Doha: South Korean Ambassador Chung Keejong said the visit of the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Seoul this month was a historic moment for relations.
Addressing a seminar held by Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Qatar-South Korea ties, he said the visit set the stage for a new phase in cooperation in all fields.
Diplomatic relations date back to 1972 and both countries exchanged delegations.
Cooperation in finance, business and trade grew since 1992. Since his arrival in 2012, the ambassador said, it had grown in the environmental field as well.
He said cooperation is based on two main pillars: construction and energy. Trade volume reached $27bn in 2013 and is expected to cross $30bn this year.
Qatar is South Korea’s second largest exporter of energy, particularly LNG, he said, adding Seoul is fully behind holding World Cup 2022 in Qatar, and will look to share experience in the field.
DOHA: The International Finance Facility for Immunisation Company’s (IFFIm) sukuk proceeds will help provide free vaccines and related facilities to the needy across the globe. IFFIm has appointed Barwa Bank as Joint Lead Manager and book-runner for the medium-term sukuk issue, the bank said in a statement yesterday.
The use of the proceeds of the sukuk will be aligned with the core values of Islamic finance. IFFIm is backed by nine countries, including the UK and France. The firm issues bonds, and now sukuk, designed to upfront future donor pledges into cash-in-hand to finance its immunisation efforts.
Since 2006, IFFIm has raised $4.5bn through bonds, and its last issuance was a $700m bond in June, 2013. The Peninsula
