Doha: The Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and US President Joe Biden are due to discuss various international issues when they meet at the White House today.
They are expected to discuss various regional and international issues including combating terrorism, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Libya, climate change and other urgent international issues.
According to US officials, Biden will update the Amir on efforts for a diplomatic solution to the crisis over Ukraine.
Amir’s trip to Washington includes meetings with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas and members of Congress, according to the US officials. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will join the Oval Office meeting.
The US officials said ties with Qatar are strong, especially on counter-terrorism, trade and Afghanistan. Qatar was the primary transit destination for over 60,000 Afghanistan evacuees, one official said.
Evacuation flights from Afghanistan have resumed after a months-long pause. Airport operations and security will be a topic of discussion, people familiar with the situation said earlier.
Qatar has invested heavily in the US in recent years and plans to increase its $30 billion in US holdings to $45 billion. The Gulf country imported over $23 billion of goods and services from the US in the last five years, one of the officials said.
