His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, and His Excellency Jose Manuel Albares Bueno, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, inaugurated the first annual Qatar-Spain Strategic Dialogue in Madrid. This significant event marks a celebration of the deepening bilateral relationship between the two nations.
The Qatar-Spain Strategic Dialogue stems from the strategic partnership established during His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s state visit to Spain in May 2022. The partnership aims to strengthen cooperation across various fields, formalized in the Memorandum of Understanding signed during Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez Pérez-Castejón’s visit to Doha on April 3, 2024.
During the meeting, both Ministers reviewed and applauded 52 years of strong diplomatic relations. They highlighted ongoing collaborations in regional security, defense, military cooperation, justice, counter-terrorism, trade, investment, education, culture, and innovation. The dialogue emphasized the opportunities to further deepen cooperation in tourism, energy, climate change, and environmental issues.
Trade and investment were key topics, with both countries sharing a strong economic relationship. Qatar is a significant investor in Spain, contributing to economic development through various sectors such as energy and real estate. They discussed enhancing cooperation in technology, renewable energy, clean transportation, and the circular economy, aligned with Qatar’s Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030.
Innovation was another focus, with discussions on increasing professional and academic exchanges and advancing joint research in renewable energy, AI, health sciences, and environmental sustainability. Both countries agreed to hold a joint workshop in Qatar to enhance knowledge transfer.
The State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Spain look forward to reviewing progress and continuing their strategic dialogue in Doha in 2025, reinforcing their commitment to a stronger, mutually beneficial partnership.
