the Economy, Pedro Reis is to hold round-table talks on topics such as energy, trade and industry with key ministers in Qatar.

The trip to drum up investment opportunities will take place between August 27-30 when the minister will meet with the Qatari ministers of Finance, Energy Affairs, Transport, Trade and Industry, as well as with managers of sovereign funds such as the Qatar Investment Authority and Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company.

“The agenda of this visit is essentially aimed at attracting investment, in addition to supporting the internationalisation of Portuguese companies, in various areas of activity, including industry, energy, services and mobility, opening new doors to the economic relationship between the two countries,” said the ministry in a statement sent to newsrooms on Sunday.

“The minister’s agenda includes meetings with the ministers of Finance, Energy Affairs, Transport, Trade and Industry, and Communications and Information Technologies, as well as with the heads of the sovereign wealth funds Qatar Investment Authority and Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company. The ambassador of Portugal in Doha, Paulo Neves Pocinho, and the local representative of the Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade of Portugal (AICEP), Manuel Couto Miranda will accompany”, states the news release.

The Ministry emphasises that “trade relations between Portugal and Qatar have great potential for growth”. In the first half of this year, Portugal was Qatar’s 73rd customer and 76th supplier, with machinery, vehicles, footwear, agri-foods, chemical products and ceramics and glass among the main goods exported to the country. As for imports, they mainly focus on chemicals, mostly plastics.