CQBF To Lead Canadian High-Tech Delegation to Qatar

The Canadian-Qatari Business Forum (CQBF) will be leading a dozen Canadian companies specialising in the field of high-tech to Doha as part of its participation in the upcoming Web Summit Qatar, an official has said.

CQBF executive director Yasser Dhouib told Gulf Times in a statement from Montreal that the delegation will be led by the forum’s newly-appointed high-tech and AI adviser, Vartika Manasvi. 

He said the delegation represents a dozen innovators across digital transformation, clean energy, carbon capture, artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum sectors.

Manasvi was a senior adviser at MaRs, “North America’s largest urban innovation hub and a registered charity,” which “provides direct support for startups, builds communities of innovators, and accelerates the adoption of high-impact solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues,” Dhouib said, citing the organisation’s website.

“The goal of this visit is to explore potential partnerships with Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) and other institutions in Qatar to collaborate on pilot projects, technology transfer, and the commercialisation of advanced solutions.

“Our Canadian companies are interested in establishing a local presence in Qatar to capitalise on these opportunities. Manasvi will be in charge of creating a platform for strategic business partnerships under the auspices of the Canadian-Qatari Business Forum for the next four years,” Dhouib explained.

Dhouib noted that Web Summit Qatar, slated from Feb 23 to 26 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), fosters the CQBF’s resolve to create a strategic partnership between Canada’s ecosystem and its Qatari counterparts. He emphasised that Doha is leading the region for more growth and a wide range of opportunities for Canadian high-tech and know-how.

“The Canadian-Qatari Business Forum is taking part in the second edition of Web Summit Qatar, building on its successful participation last year. 

The CQBF is reaping the momentum created by the visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to Canada last September, where he participated with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Qatar’s diplomatic relations with Canada,” Dhouib said.

In a related development, Dhouib said a delegation of prominent Canadian high-tech companies in healthcare and diabetes-related diseases will also visit Qatar this April, including Diagnos Medical, a leading Quebec-based company. The visit will be organised by CQBF, in close partnership with the embassies of both countries.

Dhouib said Philippe Couillard, the 31st Premier of Quebec, will be leading the delegation.

“This adds to the extraordinary impact made by both nations’ top diplomats, Qatar’s ambassador to Canada, Khalid bin Rashid al-Mansouri, who, with his tremendous impact on leading Qatari interest in Canada, has made a huge presence in Ottawa, and Canadian ambassador Isabelle Martin, whose contribution is effective and important,” Dhouib added.