A high-level Qatari-French economic delegation visited the city of Toulouse, located in the Occitanie region, southwest of France, as part of strengthening bilateral relations between the State of Qatar and the French Republic, and the ongoing efforts to develop economic relations with various French cities. The visit included a tour of a number of industrial sites, major companies and research centers, and a business roundtable meeting was held during it. His Excellency Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al Thani, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the French Republic, chaired the visit of the Qatari delegation to the city of Toulouse, and was attended by representatives of the Qatar Chamber, the Qatari Businessmen Association, and the Qatari-French Economic Association “Qadran”, in addition to prominent figures in the business sector in the State of Qatar.
The visit was an opportunity to review new opportunities for cooperation and investment in the city of Toulouse and its suburbs, which is considered the third largest employment area in France and the most attractive in terms of production, thanks to the aircraft manufacturing, electronics, informatics and biotechnology sectors.
During the visit, a twinning agreement was signed between the Qatar Chamber and the Toulouse Chamber of Commerce and Industry, aiming to strengthen economic relations and open new horizons for cooperation between the two sides.
The Qatari delegation began its visit by meeting with Mr. Patrick Piedravita, President of the Toulouse Local Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Mr. Jean-François Rizot, President of the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Occitanie region, where a discussion panel was organized to address the investment opportunities available in the two countries.
On this occasion, the Qatari delegation reviewed the business climate in the State of Qatar, where His Excellency Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al Thani, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the French Republic, stressed in his opening speech that this meeting represents the beginning of a promising journey, adding that “the opportunities we generate today will lead us to prosperity tomorrow.”
For his part, Mr. Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Al Ansari, a member of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Chamber, praised the strong relations between Qatar and France, pointing out that there are multiple opportunities for investment in the two countries in various sectors. He said that the Qatar Chamber is working diligently to bring Qatari and French businessmen closer together, and to encourage them to cooperate jointly and establish trade alliances and mutual and joint projects.
For his part, His Excellency Sheikh Nawaf bin Nasser Al Thani, a member of the Board of Directors of the Qatari Businessmen Association, spoke about the importance of this visit in strengthening trade and economic relations between the two countries, and discussing available investment opportunities.
The visit also included a field tour of Airbus headquarters, where the delegation was briefed on the company’s most important facilities and the advanced infrastructure it enjoys. It also included a field trip to the Francasale region and the Ora Aero company, which specializes in aircraft with an electric propulsion system, as well as a visit to the Pierre Fabre Medical Center and the Oncopol Institute.
After intense and fruitful meetings with representatives of the French private sector, the Qatari-French business delegation concluded its visit to the French city of Toulouse, which embodied a new step on the path to strengthening economic relations and expanding the horizons of joint cooperation between the State of Qatar and France, by holding a dinner that brought together members of the delegation with local economic officials. .
