TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK

DOHA THEShard tower in London will be inaugurated on July 5 by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al Thani and Prince Andrew Albert Edward, the Duke of York.

Qatar Central Bank Governor HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Saoud al Thani, also the governor and chairman of the board of directors of the Shard Funding Limited, announced this in London, on Sunday.

The announcement came during a recent visit by a Qatari delegation to London, headed by Sheikh Abdullah, to inspect the tower’s progress. The delegation also included Ali Shareef al Emadi, QNB Group chief executive officer and board member of the Shard Funding .

The Shard, in which Qatar holds the majority stake of 95 percent, is considered the centre-piece of London’s historic London Bridge Quarter.

During the visit, the QNB chief was given a detailed brief on the last stages of the construction process, the security and safety measures, and the multi-use features of the tower.

Towering over the south bank of the Thames, The Shard is the tallest building in Western Europe at 310m (1,016 ft) and will consist of London’s highest public viewing gallery offering 360° views of the city.

On this occasion, Sheikh Abdullah stated that the inauguration date is significant as it coincides with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and is just a few weeks prior to the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics to be held in London during the summer.

“In addition to punctuating the skyline, The Shard, will be a highly visible face of London’s newest commercial quarter for millions of people who pass through the transport hub,” he remarked.

He said that The Shard is an enduring symbol of the close ties between Qatar and the United Kingdom.