Economic cooperation dominated the visit of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to Poland, thanks to the growing economic and investment relations between the two countries, especially in the recent period.
Over the past five years, trade exchange between Qatar and Poland has grown by 23%, reaching about 4.8 billion riyals (the dollar is 3.65 riyals) in 2023, compared to 3.9 billion riyals in 2018, and in 2022 Poland imported more than two billion dollars worth of Qatari gas.
During a round of talks between the Emir of Qatar and Polish President Andrzej Duda in the capital Warsaw, bilateral relations and prospects for strengthening and developing them were discussed in a way that serves common strategic interests and pushes relations between the two countries to broader levels, especially in the fields of energy, technology, education and defense.
Pawo Kowaga, Chairman of the Polish-Qatari Business Council, described the visit of the Emir of Qatar to Poland as very important, and that it confirms the keenness of the two countries to develop their bilateral relations and enhance their cooperation in various fields, saying, “Our relationship with Qatar has started on a serious level, because we have started to import a lot of gas from Qatar, and this is very important for Poland, because it makes us independent from other sources.”
He pointed out the importance of strengthening partnerships between Qatar and Poland with the aim of increasing the volume of trade exchange between the two countries in all sectors, especially oil, gas and food products, explaining that “statistics for the year 2022 revealed that we imported quantities of Qatari gas worth more than two billion dollars, and we exported goods worth about 150 million dollars, so there is a lot to be done in this regard.”
#QNA_Video |
Chairman of the Qatari-Polish Business Council #QenaThe state has established #Qatar By building the largest fleet of ships to export gas in the world and having the best capabilities to transport goods via #Qatar Airways pic.twitter.com/Vh1LeSxh9l— Qatar News Agency (@QatarNewsAgency) July 5, 2024
Encouraging investments
Kwaga stressed that the Polish economy is now the sixth largest economy in the European Union, and Poland is the fifth largest European country, calling on Qatari businessmen to invest in his country, explaining that Poland is keen to encourage investments in the fields of logistics, freight transport, and new technologies related to medicine, information technology, manufacturing, and agriculture.
He pointed out that there are many investment opportunities available in various sectors in the State of Qatar, adding, “We are also following the programs run by the Qatari government to encourage joint projects.” He also praised the close cooperation with the Qatar Financial Center and the Free Zones in Qatar, as part of efforts to promote Qatar as an important investment destination in the Middle East.
For his part, Chairman of Qatar Chamber Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani stressed that the visit of the Emir of Qatar to Poland will strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and pave the way for new horizons of cooperation, especially in the commercial and economic fields, which will be an important impetus for bilateral trade forward.
He pointed out that there are a number of Polish companies operating in the Qatari market in partnership with Qatari companies in various fields such as contracting, trade, health and others. In return, Poland is considered an attractive destination for Qatari investments, especially in the hospitality and industry sectors, stressing the Qatar Chamber’s support for bringing business owners in the two countries closer together and encouraging them to establish trade and investment alliances that enhance the economies of the two countries.
His Highness the Emir confirms in a post on his official account on the “X” platform the aspiration to deepen relations between the State of #Qatar And #Poland#Qena pic.twitter.com/vyiTnVLgXe
— Qatar News Agency (@QatarNewsAgency) July 5, 2024
Multiple opportunities
As for the head of the Polish Chamber of Commerce, Marek Kosko, he stressed that the significant increase in trade exchange between the two countries indicates their determination to develop their economic relations to a great level, expressing his hope for increasing investments between the two sides.
The head of the Polish Chamber of Commerce explained that gas and all products related to chemicals are among the most important Qatari imports to Poland, stressing the Polish Chamber of Commerce’s efforts to increase exports to Qatar as it is a strategic country for Poland, especially with regard to energy, and from which it imports large quantities of gas.
Regarding the common opportunities between the two countries and the sectors in which cooperation can be increased, he pointed out that Qatar is the first in the field of liquefied gas and Poland needs gas, and from this standpoint Qatar is an important partner in this regard. There are also other areas of cooperation between the two countries, such as the food and agricultural industries and in the field of transportation, in addition to areas in which the two countries can exchange knowledge, such as clean energy and education.
Qatar-Poland New Technology Forum Strengthens Trade and Investment Partnerships#Qena #Qatar #Poland #Economy pic.twitter.com/pEhdgNXIGk
— Qatar News Agency (@QatarNewsAgency) July 5, 2024
A significant increase
According to data from the National Planning Council, the volume of trade exchange between Qatar and Poland amounted to about 4.8 billion riyals last year, and the total exports of the State of Qatar to Poland amounted to 3.9 billion riyals, while the total Qatari imports from Poland amounted to 897 million riyals, while the trade balance surplus amounted to about 3 billion riyals in 2023.
According to the same data, Qatar’s exports to Poland were mainly petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons, amounting to 3.892 billion riyals, in addition to other miscellaneous exports such as ethylene polymers in their primary forms, while Qatar’s imports were concentrated in digital self-processing units, memory storage units and other types of imports.
The Qatar-Poland Technology Forum, which concluded 4 successful editions in 2023, contributed to strengthening relations and joint work between Qatar and Poland. The forum organizers look forward to creating a positive momentum in the technology sector, by introducing new partnerships that bring together Qatari businessmen and their distinguished Polish counterparts in this sector.
Over the past years, the forum has hosted a group of speakers and decision-makers to explore future opportunities and prospects between the two countries, focusing on new technology and its role in stimulating trade and investment exchange. It has also succeeded in signing a number of memoranda of understanding between the two countries, most notably between the Qatar Financial Centre and the Poland Digital Foundation, which aims to enhance cooperation between them in the digital sector and accelerate the pace of innovating new digital technologies. This is a first step in the framework of seeking to establish long-term cooperation with Polish institutions.
The year 2009 was a turning point in energy cooperation between Qatar and Poland, as it witnessed the signing of a long-term agreement under which Warsaw would import about 1.3 billion cubic meters of Qatari liquefied natural gas annually. These supplies were delivered to the new Polish LNG receiving terminal, which began operating in 2014, specifically for this purpose.
Cooperation between Qatar and Poland has evolved beyond just importing gas. The year 2016 was a milestone in trade relations between the two countries. That year also witnessed a large influx of Qatari gas shipments to Poland, and the start of their delivery at the Swinoujscie terminal after its opening in the port of Swinoujscie on the Baltic Sea. This terminal received approximately 126 LNG shipments, reflecting the continued growth in energy cooperation between the two countries.
Source : Al Jazeera + Qatar News Agency (QNA)
