Ashraf Siddiqui
Doha
Representatives of Qatar’s and Austria’s business communities, senior executives and institutional partners gathered at the residence of the Austrian Ambassador to Qatar on Tuesday for the latest edition of ReFocus Austria, organised by the Austrian Business Circle.
The gathering provided a platform to exchange views, strengthen business links and explore opportunities to expand economic cooperation between the two countries.
Welcoming participants, Austrian Ambassador HE Erika Bernhard highlighted the longstanding and friendly relations between Austria and Qatar, noting that October 5 will mark the 55th anniversary of Austria’s recognition of Qatar.
She described the anniversary as an opportunity to celebrate the strong bilateral ties while identifying new areas of cooperation.
Bernhard reaffirmed Austria’s commitment to being a reliable partner for Qatar, including during challenging periods, and stressed the importance of continued dialogue, mutual trust and solidarity in strengthening bilateral relations.
She also referred to the September 21 meeting between Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Austria’s Federal Minister for European and International Affairs HE Beate Meinl-Reisinger on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The meeting, she said, reflected the close political dialogue between the two countries and their shared interest in expanding cooperation.
Bernhard also welcomed Austria’s election to a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2027-2028 term and expressed appreciation for Qatar’s support, describing it as another reflection of the friendly relations between the two countries.
From the business perspective, Trade Commissioner Andreas Stauber highlighted growing interest among Austrian companies in the Qatari market.
He said visits to all Austrian provinces in June resulted in more than 100 meetings with companies that had specific enquiries and proposals concerning business opportunities in Qatar.
Stauber also pointed to rising Qatari exports to Austria, particularly aluminium alloys, as a positive development in bilateral trade.
Austrian exports to Qatar, meanwhile, registered a slight decline during the first half of the year, partly due to lower exports of construction materials amid prevailing market conditions.
He expressed optimism that improving market conditions in the third and fourth quarters could stimulate stronger business activity and help offset the earlier
decline.
The Austrian Trade Commission is also preparing to participate in the Qatar Medicare Exhibition and Conference from December 14 to 16, bringing together Austrian and Qatari companies from the healthcare sector.
In addition, a delegation of Austrian healthcare companies is expected to visit Qatar during the first half of next year, providing further opportunities to strengthen business-to-business cooperation.
