Tribune news network
doha
The Australia Qatar Business Association (AQBA) has been officially launched on Saturday, strengthening bilateral relations between Qatar and Australia.
This follows the recent visit to Australia in August by HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, for meetings with the Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia; Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister; and Senator Penny Wong, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Ambassador HE Shane Flanagan welcomed the launch and said, “The Government of Australia was honoured to receive a visit by His Excellency – a first by a Qatari Prime Minister. This was highly valuable in elevating the level of our engagement and fostering a common understanding between Australia and Qatar. Today, we are proud to be further enhancing the relationship, with the launch of the business association.
“AQBA will support engagement between two important partners, and I look forward to attending an event with our new members in due course.”
Founding Chair of AQBA, Justin Kerr-Stevens, also shared his enthusiasm for the launch, which builds on previous bilateral ties and business ventures.
“In bringing together this group it is our hope that we can support and enhance the many lucrative business opportunities already in place between Australia and Qatar. I’m thrilled to be playing a role in strengthening trading connections.”
Qatar is the third largest trading partner for Australia in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with key exports including engineering services, fertiliser, aluminium, and aviation services, with the latter primarily driven by the award-winning airline, Qatar Airways which plays a critical role in enhancing connections between Qatar and Australia.
With over 3,000 Australians residing in Qatar, AQBA aims to tap into this demographic by delivering and facilitating business connections, thereby cementing the presence of Australian industries in Qatar. Working closely with AQBA to support this ambition is the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), currently the platform of choice of more than 2,200 businesses from various countries.
Expressing the importance of such a collaboration, QFC CEO, Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida, expressed, “I’m delighted to welcome AQBA to the QFC community, where we can work together to support Australian businesses, bolster bilateral trade and enhance the exchange of innovation and expertise, contributing to the long-term prosperity of both economies.”
As the driving figures behind AQBA, Flanagan, Kerr-Stevens, and Fryer will continue liaising with QFC and senior Australian business leaders to expand the association and further enhance bilateral cooperation.
