PH, Qatar to bolster diplomatic ties

Qatari Ambassador to the Philippines Ahmed Saad Nasser Abdullah Al-Homidi pays a courtesy visit to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at the Malacañan Palace. (Photo courtesy of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. and Qatari Ambassador to the Philippines Ahmed Saad Nasser Abdullah Al-Homidi agreed on Wednesday to further strengthen the bilateral ties between the Philippines and Qatar. 

This agreement was made during Al-Homidi’s courtesy visit to Marcos at the Malacañan Palace.

In his message, Marcos recalled the earlier visit of the emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, last April, which signified the “very strong connection” between two nations.

“We made a very strong connection, and I think that will be always good for both our countries,” Marcos told the Qatari envoy, referring to the visit.

For his part, Al-Homidi said that Qatar is “happy to be in cooperation” with the Philippines, and thanked the Philippine government for the government’s warm welcome during the Qatari Emir’s visit to the country. 

“We are more happy to be in cooperation. We work a lot of projects, and we try to be stronger on this relationship,” the envoy said.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on May 5, 1981. Qatar is second home to an estimated 242,609 Filipinos.