Qatar’s Emir Shiekh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is expected to visit the Philippines to meet President Rodrigo Duterte later this year and strengthen ties in areas of security, trade, and investments, Malacañang said.
Qatar was one of President Duterte’s stops when he visited the Middle East in April last year, where the president thanked Qatar’s Emir for protecting the welfare of Filipino workers in that country.
Malacañang made the announcement after Qatar Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani paid a courtesy call to President Duterte on Wednesday.
The Qatari official is in the country for a two-day official visit, which is expected to strengthen bilateral ties between the Philippines and Qatar.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Qatar is the sixth export market and fourth import market of the Philippines in the Middle East. Around 255,000 Filipinos reside in the Gulf state, most of whom work in the nursing and services sector.
Qatar has been an important market for Philippine products and also for its labor force overseas.
In April 2017, the Philippines and Qatar signed agreements involving matters on culture, investment, technical education cooperation, and health during Duterte’s visit to Doha.
Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Qatar were established in May 1981.
Total bilateral trade reached US$240 million in 2016. Philippine exports to Qatar consist mainly of sauces and preparations, electric parts, bread and other pastry, and bananas. Imports from Qatar include petroleum oils and other similar products.