HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani begins an official visit to the Republic of El Salvador, during which he will discuss with HE President of the Republic of El Salvador Nayib Armando Bukele relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them in various fields, in addition to discussing several global issues of common concern.

The visit of HH the Amir to El Salvador and the talks HH will hold there will contribute to further develop relations between Doha and San Salvador, advancing them to broad and new horizons of cooperation and partnerships that would serve the common interests of the two friendly countries and their peoples.

The State of Qatar and the Republic of El Salvador are linked by distinguished relations and bonds of friendship and cooperation that are developing each day. The two countries signed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations on Sep. 24, 2003. In April 2006, the Republic of El Salvador established its embassy in Doha while the State of Qatar established its embassy in El Salvador in 2009. Since then, bilateral relations between the two countries have seen significant qualitative development, with exchanges of visits by officials from both sides.

There are a set of agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) that regulate relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of El Salvador in the fields of politics, diplomacy, trade, industry, finance, culture, education, sports, tourism, civil aviation, cooperation and joint news exchange, in addition to coordination in international platforms such as the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Several Salvadoran officials receive invitations to attend meetings and forums organized by the State of Qatar such as the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH).

In December 2019, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani met HE President of the Republic of El Salvador Nayib Armando Bukele on the sidelines of the Doha Forum 2019 at the Sheraton Doha Hotel, where bilateral relations between the two countries and the prospects for developing them were discussed.

In press statements made at the time, HE President Bukele said that in addition to the participation in the Doha Forum, his visit to Doha aims to strengthen diplomatic, political and commercial relations, as well as enhance cooperation and investment relations with the State of Qatar. He added that the two countries have not yet explored their full potential, expressing El Salvador’s interest in collaborating and working with the State of Qatar in various fields, especially in oil and gas since his country has great oil wealth and cooperating with Qatari companies would help take advantage of it.

HE the Salvadoran President also discussed his country’s investment opportunities, especially in the agricultural field, noting that El Salvador is a gateway to Latin American markets due to its location in the Central of the continent. He expressed his aspiration to see Qatari investments in El Salvador, especially since it is one of the most stable countries in the region, has signed a free trade agreement with the United States of America and has great relations with China and other countries in the world.

In March, Doha hosted the second round of political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar and the Republic of El Salvador. The Qatari side was chaired by HE Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, while it was chaired on the Salvadoran side by HE Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of El Salvador Adriana Mira. The round of political consultations discussed bilateral cooperation, in addition to other issues of joint interest.

Within the framework of cooperation between the two countries, the State of Qatar provided the Republic of El Salvador with shipments of medical aid, equipment and various supplies to support the country during COVID-19 pandemic. Food and supplies were also provided to affected families.

The State of Qatar also provided support to El Salvador after the country was struck by a tropical storm, floods and torrents in 2011 where many infrastructures were destroyed including the El Espino school in the municipality of Comasagua, which was later reopened with the support of the State of Qatar.

In June of last year, the State of Qatar expressed its thanks to the Republic of El Salvador for joining the initiative to plant 10 million trees ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the first ever carbon-free tournament. El Salvador’s contribution includes providing 125,000 trees annually, out of a total contribution of one million trees until 2030. (MORE)

Source: Qatar News Agency