Welsh Secretary will today (Tuesday 28 March)
join International Trade Secretary at the biggest ever Qatar-UK trade
show to be held in Britain.
The investment potential of Wales and its strong track record in
entrepreneurship and manufacturing will be on the agenda at the
joint Qatar-UK Business and Investment Forum. Held at the
International Convention Centre in Birmingham, the show is an
opportunity to showcase high-profile ‘investment-ready’ projects
including areas like sport, cyber-security and healthcare.
Broughton-based Airbus and Aston Martin, which is to build its
new luxury car at St Athan, will be exhibiting at the show. The
Welsh Secretary will join speakers pointing out the investment
opportunities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Mr Cairns
is expected to describe Wales as a country with a dynamic economy
and a history of welcoming successful businesses.
The Forum is expected to result in a number of landmark
agreements amounting to significant levels of new investment,
potentially generating billions of pounds across the UK,
including for the Midlands Engine.
The event will bring together Ministers and senior government
representatives from Qatar and the UK including the International
Trade Secretary, and the Minister of Finance His
Excellency Ali Shareef Al-Emadi. Hundreds of high-profile
businesses executives, council leaders and academics are also
expected to attend.
International Trade Secretary, said:
The Government’s Plan for Britain will help us trade beyond
Europe and make Britain a leading advocate for free trade
across the world, as we build on our relationships with old
friends and new allies.
Hosting this event in Birmingham ensures the whole country
benefits including the Midlands Engine, creating jobs and
supporting cities, towns and communities right across the
United Kingdom.
Qatar is already the UK’s third largest export market in the
Middle East and also accounts for £35 billion of existing
investment in the UK. Bilateral trade is valued at more than £5
billion per year and the relationship between the two countries
continues to go from strength to strength.
Today’s delegation will be the first of many events that will
help cement Britain at the heart of global trade. British
companies will show why they are ideally placed to use their
expertise to help Qatar deliver a successful 2022 FIFA World Cup
and realise the Qatar 2030 national vision.
Yesterday in London, announced a doubling of UK Export
Finance to support trade with Qatar by up to £4.5 billion, that
will be an additional £2.25 billion to support UK companies
exporting to Qatar and for their Qatari buyers in both the public
and private sectors.
Dr Fox also signed a new Memorandum of Understanding creating the
first Joint Economic and Trade Committee to further ties between
the two countries as they explore the opportunities available.
The Prime Minister has made building on existing links between
the UK and the Gulf a priority. On her visit to the Gulf
Co-operation Council (GCC) in Bahrain in December last year the
Prime Minister expressed her commitment to a true partnership
between the UK and Qatar encompassing security and defence as
well as trade.
, Secretary of State for Wales,
said:
Welsh products are proudly known across the world – from our
famous foodstuffs to our engineering excellence. We export
everything from the creative output of television makers and
illustrators to the aircraft wings used by the majority of
global airlines.
Wales is the ideal place to launch a business with a wide range
of transport links to the rest of the UK – including a 30
minute flight to the heart of the City of London and dozens of
direct trains.
With a highly skilled workforce, the right mix of Government
support packages and excellent economic infrastructure, Wales
is a cost-effective place to grow your company.
The Qatar 2030 National Vision creates significant potential for
the future as Qatar’s social and economic development plan for
the coming years. It seeks to build a bridge between the present
and the future and aims to propel Qatar forward by diversifying
its economy away from oil and gas, and focusing on social,
environmental and human development.
At the forum on Tuesday 28th a range of Memorandums of
Understanding will be signed between ministers, high ranking
government officials and business leaders in areas from
healthcare to infrastructure.
