MANILA — The Qatari government is intent on increasing its bilateral cooperation with the Philippines as it looks into signing 10 more partnership agreements with the country.
In its primer on the Qatar-Philippines relations, the Qatari Embassy in Manila recently listed the “agreement expected to be signed in the near future” in the fields of energy, customs law, youth, sports, combating transnational crime, cooperation between central banks, education, human rights, military, and marine industries.
Qatar Ambassador to the Philippines Ali Ibrahim Al-Malki said the Gulf state seeks to increase cooperation and trade exchange between the two countries under the current administration as a follow up to President Rodrigo Duterte’s trip to Doha last year.
“The government of the State of Qatar looks forward to increasing bilateral cooperation with the government of the friendly Republic of the Philippines, especially under the presidency of His Excellency President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who is following his strategy with deliberate steps, in both internally and externally,” he said during a reception in celebration of the Qatar National Day in Makati City.
The envoy described the two nations’ ties as anchored on “highest levels of common interests,” especially as Qatar hosts over 300,000 Filipinos workers.
The two nations have so far signed bilateral agreements on health, culture, air services, tourism, trade and investment, and agriculture and fisheries, among others. –PNA
