Czech Foreign Minister: Qatar is a reliable source of energy security

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky. (Reuters)

HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jan Lipavsky said that the State of Qatar enjoys an increasing geopolitical importance in the region, stressing Qatar's role as a reliable supplier of energy security. In an interview with Al-Raya newspaper published Monday, the Czech Foreign Minister, whose country is currently presiding the European Union, expressed his optimism that the process of exempting citizens of the State of Qatar from the Schengen visa would be completed soon. The Czech Republic supports the visa-free entry proposal for the citizens of the State of Qatar, and welcomes the expected increase in contacts not only in the field of tourism, but also in trade, investment, education and scientific cooperation, HE said The European Commission's proposal has been approved by the European Council, which represents the governments of the Member States, and is currently being evaluated by the European Parliament, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic said, expressing optimism that the process will be successfully completed soon, possibly by mid-2023. The importance of relations with Qatar increased during 2022 even more in relation to the development of the international situation, HE the Minister said, noting that it is likely that future supplies of LNG from Qatar will play a role in the long-term energy security in the Czech Republic. Lipavsky added that the strong partnership with Qatar, with its unique reputation as a visionary and reliable supplier, appears to be a natural choice in this regard. Regarding the visions of the two countries on various regional and international issues, the Czech Foreign Minister said that it is clear that the Czech presence in Doha is important in light of Qatar's growing geopolitical importance in the Middle East, which was also confirmed against the backdrop of developments in Afghanistan last year. The Czech Republic is grateful to the Qatari side for its assistance in organizing evacuation flights and its mediating contacts with the new Afghan leadership, HE added On the potential for strengthening economic and trade relations between Qatar and the Czech Republic, HE stressed that based on the mutual trade between the two countries, which is increasing year after year, the future is very promising, noting that strengthening cooperation between the two countries' governments is an important boost. As for Czech companies, Qatar is an important partner and these companies are looking for partners in the Qatari market, as is the case for Qatari investors who are also looking for opportunities in the Czech Republic which welcomes such partnerships, HE underlined. The Czech Republic is a great place for Qatari investments, as it offers a strategic geographic location in the heart of Europe, a stable political and economic environment, a well-developed infrastructure and a skilled and educated workforce with a good level of language skills, HE the Czech Foreign Minister said, pointing out that the investment climate in the Czech Republic is very open and there is a strong focus on research and development. Regarding the Czech Republic's support for Qatar's plans to diversify its economy, the Czech Foreign Minister said that Czech companies are developing their subsidiaries and joint ventures abroad, thus building a win-win situation in many countries including the Gulf region. HE added that there are a lot of potential for collaboration in the healthcare sector, education and research at the university level, and his country is also ready to share its globally recognized experiences in the medical sector, and provide customized smart solutions in electrical engineering, air conditioning and smart building management. HE the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jan Lipavsky congratulated the State of Qatar for hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022 and its success in building an advanced infrastructure for the event, noting that the attention of the world will focus on Qatar, while expressing confidence that Qatar will succeed in organizing a great tournament.