Canada to open embassy in Qatar

Manama: Canada is planning to open an embassy in Doha to further expand Canada-Qatar political and trade relations and to advance a common agenda in the broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) region, the Canadian foreign minister has said.

"Qatar is a fast-growing economy with a stable fiscal framework. Canada and Qatar share a commitment to development, human rights, democracy and security," Lawrence Cannon said on Friday.

"As a member of the six-country Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Qatar is a priority market under the Government of Canada's Global Commerce Strategy. In 2008, Canada's merchandise exports to the GCC region topped $2.9 billion. In 2009, through to August, Canada's merchandise exports exceeded $2.1 billion, 13.4 percent ahead of last year's record pace," the foreign affairs ministry said.

According to Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, "trade and investment opportunities for Canadian companies in Qatar are growing rapidly, particularly in sectors such as oil and gas, infrastructure, aerospace, education and architectural services."

"Trade commissioners in the new embassy will be ready to open doors for our companies doing business in the region," the minister said.

Around 2,000 Canadians live and work in Qatar and is at present covered by the Canadian embassy in Kuwait.

"Qatar has the world's third-largest reserves of natural gas. The Gulf region plays a strategic role in the global energy supply, and represents a peace and security policy priority for Canada," the foreign ministry said.