Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is undertaking a historic visit to three northern European countries of Sweden, Norway and Finland this week. The landmark visit marks 50 years of Qatar's diplomatic relations with the three countries, and is poised to take the state's cooperation with these countries to broader horizons.
H H the Amir was in Oslo yesterday on the second leg of his three-nation tour, after his meetings with Swedish leadership in Stockholm earlier in the week. The Amir will hold important meetings with Finnish leadership in Helsinki today.
In Oslo, H H the Amir held talks with Norwegian Prime Minister H E Jonas Gahr Store and also attended a luncheon banquet hosted by H M King Harald V of Norway and H M Queen Sonja.
The Amir stressed his aspiration to work with the Prime Minister of Norway to advance bilateral cooperation between the two countries across various fields. The two sides especially discussed enhancing ties in the fields of investment, economy, energy, and international cooperation.
Another important topic of discussions during the Amir's visit has been the situation in the Gaza Strip among other international and regional issues. The Norwegian Prime Minister said he had a good exchange with the Amir on the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza. He said Qatar was a valued partner of Norway for peace and reconciliation.
Qatar and Norway also signed two MoUs yesterday, for military cooperation as well as cooperation for peace and reconciliation. Oslo and Doha have also signed additional clauses to the agreement on avoiding double taxation and preventing fiscal evasion that was signed in 2010.
Qatar has played a key role as mediator to settle conflicts on the world stage. Norway's State Secretary for Foreign Affairs H E Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik said the two countries have partnered to mediate many conflicts including Ukraine, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and the Gaza Strip. He said the Amir's visit will offer an opportunity to bolster bilateral relations by sharing visions to settle challenging conflicts. The MoU for peace and reconciliation signed yesterday will further develop the bilateral cooperation in this field.
The Amir's visit will boost country's cooperation with the three countries in diverse fields, especially trade, investments and joint efforts for peace and reconciliation around the world.
The visit will also help Qatar's private sector to explore investment opportunities in those countries and vice versa, as Qatar offers a world-class infrastructure and a promising investment climate with opportunities in multiple sectors. Huge potential also exists to increase Qatar's trade with these countries.
