QNA
Singapore
The Emir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani praised the spirit of friendship and understanding between Qatar and Singapore and their cooperation in various fields, especially in economy and investment.
The Emir was speaking at a dinner banquet hosted by President of Singapore Halimah Yacob in honour of the Emir and the accompanying delegation in Singapore on Tuesday.
The Emir stressed the importance of his visit which witnessed the signing of several bilateral agreements to promote relations, pointing out that the Qatari-Singaporean economic forum being held in Singapore will provide more investment opportunities for both sides.
In her welcome speech, Halimah Yacob highlighted the many shared features between Singapore and Qatar, including their developmental path and the vital regional role both countries play.
"Success of our countries does not lie in their size," she said.
The president referred to the high level of coordination between the countries based on their responsible and constructive role in the international community.
The president pointed out that the economies of Qatar and Singapore are business friendly and encourage free trade.
On Qatar's hosting of the 2022 World Cup, the Singaporean president said she was looking forward to the event in Doha, saying it will be historic. She expressed confidence that the Qatar World Cup will be a resounding success.
The reception was attended by a number of Singaporean ministers, senior officials and businessmen from both countries.
Earlier in the day, the Emir and Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong held talks at the Istana Presidential Palace in the Singaporean capital.
The talks dealt with relations between the countries in various fields and the current regional and international developments.
During the talks, the Emir expressed hope that his visit will elevate the relations between the two countries to wider horizons, benefiting both the countries and peoples.
The Emir and the Singaporean prime minister agreed on the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation and on establishing a joint mechanism that will serve as a link between Qatari and Singaporean ministries to work together effectively. The two sides agreed to hold a meeting of the Qatar-Singapore High-Level Joint Committee in Doha in 2018.
The Emir and the prime minister also witnessed the signing of a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding between the countries. These include a partnership agreement between the Gulf Studies Center at Qatar University and the Middle East Institute at the National University of Singapore.
After completing the two-day state visit, the Emir left Singapore on Tuesday evening, heading to Indonesia.
The Emir and the accompanying delegation were seen off at Singapore Changi Airport by Singapore's Minister of National Development Lawrence Wong, Qatar's Ambassador to Singapore HE Abdullah bin Ibrahim al Hammer and Singapore's Ambassador to Qatar HE Jai Sohan Singh.