Business Minister builds trade links in the Middle East
Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk begins a three-day visit to the Middle East, to drive forward bilateral trade and investment relations with Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan.
Bilateral trade between the UK and the Gulf increased by nearly 20 per cent last year. In Qatar alone, bilateral trade has increased by 160 per cent to 拢2.2 billion in the last five years.
The visit begins on 29 January 2011, and the Minister will lead a delegation of 12 UK companies interested in building new commercial partnerships in Qatar鈥檚 airport and aerospace sector. In Kuwait, he will learn more about the countries 鈥榤ega projects鈥�, and in Jordan he will look at opportunities in the oil shale sector.
Minister Prisk said:
鈥淢arkets across the Middle East have strong economies and ambitious growth and diversification plans to match. Whether it is infrastructure, healthcare, education, financial services or renewable energy, UK companies have the skills and expertise to help the region realise its development plans.
鈥淢y visit this week is to promote British companies as the global partner of choice across the region.鈥�
The Minister鈥檚 visit follows on from the State visit to the Gulf in November and the State visit by the Emir of Qatar to the UK in October. During the visit, the Minister signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Qatar鈥檚 Minister for Business and Trade to strengthen the existing strong and historic trade and investment relations between the two countries.