Qatari Investments in Spain’s Energy, Sports, Real Estate

Qatari investments in Spain now stand at €21 billion in sectors, such as energy, sports, and real estate, among others, Qatar’s ambassador to Spain, Abdullah bin Ibrahim al-Hamar told a webinar between the Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) and other officials.Al-Hamar said the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is the second largest shareholder in the Spanish Stock Exchange.
The ambassador said Qatar’s embassy in Spain is keen to strengthen economic relations and diversify sources of income, as well as support Spain by providing more job opportunities and increase foreign investment.

According to al-Hamar, there are more than 170 Spanish companies operating in the Qatari market in the fields of renewable energy and infrastructure. Underscoring the importance of the MoU signed between the QBA and the Confederation of Employers and Industries of Spain (CEOE), he said the MoU “is a qualitative leap to strengthening relations between the two countries, and an indication that bilateral relations are headed in the right direction.”

CEOE president Antonio Garamendi emphasized the importance of Qatari-Spanish relations, and stressed the need for co-operation between the two sides in various sectors, such as industry, infrastructure, and especially sports, citing the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Jose Luis Bonet of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce said the chamber is keen to strengthen commercial and economic relations with Qatar, and that the MoU signing for the establishment of the Qatari-Spanish Joint Business Council is an “important step” in strengthening bilateral relations, in light of Qatar’s expertise in the energy and petrochemical sectors. During the webinar, Spanish ambassador Belen Alfaro Hernandez spoke about the “welcoming work environment” in Qatar, which was able to attract many Spanish companies. She also underscored the expertise of Spanish companies and their success in implementing several projects in the areas of technology, innovation, and digitization, as well as product quality, which Qatar could benefit from.