Various countries have recently announced plans to assist Qatar in securing the World Cup 2022.
Swiss arms exports have increased by more than 40% to $524 million in the first half of this year, after $162 million in sales of air defence systems were finalised with Qatar, according to the Swiss economy ministry.
Following Qatar, the top five purchasers of Swiss arms were Botswana, Germany, Denmark, and Saudi Arabia. Armoured vehicles were purchased by Botswana and Denmark, as well as Germany’s ammunition and accessories.
The systems will be utilised for the protection of stadiums during the World Cup this November, which will see numerous nations from around the world take part in security planning.
Security assistance during the World Cup
NATO has recently announced that it will help Qatar with security measures during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as part of the alliance’s tight collaboration with Doha.
“The support will include training against threats posed by Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) materials, which will be delivered by Slovakia and NATO’s Joint CBRN Defence Centre of Excellence in the Czech Republic,” the North Atlantic alliance explained in a statement.
As part of the security assistance, Romania will also provide training on how to protect VIPs and thwart threats from improvised explosive devices.
Additionally, in preparation for hosting the tournament later this year, Qatari and Turkish officials met in Doha last month to discuss security-related issues.
Suleiman Soylu, the interior minister for Turkey, announced in January that 3,250 security personnel would be temporarily dispatched to Qatar for the athletic event. 3,000 riot police officers, 100 Turkish special forces, 50 bomb detection dogs and their handlers, 50 bomb experts, and other personnel will all be on duty for around 45 days throughout the tournament.
According to Al Jazeera, Soylu additionally stated that Ankara had instructed 677 Qatari security officials in 38 distinct professional fields.
A team of cybersecurity specialists will reportedly be sent by Morocco to Qatar ahead of the World Cup, according to media outlets located in Rabat.
Swiss banks expand into Qatar
The reports come as the Swiss Ambassador to Qatar Edgar Doerig told local outlet The Peninsula that both nations are currently in the process of raising the number of Swiss banks operating in the Gulf state.
Several high-level visitors have been spotted, and Credit Suisse Group has hired more people than UBS Group in an effort to expand its presence in Qatar. The two biggest banks in Switzerland are the aforementioned entities.
Doerig said both nations are “doing fine” in terms of trade relations. He predicted that between 4,000 and 5,000 Swiss tourists will visit the nation as a result of the World Cup. “Traditionally, tourism has been very strong from Qatar to Switzerland, and it will continue to be very strong from Switzerland to Qatar.”
He also disclosed that a group from the hotel and healthcare industries had visited Doha to talk about collaborating with Qatari health organisations.
The opening of the renowned Swiss clinic Clinique La Prairie in collaboration with Alfardan Group is one of the most recent developments. The St. Regis Marsa Arabia Island is the location of the clinic, which is scheduled to open in September.
