Doha: Qatar Chamber (QC) hosted the Qatar-Belgium Business Meeting to explore ways of strengthening trade and economic relations between the two countries. The Qatari side was led by QC Board Member, Dr. Khalid bin Klefeekh Al Hajri, while the Belgian side was led by CEO of hub.brussels, Brussels Agency for Entrepreneurship, Isabelle Grippa. The meeting was attended by Qatar Chamber Board Member Eng. Ali bin Abdullatif Al Mesnid, HE Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the State of Qatar William Asselborn, members of the Belgian delegation, and several Qatari businesspersons.
According to Qatar News Agency, the meeting reviewed the investment climate and opportunities available in both Qatar and Belgium, focusing on key sectors such as healthcare, education, information technology, legal consultancy, aviation, manufacturing, trade and retail, smart buildings, and environmental consultancy. There was a particular emphasis on the prospects of establishing joint ventures and strategic business alliances between Qatari and Belgian companies.
Dr. Khalid bin Klefeekh Al Hajri highlighted the strong trade relations between Qatar and Belgium, noting a trade volume of QAR 4.6 billion last year. He emphasized the presence of many Belgian companies in the Qatari market, either through full ownership or partnerships with Qatari firms, and mentioned successful Qatari investments in Belgium, especially in the energy sector. He also noted the longstanding cooperation in the natural gas sector, with Qatar being the main supplier to Belgium’s Zeebrugge LNG terminal.
Dr. Al Hajri encouraged Belgian companies to invest in Qatar, citing the favorable business climate and infrastructure, and urged Qatari investors to explore opportunities in Belgium. He reaffirmed Qatar Chamber’s commitment to fostering partnerships between the two nations across various sectors.
Isabelle Grippa expressed confidence that the visit would be fruitful, highlighting broad opportunities for cooperation and successful partnerships. She reiterated the Belgian delegation’s eagerness to collaborate with Qatari counterparts, particularly in economic and commercial sectors.
Eng. Ali Al Misned emphasized the willingness of Qatari business sectors to cooperate with Belgian counterparts. He noted the Belgian delegation’s inclusion of prominent companies, providing Qatari businesspersons with valuable opportunities to engage and enhance joint cooperation.
HE Ambassador William Asselborn commended the strong ties between Qatar and Belgium, noting the Belgian trade delegation is the largest to visit Qatar in the past decade, with 44 companies from various sectors. He stressed the substantial opportunities to enhance trade and economic cooperation between both business communities.
Presentations were delivered by the Investment Promotion Agency Qatar (Invest Qatar) and the Belgian delegation, providing insights into the investment climates and opportunities in Qatar and Belgium.