Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani is met at the Nichols Airbase, Pasay City, by Energy Secretary Raphael P. Lotilla. Also in the photo, among others, is Qatar Ambassador to the Philippines Ahmed Saad N.A. Al-Homidi. (Credit for image: The Peninsula of Qatar)
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Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani Now in Manila, Meets President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Monday

April 21, 2024
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  • EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 | Facebook: SDN — SciTech & Digital News

(SDN) April 21, 2024 — His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, is now in the Philippines. He arrived early this evening in Manila for a whirlwind visit.

The Philippine leg of his visit is part of his tour of the Asian continent’s Far Eastern countries. He will be proceeding next to Bangladesh and Nepal.

Before departing for the next leg of his Asian tour, the Emir was scheduled to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in Malacanang.

Ambassador Ahmed Saad Al-Homedi, the top envoy of His Highness to the Philippines, and other Embassy of Qatar officials met the visiting Arab leader and his entourage at the Maharlika Presidential Airport (MPA), Villamor Airbase, Pasay City, Metro Manila.

The Philippine government sent Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Raphael P. Lotilla to meet the Qatari leader at Nichols Airbase.

SDN — SciTech & Digital News learned about this from the diplomatic community and from Qatari newspaper The Peninsula.

It can be recalled that his father, Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, abdicated in June 2013 his crown for Sheikh Tamim to give way to Qatar’s new generation of leaders. Qatar’s change of leadership broke the tradition of Arab leaders clinging to their positions for life. (Source: Brittanica)

The Qatari Emir’s tour of the continent of Asia puts emphasis on strengthening of the strong bond that connects the Far East to the Near East.

Qatar is another important destination for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as it hosts and provides employment for over 246,000 OFWs. It is also the base of more than 737 Philippine companies operating in the Qatari market, eight of them wiith 100 percent capital and the rest with partial purchased capital, in various activities.

The State of Qatar, based on principles of justice and fairness recognizes and appreciates and values the contributions of Filipino workers to the country’s development.

A member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Qatar has been on steady rise in the international political arena, which is achieved through “clarity of vision, insight, absence of a hidden agenda, and lack of ambiguity of positions,” thus, making the Arab State of Qatar “an acceptable mediator for resolving disputes, and success has always been its ally.”

Under the leadership of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Qatar has many models to show as successful mediator, such as Afghanistan, Lebanon, Darfur and, presently, Israel and Hamas in the ongoing war in Palestine.

Hamas took many hostages when it attacked Israel on October 7 last year, including many Filipinos. Qatar helped in securing the release of several hostages, including 40 Filipinos. This has prompted Marcos to commend the small Arab country for its assistance, expressing gratitude for the act.

Bilateral relations between Qatar & Philippines in steady rise

In relation with this, Foreign Minister Enrico Manalo hailed Qatar’s mediation for the release of the hostages.

“We acknowledge and greatly appreciate “The crucial Qatari mediation role and efforts in opening the Rafah border crossing, allowing foreign nationals, including Filipinos, to exit Gaza, and we and Qatar are united in our goal of achieving lasting peace in the region.”
The brief visit of His Highness Emir Tamim comes after 12 years following the visit of his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani to the Philippines on April 11, 2012, during the administration of then President Benigno S. Aquino III.
Aquino bestowed the Philippines’ highest honor to Sheikh Hamad, the Lakandula Medal, in appreciation of his decisive role in strengthening  bilateral relations between the two countries.
Recall also that then President Rodrigo R. Duterte further cemented the two countries’ relations through his visit to Doha, the Qatari capital, on April 16, 2017.
During this visit the two leaders witnessed the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) in field of cultural, educational, health, and investments.
April 2024 coincides with the 43rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of the Philippines.
“Over the course of four decades, relations have been in steady development. Within the framework of legislative reforms, the wise leadership has paved the way for labor policy reform, representing a new era for the labor market. A road map that many countries described as a ‘giant step’ reflects the state’s commitment to granting migrant workers more freedom and protection and provides employers with more options. The State of Qatar was the pioneer and initiator, as these reforms became a model for countries in the region to emulate and received praise from countries. In the world and its international organizations, the State of Qatar is considered the first Arab country to actually carry out important reforms in labor policies,” a statement sent to SDN pointed out. (/)

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