Romania’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu’s visit to the Gulf state was dominated by seeking Qatari investments to bolster bilateral trade and political ties.
Securing Qatari investments totalling €15 billion was a key priority during the Romanian Prime Minister’s official visit to Qatar.
“The State of Qatar is an important trade partner of Romania in the Gulf region, and attracting investment worth 15 billion euros will contribute to strengthening our economic and political cooperation,” Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said in a press release.
He added: “We have clear and mature projects for Qatari investors. The strategic position, the upward economic trend, and the opportunities provided by European funds are arguments in favour of Romania’s investment attractiveness.”
Ciolacu arrived in the Gulf state on Tuesday for his two-day visit to lobby Qatar to invest in the Southeastern European country.
He was joined by Romania’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister, Sorin Grindeanu, Foreign Minister Luminița Odobescu, Finance, Entrepreneurship and Tourism Minister Ștefan-Radu Oprea, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Florin-Ionuț Barbu. The Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja, and Research and Innovation and Digitalisation Minister Bogdan Ivan were also in attendance.
The President of Romania’s National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications, Valeriu Zgonea as well as the President of the National Veterinary Sanitary Authority, Alexandru Bociu, among others, were also part of the Romanian delegation.
At Doha International Airport’s tarmac, the Romanian delegation was met by the Director of the Protocol Department at Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Yousif Fakhro, the Qatari Ambassador to Romania, Osama Yousef Al Qaradawi as well as Romania’s Ambassador Qatar, Nicusor Daniel Tanase.
The Romanian government reported that their delegation would have discussions with the Qatari sovereign wealth fund: the Qatar Investment Authority.
Reports also indicate that a meeting with the nation’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was held. The two parties are reported to have inked bilateral documents. Joint statements from both sides are also expected to be published.
Regional safety concerns
Prime Minister Ciolacu addressed regional safety concerns during a meeting with representatives from the Romanian community living in Qatar.
“We are talking about a conflict in the East and it seems that this news is not ending. I and the whole team of ministers will try to get involved as much as possible, together with Mr Ambassador, that you are and will be well.”
“Qatar is a safe country, just like Romania. Romania being a member of NATO and Qatar also being in a partnership with Romania’s strategic partner, the United States of America,” he said, according to Romanian media reports.
On Saturday, news broke of Iran launching its first direct retaliatory strike against Israel from the Islamic Republic’s soil.
Iran had launched 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles, and more than 120 ballistic missiles, Israel’s military spokesman Daniel Hagari confirmed on Sunday, claiming Israel “intercepted 99 percent of the launches”.
Qatar Airways planes from London bound for Doha were diverted to Istanbul following concerns about flying over Iranian airspace.
During a phone call with Iran’s President, Ebrahim Raisi, Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, stressed the necessity of de-escalating all conflict within the region.
