Senior Qatari Delegation to Visit U.S.
DOHA (Dispatches) – A Qatari delegation of high-level officials will visit the United States to boost bilateral relations, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported Saturday.
According to QNA, the delegation will attend Qatari-U.S. Strategic Dialogue on Jan. 30, aiming to enhance the relations between the two countries.
During the visit, the two countries will sign agreements in various fields, especially in energy and cyber-security.
The delegation, consisting of five teams from various ministries of the Qatar, will be led by Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Adbulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, Minister of State for Defense Affairs, Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, Minister of Energy and Industry, Mohammed bin Saleh al-Sada, Minister of Economy and Commerce, Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim al-Thani and Minister of Finance Ali Shareef al-Emadi.
Accompanying the delegation will be representatives of other ministries and authorities.
Qatar, the first country to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States in combating "terrorism financing,” is currently facing an all-round blockade imposed by its Persian Gulf neighbors on June 5.
The Saudi-led Arab quartet demanded Qatar end its alleged support for terrorism, cut its links with Iran and stop its intervention in other countries’ affairs.
But Qatar has vehemently rejected the allegations.
Qatar is home to the vast Al-Udeid air base that hosts some 10,000 U.S. troops.
Over the last several years, Qatar-U.S. bilateral trade has witnessed steady growth. The volume of trade exchange reached 6 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, making the United States become Qatar’s sixth largest trading partner.