Trade between Qatar and the three Asian countries averaged at QAR 9 billion (around $2.5 billion) over the past five years alone.

Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani is embarking on a tour in Asia on Sunday starting with the Philippines, in a bid to expand Doha’s cooperation with the region, the Amiri Diwan announced on Saturday.

After the Philippines, Sheikh Tamim is scheduled to visit Bangladesh and then Nepal, his last stop of the tour. 

The tour is set to witness the signing of several agreements and memoranda in numerous fields, according to the Amiri Diwan.

“The amir will hold discussions with the leaders of these countries and their senior officials on ways to enhance cooperation relations, in addition to discussing a number of issues of common interest,” the Amiri Diwan added.

A number of analysts and spokesmen from Qatari entities described the “milestone tour” as yet another chance to develop relations with Asia.

Shura Council Speaker Hassan Al Ghanim told state news agency QNA on Saturday that the visits “would strengthen the bonds of friendship, coordination, cooperation, and common interests.”

Separately, Qatari Businessmen Association Chairman, Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani, told QNA that the tour “comes within the framework of Qatar’s openness to all global markets.”

“The three stated countries represent more than 300 million people, making it imperative to cooperate and strengthen relations with them, especially since these relations date back four decades of bilateral cooperation,” Sheikh Faisal said, as cited by QNA.

Sheikh Faisal added that the trade between Qatar and the three Asian countries averaged at QAR 9 billion (around $2.5 billion) over the past five years alone. Most exports to the countries include gas, iron and aluminium.

The imports include food items—such as bananas, and pineapples—as well as carpets and clothing.

Also speaking to QNA, In Charge of Managing Qatar Civil Aviation Authority Mohammed Faleh Al Hajri noted the economic cooperation with the Asian countries reflects on tourism and air transport relations.

He added that Qatar Airways operates flights to about 90 percent of Asian countries.

Qatar-Philippines ties

Qatar and the Philippines had established ties in 1981, with more than 270,000 Filipinos currently living and working in the Gulf country.

In 2012, Qatar’s former leader Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, was the first Arab leader to visit the Philippines for more than three decades. 

Commenting on Sheikh Tamim’s upcoming visit, the Philippines Ambassador to Qatar Lillibeth Pono described it as “a strong indication of flourishing relations between our two countries.”

The Filipino envoy added that both countries already share 20 agreements covering investments, taxation, air services, labour, as well as economic, commercial, and technical cooperation.

In trade, the Philippines comes second out of Bangladesh and Nepal. Trade investments between Doha and Manila hit QAR 732 million (over $200 million) in 2023.

Investments aside, Doha and Manila share joint development agreements.

Over the past five years, the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) provided the Philippines with aid worth around QAR 4.6 million (around $1.3 million), according to QNA.

Last year, Qatar was among the first countries to provide the Philippines with humanitarian aid following Hurricane Paeng, QFFD’s Director General Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari told QNA.

At the time, QFFD provided food baskets that benefited 1,350 families in addition to providing cash assistance to 1,250 farmers and livestock owners. 

It also distributed a mobile kitchen to prepare 8,000 hot meals a day and a water tank with a capacity of 10,000 litres that benefited 38,400 people.

Qatar also stepped in at the time of the Covid-19 outbreak, when it provided 50,000 doses of the Sinovac anti-virus vaccine.

In aviation, Doha and Manila have shared an air services agreement ever since 1993, which came into force in 1994.

Qatar-Bangladesh ties

Qatar and Bangladesh’s ties date back to ​​1978, followed by the opening of Doha’s embassy in Dhaka in 1980. Dhaka then established its embassy in Doha in 1981. Both countries had also inked an air service agreement in 1979.

Around 420,000 Bangladeshi citizens are living and working in Qatar in government, semi-government and private sectors. 

The Bangladeshi workers contributed to the success of the 2022 FIFA World Cup by providing the country with the required infrastructure and completing the construction of the stadiums that witnessed the mega event.

In 2018, Qatar became the third largest destination for Bangladeshi workers followed by Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Over the past three years alone, Qatar has recruited approximately 280,000 workers from Bangladesh.

Qatar and Bangladesh also share strong defence and energy ties—making the Asian country the one that accounts for most trade shares out of the Philippines and Nepal.

The Gulf country is Bangladesh’s main supplier of liquified natural gas, the chairperson of the Qatar Chamber, Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Thani, told QNA on Saturday.

In January, both countries inked a long-term deal to provide Bangladesh with 1 million metric tonnes per year of LNG for 15 years from January 2026.

Doha and Dhaka’s trade exchange also hit QAR 7.8 billion (around $2.1 million) in 2023, a more than 200 percent growth since 2018.

Politically, the two countries share views on the Palestinian cause and Myanmar Refugees issue.

Qatar has also been leading humanitarian efforts in Bangladesh through QFFD, with relief aid amounting to around QAR 77 million (more than $21 million).

One of the key projects by QFFD in Bangladesh is the “Qatar Creating Vision” initiative, which provides global access to eye care services for millions of adults and children. 

Doha has also been extending a helping hand to Rohingya refugees who fled to Bangladesh in fear of persecution and violence as part of a deadly crackdown on the Muslim population in Myanmar since 2017.

Qatar-Nepal ties

Sheikh Tamim’s visit is set to become the first high-level visit to Nepal from the Gulf country, according to Nepalese media.

Qatar and Nepal’s ties date back to 1977, with about 400,000 Nepalese working and living in the Gulf country. Both countries have shared an air service agreement since 2002.

The Nepalese workers have also played a crucial role in the 2022 FIFA World Cup preparations through their years-long efforts in the construction sector.

Since 2019, Kathmandu has hosted a Qatari Visa Center to facilitate measures to bring Nepalese workers to Doha. 

Speaking to QNA on Saturday, the chairperson of the Qatar Chamber said the amir’s visit to Kathmandu “would open new prospects for the existing bilateral cooperation, pushing forward the trade and investment exchange and cooperation.”

“The bilateral trader exchange is still at modest levels despite the two sides’ cooperation under bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding across multiple sectors such as agriculture, food security, tourism, and others,” Sheikh Khalifa said.

He noted that “there is a common desire to step up the trade volume by ramping up mutual investments and stimulating the private sector in the two countries to build trade alliances and partnerships.”

Qatar also led major developmental and humanitarian projects in Nepal, with aid from QFFD amounting to  (around $4.5 million) 

QFFD had provided Nepal with vital Covid-19 assistance in the wake of the pandemic with medical equipment worth around QAR 7 million ($1.9 million).

The Qatari entity also implemented educational projects that benefited at least 159,211 out-of-school children globally, including in Nepal.