President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that during his official visit to Qatar intensive negotiations have taken place resulting in a number of extremely important agreements.
“I am confident that it is a powerful impetus that significantly intensifies Ukraine’s cooperation with the Gulf countries, particularly Kuwait and Qatar,” the president’s press service quoted him on Tuesday.
The president says that Qatar is investing money now to ensure the diversification of food security and Ukraine plays an extremely important role here. According to him, unique opportunities are opening up for us.
“Ukrainian enterprises are represented here on the Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition 2018. We met with both business representatives of Kuwait and Qatar. We expanded extraordinary opportunities for possible investments both in Ukraine and in Qatar,” Poroshenko said.
According to him, Ukrainian constructors are waiting for the reconstruction of infrastructure in preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2022, which will be held in Qatar. In particular, hotels, stadiums, traffic junctions will be built. He expressed confidence that in the near future, several well-known Ukrainian companies would take part in the tenders.
“A number of extremely important documents have been signed. In particular, documents on investment promotion – mutual protection of investments and avoidance of double taxation,” the president said.
He also informed that an “ambitious document” on military-technical cooperation had been signed. He added that the scope of bilateral cooperation with Qatar in the defense industry would be very broad. “I am very pleased with the results of these talks,” he said, adding that in the near future there would be visits of groups that would work out specific areas of cooperation.
The president also announced the establishment of an intergovernmental joint commission on economic, trade and technical cooperation. He said that he had reached an agreement with the Emir of the State of Qatar that the first constituent meeting of that commission would be held in a few months.
Poroshenko also noted that the Memorandum of Understanding between Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and the Qatar University had been signed, providing for the exchange of students and lecturers.
Also, the parties discussed the possibility for Ukrainian military and diplomats to study Arabic language in Qatar.
An agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Qatar on the mutual abolition of visa requirements was signed in the wake of talks between Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. “I would like to congratulate all Ukrainians on the fact that we have finally managed to reach an agreement on the visa-free travel between Ukraine and Qatar. It gives even more value to the Ukrainian passport. It means more respect for Ukrainians. Unique tourist opportunities for Ukrainians in Qatar will be created and there will be a large number of Qatari citizens who will visit Ukraine,” Poroshenko’s press service quoted him as saying.
The Head of State also says that Doha is an air hub and two aircrafts a day were launched from Kyiv.
The agreement stipulates that citizens of Ukraine and citizens of the State of Qatar who use passports for traveling abroad valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into the state of the other Party may enter, leave, transit and stay without a visa on its territory for up to 90 days within 180 days.
“The signing of the document will promote the development of cooperation between Ukraine and the State of Qatar in the consular, legal, economic and humanitarian spheres, lead to a new level of protection of the rights and interests of legal entities and individuals of Ukraine in Qatar, intensify contacts of business representatives of both countries, open additional opportunities for national tourism sectors, serve for the expansion of friendly ties between the peoples of Ukraine and the State of Qatar,” the Ukrainian president’s press service said.
