Qatar's Emir to meet King Charles, PM Starmer on state visit to Britain

2/12/2024 19:39

        Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, will arrive in Britain on Monday for a two-day state visit hosted by King Charles and during which he will also meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is seeking deeper ties with wealthy Gulf states.
        
        According to Qatar's news agency, the emir will travel with an official delegation and the country's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
        
        The state visit formally begins on Tuesday and comes as Britain's Labour government, in power since July, searches for co-investors to help fund its plans for new infrastructure, including in cleaner energy systems.
        
        Starmer is also seeking to tie up long-running talks on a trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which compromises countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
        
        Britain's Business and Trade Department estimates a free trade deal with the GCC could boost the UK economy by 1.6 billion pounds ($2.03 billion) over the long run.
        
        The wealthy Gulf nation has several investments in Britain, with the state's sovereign wealth fund, The Qatar Investment Authority, owning stakes in Barclays, Sainsbury's, Canary Wharf and others.