Qatar- Bulgaria Relations

Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the State of Qatar were established on October 16^th, 1990

April 2009 – An Agreement for economic and technical cooperation between the Republic of Bulgaria and the State of Qatar was signed in Sofia, during an official visit of the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani

March 2010 – Official visit in Qatar of the Prime Minister Mr. Boyko Borisov, for a Bulgarian-Qatari bilateral meeting for discussion of the Qatari investment interest in agriculture, finance, tourism, real estate and telecommunications.

May 2010 - The Qatari company Qatari Diar visited Sofia to make an inquiry about investment object offered by the Bulgarian side.

June 2010 - The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marin Raykov and the Deputy Minister of the Economy and Energy Evgeni Angelov visited Doha to take part in an international forum and to meet the Qatari companies Investment Authority and Qatari Diar, with which they discussed opportunities for Qatari investments in Bulgaria.

November 2010 - The Minister of agriculture and foods Miroslav Naidenov was in Doha to talk about the development of the bilateral relations in the fields of agriculture and food production.

April 2011 – in Doha the first Bulgarian-Qatari session of the Joint Commission for economic and technical cooperation was conducted.

March 2012 – An official visit to the State of Qatar of the Prime Minister Boyko Borisov with representatives of 103 Bulgarian companies for the conducting of a bilateral business conference.

May 2012 – Dr Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah, State Minister of the Foreign Affairs in the State of Qatar, visited Bulgaria accompanied by the management of the Qatari State companies: Qatar Holding; Qatar Mining; Qatari Diar; Qatar Rail Company and Qatar National Hotels Company. During the visit the Minister of Economy and Energy Mr Delyan Dobrev met with the Qatari State Minister and the representatives of the Qatari companies. The Deputy Minister Ivo Marinov met with the Director of the Qatari tourist company Qatar National Hotels Co. A meeting between the managements of the Bulgarian Chamber of Mining and Geology and Qatar Mining was held. During the meetings the economic development of Bulgaria and the opportunities for investments in the country were discussed, the Ministry of economy, energy and tourism and the Bulgarian Investment Agency have confirmed their readiness to assist and to help for the realization of the Qatari investments in Bulgaria in the field of infrastructure, mining, real estate and tourism.

May 2012 – Official visit of the Prime Minister and the Minister of interior affairs in Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al Thani in Sofia during which nine bilateral agreements and in the field of economy, trade, investment and politics were signed.

May-June 2012 - Business visits to Bulgaria of representatives of the Qatari companies Qatar Holding, Qatari Diar, Qatara Hospitality, Qatar Mining and Qatar Rail were made in implementing the commitments under the signed bilateral agreements and the research of the opportunities for realization of Qatari investments in Bulgarian projects corresponding to the work of the companies.

July 2012 – Visit in Doha of a delegation of representatives of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public work and the National company Strategic Infrastructure Projects in connection to negotiations for Memorandum of understanding and cooperation and investment in the construction of Speed road Ruse-Svilengrad, in accordance with the achieved political arrangements.

August 2012 – Visit in Doha of representatives of the Ministry of Finance and the Bulgarian Development Bank in connection with the realization of financial and investment intentions of the State of Qatar in Bulgaria.

September 2012 – Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Thani, Minister of Municipalities and Planning in the State of Qatar visited Bulgaria.

November 2013 – Official visit in Qatar was made by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Work Mrs Lilyana Pavlova and her accompanying business delegation with the purpose of revealing of perspectives for participation of Bulgarian companies in the implementation of some of the big infrastructure projects in Qatar. A representation office of the Bulgarian construction companies in Doha was opened.

November 2013 - Official visit in the State of Qatar of Mrs. Ekaterina Zaharieva, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Regional Development and Public Work and representative Bulgarian business delegation of the construction sector.

November 2013 – Visit of Krasin Dimitrov, Deputy-Minister of Economy and Energy, in Doha. A number of beneficial meetings were held during the visit with high-ranking representative of the state and the business in Qatar, including a meeting with Sheikh Ahmed Bin Jassim Bin Mohammed Al Thani, Minister of Economy and Trade. A review of the development of the bilateral trade-economy relations was made during the meetings and a number of concrete initiatives for the development of the bilateral trade and investment cooperation were discussed.

January 2014 – The second intergovernmental Bulgarian-Qatari Joint Commission for Economic and Technical Cooperation was held. .

March 2014 - An official visit in the State of Qatar by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Rosen Plevneliev was made for a bilateral business forum.

May 2015 – Official visit in Qatar of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Boyko Borisov, accompanied by the Minister of Economy Mr Bozhidar Lukarski and the Ministers of the Foreign Affairs, of Interior, of Finance, of Regional development and Public Work, of Agriculture and foods. and of Energy. CEO of Bulgargas EAD and other representatives of the Council of Ministers and the respective ministries. Two documents were signed during the visit: Letter for manifestation of interest for cooperation between Bulgargas EAD and Qatargas and an Agreement on cooperation in combating crime.

Sofia - Republic of Bulgaria