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Doha, July 04 (QNA) – The State of Qatar and the Republic of Poland share a long-standing friendship based on mutual respect and common interests. Their relationship continues to flourish, reflecting both countries’ desire to support and develop their ties across various fields, broadening their horizons.
Pursuing these goals, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani has embarked on an official visit to Poland, during which he will meet with HE President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda to discuss the bilateral relations between Doha and Warsaw and explore ways to enhance them for the mutual benefit of both nations and their people.
HH the Amir’s visit and talks are expected to mark a new phase of cooperation and coordination between the two countries, opening up new avenues for joint partnerships and investments in multiple sectors.
Qatar and Poland enjoy strong relations in politics, economy, and various sectors. These relations are deeply rooted, despite the establishment of the embassies of the two countries being relatively recent. Poland was one of the first countries to recognize Qatar after its independence in 1971 and supported its bid to join the United Nations. In September 1989, their official diplomatic relations were officially established.
Diplomatic exchanges began in 2000, with Qatar being represented by its ambassador to Russia, who also served as a non-resident ambassador to Poland. Poland established its embassy in Qatar on Sep. 1, 2006, with an official opening on April 28, 2007. In reciprocity, Qatar opened its embassy in Poland in June 2007, starting operations on April 17, 2008, and appointing a chargé d’affaires on Oct. 4, 2008.
In 2009, Hadi Nasser Mansour Al Hajri was appointed as Qatar’s first ambassador to Poland, succeeded by Ahmed bin Saif Al Maadadi in 2015, and Abdullah bin Abdulrahman Fakhroo in 2020. The current Polish ambassador to Qatar is His Excellency Janusz Janke.
The two nations have previously exchanged high-level visits. HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani visited Poland in June 2002, followed by a visit from former Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski to Doha in December 2013. HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani visited Poland in May 2017, and HE Polish President Andrzej Duda visited Doha in May 2021. During the president’s visit, HH the Amir held a round of official talks at the Amiri Diwan to discuss bilateral relations and ways to enhance them, particularly in the fields of economy, energy, culture, and sports and exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest.
A significant milestone in Qatar-Poland trade relations was in 2016 when Qatar began delivering liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Poland after the opening of the Swinoujscie LNG terminal on the Baltic Sea. Poland imports one-third of its LNG needs from Qatar, making Qatar the largest LNG supplier to Poland, especially following a 2017 agreement that doubled the quantity of gas exported to Poland.
Both countries share promising visions and aspirations for ensuring stability and prosperity for their people. Poland greatly values Qatar’s growing political and economic role in the region and highly appreciates its international and regional contributions to promoting security and stability in various parts of the world.
In addition to political coordination at international forums, the two countries have held regular political consultations since 2014. These meetings review bilateral cooperation in various fields and explore ways to support and develop these relations, as well as address issues of mutual interest.
During his visit to Doha in 2021, HE President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda invited Qatari businessmen to invest in Poland, highlighting the important role of the Qatar-Poland Business Council, established in 2020, in enhancing the partnership between the two sides. At a roundtable meeting with Qatari businessmen, His Excellency described the Qatari-Polish relations as strategic, dynamic, and growing. He noted that Poland imports 2.1 million tons of Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG), underscoring Qatar’s importance as a strategic trading partner.
The relations between Doha and Warsaw are governed by several agreements reflecting both nations’ determination to develop and enhance cooperation in various fields. The trade exchange between the two countries is growing, reaching QAR 7.2 billion in 2020, according to HE the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Qatar Janusz Janke.
Qatar has become an important and close partner for Poland in economic cooperation. Both countries have significant potential to increase cooperation in various sectors. Several Polish companies operate in the Qatari market in partnership with Qatari firms in fields such as construction, trade, design, technical services, health, and consulting. The business communities in both countries hold regular meetings and visits to explore economic and investment cooperation, particularly in sectors of mutual interest such as agriculture, manufacturing, food security, transport, technology, and information technology.
To explore new opportunities to support and advance economic, investment, and tourism cooperation, HE Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland Pawel Jablonski headed a high-level economic delegation in Doha last November. The delegation met with several senior Qatari officials and business leaders to discuss ways to enhance cooperation with the Qatar-Poland Business Council, the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), the Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA), the Investment Promotion Agency Qatar (Invest Qatar), the Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA), Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), and Microsoft Qatar.
The head of the delegation also inaugurated the Qatar-Poland New Tech Forum, with the participation of About 20 Polish companies in its third edition examined the commercial and investment opportunities available in the technological field in both countries.
In August 2022, QFC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Digital Poland Foundation to strengthen cooperation in the digital sector and accelerate the development of new digital technologies. This MoU is the first step in QFC’s endeavor to establish long-term cooperation with Polish institutions.
Poland is currently one of the largest economies in Eastern Europe, with aspirations of becoming an energy hub. Its geographic diversity attracts investments across all sectors, ranking it fourth globally in investment rates due to its favorable investment climate and numerous opportunities. Poland offers a range of projects for partnership and investment with Qatar, especially in the energy sector, as well as promising sectors such as food and agriculture, medical services, research and development, and joint humanitarian assistance. Additionally, there are significant opportunities in tourism, sports, and culture. Poland is the sixth-largest economy in the European Union, with a GDP estimated at USD 688 billion in 2022, according to World Bank statistics.
With an area expanding over 312,000 square kilometers and a population of 38 million, Poland serves as a gateway to Eastern Europe, home to 250 million people. Food production plays a significant role in Poland, with 50 percent of its land area used for agriculture.
(QNA)
