President Duterte is expected to forge closer cooperation between the Philippines and Qatar in the areas of politico-security, healthcare, and trade and investments during his visit here this weekend.

The President is scheduled to arrive in Doha on Friday night, April 14 (early Saturday morning in Manila) for a three-day visit, the third and final stop of his journey in the Middle East.

Duterte’s historic visit to Qatar includes meetings with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the local businessmen, and the Filipino community.

Before flying to Qatar, Duterte visited Bahrain and Saudi Arabia where he sought to improve the country’s economic and security relations as well as champion the rights and welfare of the Filipino workers.

“The third leg of my trip will be no less engaging. There is always much to explore to make the bilateral relations even more vibrant as they are,” the President said in his recent remarks.

“We will seek greater politico-security cooperation, collaboration in the field of health and culture. It is on top of this agenda of spurring two-way trade and investments,” he said about his visit to Qatar.

Based on his schedule, the President will attend on Saturday, April 15, the Philippine-Qatar business forum to make a pitch for increased trade and investments to the country. Among the priority sectors for investment promotion are information technology, energy efficiency technologies, agribusiness, infrastructure and tourism.

After the business forum, Duterte will meet with around 7,000 Filipino workers eager to see him up close and personal at the Lusail Sports Arena in Doha.

Around 245,800 Filipinos work and live in Qatar, most of whom are highly and semi-skilled workers and household helpers. In the last presidential polls, Duterte got 79.89 percent of the votes of the Filipino workers in Qatar.

Duterte had earlier said he was excited to meet the Filipinos living in the Middle East, thank them for their contribution to Philippine economic growth and update them about his reform agenda back home.

On Sunday, April 16, the President will visit the Amiri Royal Palace for his meeting with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The bilateral meeting will be followed by a signing ceremony of certain cooperation agreements, and an official lunch at the Amiri Royal Palace.

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Qatar were established in May, 1981.

Total bilateral trade reached US$240 million in 2016. Philippine exports to Qatar consist mainly of sauces and preparations, electric parts, bread and other pastry, and bananas. Imports from Qatar include petroleum oils and other similar products.

President Duterte ends his visit to Qatar on Sunday afternoon and departs for Davao City that same day.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Genalyn Kabiling

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