QNADohaPresident of the European Council Charles Michel on Wednesday inaugurated the premises of the European Union Delegation in Qatar, aiming at strengthening Qatari-European relations and advancing them towards a new stage of bilateral cooperation.The opening ceremony was attended by Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, Ambassador of Qatar to the European Union HE Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Malki and Ambassador-designate of the European Union to Qatar HE Dr Cristian Tudor.In his speech on this occasion, Charles Michel said his current visit to Qatar and the inauguration of the premises of the EU Delegation in Doha is an important sign of the political will of the EU toward improving and developing its relations with Qatar.He added that the world is facing global challenges in the energy sectors, economic development and security challenges, which reinforces the conviction that cooperation with Qatar is an important way to jointly overcome various difficult challenges.Michel pointed out that he had conducted a number of meetings and political consultations with officials in Qatar, expressing his confidence that remarkable progress would be made on important issues of common interest, for example exempting Qatari citizens from entry visas to the EU, and taking other important decisions concerning relations between the two sides in the coming weeks. He noted the common aspirations and goals between the EU and Qatar, and their keenness to make more efforts related to achieving security, stability and prosperity in all fields.Al Malki stated that the opening of the premises of the EU Delegation in Doha came based on the joint agreement signed by the two sides in Brussels in Feb. 2022, which was represented in the establishment of an EU mission in Qatar and its privileges and immunities. He affirmed that Qatari-European relations witnessed remarkable progress during the last period, as there were many bilateral visits between the two sides, intending to strengthen cooperation between the two parties in the long term through meetings between officials, exchange visits, and organizing events in various fields.Dr Cristian Tudor expressed great happiness and appreciation for being appointed as the resident ambassador of the EU to Qatar and head of the EU mission in Doha, noting that the opening of the mission premises reflects the EU’s interest in Qatar. He praised Qatar’s great role and its efforts to bring security, stability and peace to the region and the world.Regarding hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Tudor praised the achievements, reforms and updates made by Qatar to host this tournament, affirming the readiness of the EU to provide support in various fields for the success of this global sporting event.
