THE Philippines and Qatar yesterday signed nine agreements aimed at strengthening trade and investment flows, deepening collaboration in various fields, and addressing global challenges such as climate change and human trafficking.
President Marcos Jr. and Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani witnessed the presentation of the agreements and memorandum of understanding (MOU) after their meeting in Malacañang.
The accords include cooperation on combating human trafficking, seafarers’ welfare, sports, tourism, and climate change, and an agreement on the waiver of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and special or official passports.
The MOU on technical cooperation on capacity building on climate change was signed between the Philippines’ Climate Change Commission and Qatar’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. It aims to enhance collaboration in enhancing knowledge sharing and promoting transformative climate action, aligned with the shared goals on climate action under the Paris Agreement of 2016.
Another MOU is on combating human trafficking where Manila and Doha agreed to implement projects, exchange legislation and regulations related to combating human trafficking, promote public awareness, and to advance “labor protection in both countries, through exchange of expertise in the field of legislation and exchange of studies and research.”
The two countries also signed an MOU on the recognition of seafarers’ certificate to implement provisions under the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention) of 1978, and amendments, in which Qatar acceded by Decree No. (14) of 2003. This refers to Circular No. 1450 issued by the Maritime Safety Committee on the Jan. 24, 2013 on the Mutual Recognition of Certificates according to Regulation I/10 of the STCW Convention.
The MOU was signed by the Philippines’ Maritime Industry Authority, (Marina) and Qatar’s Ministry of Transport, and “shall apply to the certificates of seafarers who serve on registered merchant ships of any of the participants and sail under its flag except for those who serve on the ships mentioned in Article 3 of the STCW Convention.”
TOURISM
Under the MOU on tourism and business events, both countries “will cooperate to encourage tourist flows to travel to both countries, promote cooperation between the travel and tourism agencies and other relevant establishments to increase tourist exchange and promote tourism for both countries.”
The MOU on sports aims to promote cooperation and facilitate communication between sports federations of both countries and to set the framework for programs of cooperation in the field of sports, which are to be based on the principle of reciprocity.
This will involve an exchange of visits of sports delegations, coaches, experts and specialists in the field of sports and physical education. among others.
The MOU on the youth states that participants will work to enhance their cooperation through visit exchanges of youth delegations, members of youth centers and specialists in the field of youth, as well as experiences exchanges and research related to the youth sector.
The Amir, who arrived in the Philippines on Sunday, is on a two-day state visit to the Philippines, on the invitation of the President. It is the first state visit of the Amir to the Philippines.
The Qatari leader was accorded military honors yesterday in Malacañang, which was also attended by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, Trade Secretary Alfred Pascual, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Energy Secretary Rafael Lotilla, Tourism Secretary Cristina Frasco, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga and presidential adviser Frederick Go.
Marcos said he expects his discussions with the Qatari leader “will open opportunities to improve and strengthen our bilateral relations at every level, at the commercial level, at the government-to-government level, at the people-to-people level.”
The Amir said he expects the agreements to enhance relations between Doha and Manila as well as improve communications between the two counties.
“I just had a fruitful discussion with his excellency, the president, and we had numerous discussions on common interests that would contribute to developing our relations in different fields. The Philippines is an important partner for us in many fields especially in trade and economic cooperation. And we aspire to improve these relations through increased communications between the private sector of both countries,” he said.
The Qatari leader also acknowledged contributions of the Filipino community in Qatar to the country’s development and progress.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said there are around 242,600 Filipinos working and living in Qatar.
In 2022, remittances to the Philippines from Qatar amounted to $895.33 million.
