DOHA: A French business delegation, representing 32 companies, led by Yves-Thibault de Silguy, Co-chairman of the French-Qatari Business Council, Vice-Chairman of Medef International and Vice-Chairman and Senior Director of Vinci is expected to arrive today for a three-day visit, said a press statement issued yesterday.
The initiative is led by Medef International (the French Business Confederation which represents 800,000 French companies abroad), with the support of the Qatari authorities, the French Embassy in Doha and particularly its Economic Department.
Medef International has long been active in Qatar and has developed a very fruitful partnership with the Qatar Chamber. The Qatari-French Business Council was created in June 2013 on the occasion of the official visit to Qatar of the President of the French Republic, François Hollande.
According to the statement, this visit will be a concrete follow-up of the Qatari-French Business Forum co-organised in Paris in June 2014 by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Medef International on the occasion of the official visit to France of the Emir of Qatar, H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
That business delegation will be compounded with 32 French companies, all with cutting-edge technologies and representing a wide range of industries such as energy, transportation, event management, public works, urban, sports infrastructure and environmental services.
Top French companies such as Alstom, Bouygues Construction, Dassault Aviation, GDF Suez, Groupe SNCF, Thales and Vinci and innovative SMEs will be represented in the delegation. Some have already a long-standing presence in Qatar. Other companies are actively prospecting and would like to develop or invest in the country.
During the three-day long programme, a particular focus will be put on two main sectors which are the smart city and sports infrastructures and sports event management. This business delegation will therefore meet with top Qatari institutions such as Public Works Authority (Ashghal) and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, particularly in charge of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
French companies will also have the unique opportunity to meet with the main Qatari business leaders, gathered for a Forum at the Qatar Chamber, Medef International counterpart in Qatar, as well as with top representatives of the government, such as the ministers in charge of the economic development of the country.
The French business community sees Qatar as a major partner in the Middle East, not only for its economic weight that attracts foreign investors, but also thanks to its political stability.
M Yves-Thibault de Silguy, said: “Qatar has long been a very strong partner for French companies and we are expecting to strengthen our already strong business relationships by contributing to the economic diversification of the Emirate, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. Medef International has also long been convinced that French large companies should now pave the way for innovative SMEs to also enter the very promising Qatari market. That’s the main objective of Medef International business delegation to Qatar.”
The Peninsula
