The Investment Promotion Agency Qatar (IPA Qatar) and Business France recently released a report – the Qatar-France Report on Bilateral Trade and Foreign Direct Investment.
The report highlights the multitude of collaborations, treaties and agreements that have led to a strong economic and political relationship between Qatar and France over the past five decades of diplomatic relations.
Bilateral trade volume between Qatar and France has consistently exceeded US$1 billion annually since 2014 and amounted to nearly US$1.7 billion in 2021. According to the Bank of France, the stock of French foreign direct investment (FDI) in Qatar has been increasing since 2008, reaching US$1.16 billion in 2021, with more than 120 French businesses and over 80 franchises registered in Qatar, to date.
Similarly, Qatar has a strong footprint in France through its investments in real estate, retail, transport, finance, sports and luxury sectors, including the French private sector, both in large companies and innovative SMEs.
Connecting investors to emerging opportunities
Noting the positive bilateral developments in the realm of trade and FDI, IPA Qatar CEO Sheikh Ali Alwaleed Al-Thani said that the comprehensive report draws on the significant bilateral trade and foreign direct investment between France and Qatar. He said that their collaboration complements their continuing efforts in connecting investors to emerging opportunities in Qatar.
Business France Chief Executive Officer Laurent Saint-Martin meanwhile, said that the report highlights the strength of economic relations between France and Qatar, characterised by steadily increasing trade and significant foreign direct investment, in both directions.
The initiatives of Business France and our Qatari partners to foster business relationships have made it possible to forge lasting partnerships in key sectors, such as energy, transport, infrastructure and tech.
During the Inaugural Qatar-France Strategic Dialogue in March last year, IPA Qatar and Business France signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to boost FDI and develop favourable investment conditions for potential investors in Qatar.
The Qatar-France report projects that the economic relationships forged between the two countries will continue to flourish, with the flow of bilateral trade and FDI spurred by the enactment of additional economic targets across all industry sectors, in line with Qatar’s economic diversification goals.
Download a copy of the report here: Qatar-France Report on Bilateral Trade and Foreign Direct Investment
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