Qatar and Armenia’s ties go beyond just mere trade and investment sectors.
Armenia is keen on strengthening ties with Qatar ahead of a “historic” visit by its Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, a top official said.
Officials from Qatar and Armenia outlined various goals, including a significant chance for cooperation in the fields of culture, healthcare, and education, the Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan said, according to the parliament, noting all of the aforementioned are the main strategic branches of the Qatar Fund for Development.
The parliament speaker along with Armenia’s healthcare minister, Anahit Avanesyan met with Director General of the Qatar Fund for Development Khalifa Jassim Al Kuwari in Doha.
Speaking about means of potentially expanding horizons in the fields of science, education, and culture, Simonyan referred to the numerous Arabic manuscripts and books housed in Yerevan’s Matenadaran and offered to plan joint scientific research projects and exchangeable exhibitions, reports said.
“We expect the historic visit of the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Armenia. It would be desirable to develop certain substantial programmes ahead of the visit,” Simonyan said.
Al Kuwari said the country places a high value on human resources in every industry and said Qatar will develop potential initiatives for cooperation and talk about them with Armenian authorities.
Qatar and Armenia
Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan invited Sheikh Tamim to visit his home country back in June. The invitation was extended during Pashinyan’s first official visit to the Gulf state.
Yerevan’s state news agency reported the amir had accepted the invitation though Qatar has yet to officially announce such a move.
During the PM’s visit, Qatar and Armenia signed several memoranda of understanding, one of which includes the establishment of political talks. Another was signed to launch cooperation between Qatari and Armenian news agencies.
The two countries also inked an agreement in health, tourism and business, while another was signed between Doha and Yerevan municipalities. A cooperation agreement was also inked between Qatar University and Yerevan State University.
Several meetings between Qatari and Armenian officials took place Doha during 2022. In March, the Qatar Chamber (QC) and Armenia’s Ministry of Economy discussed mutual investments and the development of trade partnerships.
During the same month, Qatar and Armenia signed a letter of intent aimed at developing mutual cooperation in the field of agriculture and food security.
A year earlier in 2021, Qatar, the EU, Armenia, Tunisia, and Ukraine inked a Euro-Mediterranean Aviation Agreement to enhance flight operations between all signatories.
Qatar and Armenia’s ties also go surpass merely trade and investment.
In 2020, at the start of the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, Doha stressed the need for a political resolution.
The Gulf nation was also among various other countries that welcomed the agreement on a humanitarian ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
