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Philippines and Qatar sign nine agreements on trade

By Divsha Bhat
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., walks with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani during arrival honors at the Malacanang Presidential palace in Manila, Philippines, April 22, 2024. Aaron Favila/Pool via REUTERS Aaron Favila/Pool via Reuters
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during arrival honours at the Malacañang presidential palace in Manila
  • Trade deals to strengthen relations
  • Agreements on passports and visas
  • Cooperation on global challenges

The Philippines and Qatar have signed nine agreements aimed at boosting trade and investment between the two countries, while also addressing global challenges such as climate change and human trafficking. 

The agreements were signed by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday, the Philippine News Agency reported.

Al Thani, who is in Manila for the first time as part of a two-day state visit, said the deals will further strengthen relations between the two countries. 

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The agreements cover a range of areas including visa waivers for holders of diplomatic and special or official passports, developing tourism and business events, and cooperating in sports and youth affairs.

Other fields include cooperating in tackling climate change and human trafficking and mutual recognising seafarers’ certificates. 

Memorandums of understanding were also signed between Qatar’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its counterparts in the Philippines.

Al Thani praised the Filipino community in Qatar for “their effective contribution to the development progress of the country”.

Diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Qatar span 43 years following the formal establishment of links in 1981.

Qatar hosts approximately 270,000 Filipino expatriates and remains one of the preferred destinations for Filipino migrant workers in the Middle East.

Trade exchange between the two countries reached QAR 979 million ($270 million) in 2022 – the most recent available data.

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