The ambassador started his role in the final quarter of 2022, right before the FIFA World Cup Qatar.
The ambassador of the Republic of Portugal to Qatar Paulo Neves Pocinho received members of the Portuguese community at the Embassy of Portugal in Doha, on Saturday.
At the event, the new ambassador was present alongside the new interim management team of the Portuguese Business Council, as well the new initiative group “Gente da nossa Terra”.
During the event, ambassador Pocinho addressed the community by saying: “Since I started my duties in the State of Qatar, I have had the opportunity to witness your dynamism, youth and energy, starting with the enormous and fervent support you gave to the national team during the FIFA 2022 World Cup, which made me very proud as a Portuguese citizen and as an Ambassador. The leadership and organisational skills demonstrated at that moment was certainly the seed of what was to be born next.
This sparked a desire to get to know the Portuguese community in Qatar. The role of portuguese fans in Qatar during the World Cup, as well the new initiative “Gente da nossa Terra” and the Portuguese Business Council in helping each other organise and promote initiatives together, has tremendous potential”.
The community initiative “Gente da nossa Terra” which translates to the “People of our Land,” is rooted in the commitment and dedication of the leader Ms. Elisabete Reis of the group “Portugal Fans Qatar 2022”, who connected all the Portuguese fans all over Qatar in setting the ball rolling across different fronts.
The drive of the community during the World Cup was used to launch the working group “Gente da Sua Terra”, who decided to cement the sense of community. Several projects have been set in place since.
Ana Teixeira, a member of Gente da Nossa Terra said: “There are many ideas that we would like to put into practice. Step by step, we will try to boost initiatives in favor of our community interaction. Festive dates, workshops, cultural activities, are some examples”.
The Portuguese Business Council was established in Qatar in 2016, and aims to raise bilateral relations between Portugal and Qatar, mainly in the economic and cultural fields offering support and help to agents of both countries. The new management members of the Portuguese Business Council, Francisco Sousa, Carlos Xavier, Fernando Antunes and Manuel Ramalho have been introduced to the community.
Francisco Miguel De Sousa, Chairman of Portuguese Business Council, followed by Carlos Xavier VP Entreprise Relations, Fernando Antunes Treasurer and Manuel Ramalho VP Institutional Relations collectively stated that, “The Portuguese Business Council believes in the importance of increasing the share of the Portuguese products and services in the local market and the promotion of the activities of these companies.
The council provides an informal networking platform through which the companies can develop their businesses, in addition promote the participation in various local and international trade fairs and forums organised in Qatar. All Portuguese or foreign companies, as well as citizens and resident in Qatar, can be part of this institution.”
