Ambassadors’ group to bolster ties between Qatar, SADC countries

To strengthen existing ties between Qatar and South African countries, the envoys of Tanzania, South Africa, Eswatini have launched the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Group of Ambassadors in Qatar.   

On October 24, the Ambassadors of Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) member states accredited to the State of Qatar (Tanzania, South Africa, and Eswatini) held their meeting at the Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania (the current chair of SADC) to officially launch the SADC Group of Ambassadors in the State of Qatar.

Talking to The Peninsula, Fatma Mohammed Rajab, Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania said that one of the main reason behind the launch the SADC Ambassadors’ Group (currently three countries out of 16 SADC member states have their embassies in Qatar) was to establish an economic kind of group to mobilise investment and trade between Qatar and SADC countries for which the group would also organise exhibitions to showcase products from those countries.

“The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has partnerships with many regional groups and countries such as Russia, China, and EU; now we want to engage Qatar especially in mining and gas exploration sectors because our region is rich in these areas,” said Fatma.

The main objectives of the SADC are to achieve development, peace and security, and economic growth; to alleviate poverty, enhance the standard and quality of life of the peoples of Southern Africa; and support the socially disadvantaged through regional integration, built on democratic principles and equitable and sustainable development.

Fatma Mohammed Rajab, Ambassador of Tanzania;  Sicelo V Dlamini, Counsellor of the Kingdom of Eswatini and Faizel Moosa, Ambassador of South Africa told The Peninsula during a joint interview that SADC Ambassadors’ Group could play an important role in future to expand existing relations, in different fields, between Qatar and the SADC countries.

SADC was established as a development coordinating conference (SADCC) in 1980 and transformed into a developing community in 1992. It is and inter-governmental organization whose goal is to promote sustainability and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development through efficient productive systems. 

“We are also trying to encourage Qatar’s community to visit our countries; we are rich in terms of tourism, the SADC countries have a lot of natural parks and safari tourism,” said the Ambassador of Tanzania.

She said that the group would showcase investment opportunities in the SADC countries for Qatari investors. “We are rich in natural resources especially in mining of gold, diamond and so many other precious resources.”
“The SADC countries have numerous opportunities therefore it is a time for us to encourage Qatari investors to come and invest in our region. Also, agriculture is another main area for foreign investments. We want to engage Qatar in the SADC region so that we can share agriculture produce with the Qatari market,” she added.

When asked whether any commitment from the three embassies present in Qatar would stand acceptable or applicable for the rest of 13 SADC countries, she said: “Yes because the SADC Ambassadors’ Group was representing the whole organisation and all member states. We have a secretariat so when we will have a partnership with Qatar, it will pass through the SADC Secretariat in Botswana.” 

She said that the SADC states were trying to introduce one visa regime for all 16 member states for people from Qatar and other countries. She said that Qatari citizens were availing on-arrival visa facility to visit Tanzania.

For residents of Qatar, she said, online visa system was available that usually took only three days for issuance of visa. “Also, a good thing is the fact that Qatar Airways has direct flights to majority of the SADC countries.”

To a question, she said that currently Qatari investors were exploring options to invest in mining sector especially gold exploration in Tanzania. “We also want to increase our agricultural exports to Qatar. At present, Tanzania is exporting some vegetables and fruits to Qatar through non-direct channels like Kenya or Uganda.”

She noted that efforts were underway to expand trade between Tanzania and Qatar. “Qatari businessmen are going directly to the SADC countries to form new business partnerships.”

She said that Qatar had bilateral pacts on trade, education, transport etc. with some of the SADC countries. “There is a possibility for Qatar to have an agreement with the SADC as the organisation has partnerships with many countries like China and Russia.”

Fatma said that the SADC Ambassadors’ Group was planning to organize a trade and investment exhibition in Doha to showcase services and products the SADC countries could offer to Qatari businessmen.

Faizel Moosa, Ambassador of South Africa, said that the SADC countries’ trade with the Middle East was very important. “The SADC region largely depends on the Middle East for its energy needs. As African countries are moving away from coal-powered energy production to greener energy like gas or renewable sources, Qatar’s importance is increasing in the region.”

He said that after Africa free trade agreement which had already been signed by 54 countries, Qatar could benefit from the opportunity by positioning itself as a re-export hub to increase its trade with the African countries.

Moosa said that another important sector for bilateral cooperation was tourism which was going through tremendous growth in the SADC countries creating more investment opportunities for foreign investors.

Sicelo V. Dlamini, Counsellor of the Kingdom of Eswatini, said that the formation of the SADC Ambassadors’ Group was meant to have a meaningful impact on existing ties between Qatar and the SADC countries. “The SADC member states have a lot of potential when they work together; the prospects of doing anything are enormous.”

Dlamini said that there was safe and stable environment in the SADC countries which was very conducive for foreign investments. “There are a lot of opportunities especially in the mining and agriculture sector,” he added.

The Ambassadors also reiterated call for the removal of all forms of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe to pave way for socio-economic transformation and economic development of Zimbabwe. “The removal of sanctions will benefit Zimbabweans and the SADC region, as well as, enhance cooperation of the SADC with the European Union (EU) and the United States,” they added.