Qatar Chamber Hosts Portugal’s Minister of Economy

Qatar Chamber hosted on Wednesday a Portuguese trade delegation led by Joao Rui Ferreira, Minister of State for the Economy.

Qatar Chamber board member Mohamed bin Mahdi al-Ahbabi received the delegation, in the presence of Paulo Neves Pocinho, Portugal’s ambassador to Qatar, and Manuel Couto Miranda, economic advisor at the Portuguese Trade and Investment Authority.

The meeting touched on enhancing economic and trade relations between Qatar and Portugal, exploring ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, and discussing the investment climate and opportunities in both countries. 

It also highlighted potential cooperation between Qatari and Portuguese companies and the key role of the private sector in boosting trade exchange between the two nations.

Addressing the meeting, al-Ahbabi highlighted the strong relations between Qatar and Portugal, noting that trade exchange between the two countries grew by over 7% in 2024, reaching nearly QR418mn, compared to QR391mn in 2023.

Al-Ahbabi emphasised that Qatar’s economy is open and welcomes foreign investments across various sectors, particularly industries driven by modern technology. He underscored Qatar’s position as a leading investment destination both regionally and globally, attributing this to its advanced infrastructure and investor-friendly economic policies.

These include 100% foreign ownership in most sectors, tax exemptions, ease of business establishment, and its strategic geographical location, which serves as a gateway to regional and international markets.

For his part, Ferreira highlighted Portugal’s investment climate and the various opportunities available, encouraging Qatari businessmen to invest in the country, which offers an attractive and business-friendly environment.

He noted that the delegation’s visit to Qatar was part of Portugal’s participation in the Web Summit Qatar 2025, expressing his country’s strong interest in enhancing commercial and industrial cooperation with Qatar.

 He also pointed out that several Portuguese companies are keen to explore Qatar’s industrial sector and gain deeper insights into the investment opportunities it offers.