Talks between South Africa and Qatar lead to positive investment opportunities

By Cindy Witten
05 February 2009

Deputy Foreign Minister Sue van der Merwe held talks with the Assistant Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdullah Al-Rumaihi in Camps Bay yesterday. Discussions between the two countries led to positive investment opportunities.

van der Merve says that even with the global economic crisis looming over South Africa, we have a strong economy that will withstand these difficult times. The two countries have come into agreement to help each other overcome the crisis.
“I don’t think it would be correct for us to pretend that this crisis will not affect us. Obviously we will have to work out ways in which we can deal with it most effectively, so that we can contain it to the minimum of our growth plans,” said van der Merwe.

The Qatar Investment Authority has invested US $400 million in infrastructure in Africa, concentrating on the areas such as transportation, communication and energy.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, South African companies have been some what successful in negotiating contracts for major projects in Qatar.