ROME: The historic and friendly relationship between Qatar and Italy was celebrated at Expo Milano 2015, now being held in Milan, Italy.
A high-level Qatari delegation led by HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce, Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani, participated in the “National Day” events held as part of the Expo Milano 2015 in the presence of Federica Guidi, Italian Minister for Economic Development.
Qatar’s ambassador to Italy, Abdulaziz bin Ahmed al-Malki was also present.
Sheikh Ahmed, in his address, highlighted Qatar’s development under the wise leadership of HH the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. He also spoke about Qatar National Vision 2030, which rests on four pillars — human development, social development, economic development, and environmental development.
He referred to Qatar recently moving up two places to secure the 14th position globally and first in the Mena region in the the latest ‘Global Competitiveness Index’ prepared by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Qatar’s main strength is its stable macroeconomic environment.
The minister spoke about the bilateral trade between Qatar and Italy. Italy is one of the largest trading partners of Qatar in Europe. Between 2009 and 2014 the bilateral trade reached $3.5bn.
Qatar is a major exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Italy.
Qatari imports from Italy have also seen higher volumes due to the implementation of various infrastructure projects in the country, particularly Doha Metro and the Hamad Port. “We look forward to further strengthening our bilateral trade,” Sheikh Ahmed said.
Sheikh Ahmed said the Qatar Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 hosted more than 3.5mn visitors from all over the world.
Expo Milano 2015 is the Universal Exhibition that Milan, Italy, is hosting from May 1 to October 31. Over this six-month period, Milan becomes a global showcase where more than 140 participating countries show the best of their technology that offers a concrete answer to a vital need: being able to guarantee healthy, safe and sufficient food for everyone, while respecting the planet and its equilibrium. In addition to the exhibitor nations, the expo also involves international organisations, and expects to welcome millions of visitors to its 1.1mn square metres of exhibition area.
