Ambassador of Nigeria to the State of Qatar, Yakubu Ahmed has expressed his admiration for the resilience of the Qatari economy.
According to him, the ability to face challenges and uncommon character demonstrated in driving national development makes Qatar stands out and that has continued to manifest on many occasions.
In a statement made available to newsmen by the Spokesperson of the Embassy of Nigeria in Doha, Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa, the Nigerian principal envoy made the comments during an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) in Doha, as part of activities to celebrate the Qatar National Day.
The Ambassador explained that the resilience of the Qatari economy is attributed to the formulation and implementation of sound economic policies by the Government. The Government was able to also share generously the results of the economic recovery by providing some countries in need with food and medical supplies, which is highly commendable.
Ahmed also stated that the economic indicators provided by Planning and Statistics Authority of Qatar has shown remarkable positive economic trends. Qatar has recorded sustained trade surplus in the past few months which signifies strong economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19. In the same vein, in September 2021, Qatar’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) hit an all-time record high. The PMI rose consecutively for the fourth month to 60.6 in Sept. from 58.2 in August.
Commenting on the National Day Celebrations, the Nigerian Envoy said “the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria felicitates with the Government and people of the State of Qatar on the auspicious occasion of the commemoration of her National Day on December 18 which marks the assumption of the founder, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani on the reins of power.
He said: “The celebration of National Day is a thing of pride and it gives a sense of fulfilment of the lofty aspirations and vision of a country. Therefore, on behalf of the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I wish to congratulate the Government and people of the State of Qatar, led by Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for his commendable leadership style in promoting peace and sustainable development in the country,” stressing: “There is no doubt that the dedication to the implementation of multilateral agreements tailored towards making the world a better place has continued to endear him to Qataris and admirers across the globe.”
Ahmed added: “Securing the hosting rights of the 2022 FIFA World Cup was a remarkable achievement but the speed with which the preparatory program is currently being implemented remains a huge surprise to many pessimists. Since Qatar secured the hosting rights, it has embarked on an extraordinary infrastructural development program. No doubt, being the first country to host FIFA World Cup in the region, will make a lasting legacy not only for the country but for the entire Middle East.”
He said: “I wish to achieve during my tour of duty as Nigeria’s principal envoy to Qatar is to improve economic and socio-cultural relations between both countries. Presently, economic activities are not where we expect them to be, but there have been a lot of strategic engagements that will soon yield tangible results. Avenues of Political Dialogue by High-Level Officials and business match-making are currently being discussed. which are all tailored towards strengthening bilateral cooperation and maximising benefits.”
