Milan / Information Office / February 08

HE Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi opened the Consulate General of the State of Qatar in Milan in the presence of Paolo Sordini, director of the second bureau of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

At his speech, HE the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the opening of a consulate general of the State of Qatar in Milan is a new indicator of the strength of the Qatari-Italian relations.

He said that the opening of the consulate general in Milan is aimed at achieving the main objectives that serve the interests of the two countries and the two friendly peoples in particular the interests related to the growing economic, trade and investment relations between the two countries in addition to facilitate legal and administrative procedures and transactions relating to these relations at the public and private levels.

HE Dr. Al Hammadi pointed out that the economic and trade relations include large investments from the public and private sectors in both countries, as the volume of trade exchange between the two countries reached 15 billion euros in 2018, an increase of 11 percent from previous years.

He added that this ratio is expected to rise in 2019 by around 3 percent or more, pointing out that this extensive economic activity, which is of utmost importance to both countries because it contributes to increase their GDP, is an important reason for the opening of the consulate general of the State of Qatar in Milan.

HE Secretary-General of Foreign Ministry noted the importance of extending the role of the consulate to include cultural, educational, sports and other relations, stressing confidence that the Consulate General will perform this role efficiently.

HE Dr. Al Hammadi thanked Italy's Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in particular for their sincere cooperation and facilities for the opening of the consulate general of the State of Qatar in Milan.

Paolo Sordini, director of the second bureau of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the decision of the State of Qatar to establish a consulate general in Milan is a strong and tangible signal of the interest of the State of Qatar in Italy and the development of bilateral relations. He pointed out that these strong relations are based on mutual trust and convergence of diverse interests from regional stability to economic and trade relations and cultural relations.