Participants Praise Qatar-South Africa Business Forum

Pretoria, April 12 (QNA) - Participants in the Qatar-South Africa Business Forum have praised the discussions during its sessions, which, they said, reflects the seriousness in promoting ties between Qatar and South Africa to wider horizons in terms of cooperation in the economic, commercial and investment fields. Qatar Chamber Chairman HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al-Thani said the success of the forum was evident in the signing of agreements between Qatari and South African companies, stressing the role of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce in this regard. He added that there is interest in more economic and commercial cooperation with South Africa in the field of food security and benefiting from joint capacities in both countries to deepen cooperation between companies. In turn, Economic Zones Company (Manateq) CEO Fahad Rashid Al Kaabi praised the talks during the forum, pointing to the impressive attendance of South African businessmen, which reflects their seriousness in cooperating with their Qatari counterparts. Al Kaabi highlighted the several projects and investments that can be executed between the two sides to pave the way for mutual cooperation among businessmen in the two countries, noting in this regard that South Africa can benefit from Qatar's location that can serve as a gateway for South African trade to GCC states and the Near East besides the big opportunities related to Qatar's hosting of the 2022 World Cup. Meanwhile, Qatar Development Bank CEO Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al-Khalifa said the forum is an important milestone in Qatari-South African cooperation, particularly in the area of small- and medium-sized enterprises. He added that the South African economy is strategic thanks to its position as the biggest in Africa, noting that the interaction between Qatari SMEs and their South African peers constitutes a significant chance for the that sector in Qatar to expand in Africa. For his part, Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani) CEO Abdullah Al Khanji praised the forum, which helped the two sides to learn about several opportunities, including those in the fields of ports and maritime industry and maintenance. Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Ali Al Rais commended the arrangements that accompanied the forum, noting that the event provides future opportunities for the private sector by benefiting from the available expertise and technologies of South African firms, adding that South Africa can benefit from Qatar's distinguished geographic location. (QNA)