DOHA 20 April 2024 – The Philippines looks forward to welcoming His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, as he undertakes a historic State Visit in the coming days to the maritime and archipelagic nation upon the invitation of His Excellency President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

His Highness the Amir’s State Visit is expected to serve as a platform to reaffirm the two nations’ mutual commitment to further elevate the already robust ties between them.

Her Excellency Philippine Ambassador to the State of Qatar Lillibeth V. Pono said the Amir’s upcoming State Visit is historic as it marks the first time that the current Amir will be visiting the Philippines.

“I thank HH the Amir for accepting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s invitation for him to visit the Philippines,” Ambassador Pono said. “Such a high-level visit is a strong indication of flourishing relations between our two countries. It also provides an excellent opportunity for the two sides to have a personal exchange of views on bilateral issues and foster greater engagement arising from a shared sense of responsibility as regional and global actors.”

The last time a sitting Amir undertook a State Visit to the Philippines was in 2012, when Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, then the Amir of the State of Qatar, met with the late President Benigno Aquino III in Manila.

High on the agenda for the upcoming meeting between the two leaders are the conclusion of agreements and discussion of measures intended to ramp up trade and investment, expand areas of cooperation across various fronts, and combat climate change and human trafficking.

“The Philippines and Qatar have concluded over 20 agreements covering a broad range of thematic areas, including on investments, taxation, air services, labor, establishment of a political consultation mechanism, agriculture, as well as economic, commercial, and technical cooperation,” Ambassador Pono said.

“We are hopeful that during the visit of HH the Amir, we are able to conclude more MOUs on other key areas of cooperation, particularly in the field of trade, climate change, consular matters, sports, and youth,” she added.

The relationship between the Philippines and Qatar is founded on robust people-to-people ties. As of date, there are over 270,000 Filipinos from across various sectors and industries who call Qatar their home and who collectively contribute to the economic vibrancy and dynamism of the peninsula. Their welfare remains a priority for both the Philippines and Qatar.

The relationship between Manila and Doha is also anchored on trust, mutual confidence, and shared values.

“The Philippines regards Qatar as a trusted friend and a reliable partner,” Ambassador Pono said. “As such, the Philippines will continue to collaborate with Qatar in reinforcing rule of law, equality, and mutual respect as the foundation for the kind of global action that overcomes differences among nations, promotes an inclusive and just society, and facilitates sustainable and just response to challenges such as public health emergencies, humanitarian crises, and climate change.”

For more information, visit dohape.dfa.gov.ph, facebook.com/PHinQatar, or instagram.com/phinqatar.