Dec. 4 (UPI) — The ruler of Qatar was in Britain this week for a two-day state visit to secure critical trade deals between the two nations as he met Wednesday with the prime minister.
On Monday, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the emir of the small Middle Eastern nation of Qatar, arrived for a two-day state visit hosted by King Charles III. He arrived with the first of his three wives, Sheikha Jawaher.
On Wednesday it was announced that Qatar will invest an initial $1 billion in a climate technology partnership with Rolls-Royce to boost Britain’s position as a “clean energy superpower,” according to the British government.
“We’re delivering on our promise to make growth our number one priority, by boosting our partnerships with other forward-looking partners to invest in UK industry and create thousands of highly-skilled jobs in the industries of the future,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote Wednesday.
It represented the ninth official visit to Britain for the 44-year-old al-Thani since he came to throne in 2014. He was educated in Britain prior to taking power.
On Tuesday, William and Catherine, the prince and princess of Wales, took part in a welcoming ceremony to greet the foreign royals at Whitehall in central London.
That evening the British royal family hosted the Qatari delegation at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace — the monarch’s official residence — in London attended also by famed “Spice Girls” star Victoria Beckham, her celebrity soccer-player husband David Beckham and Starmer, the Labor Party leader.
“In the most desperate of circumstances, Qatar’s continued toil, perseverance and diplomatic efforts are quite simply invaluable,” the king, successor to his mother the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was the longest-reigning sovereign in British history, said Tuesday night according to BBC.
The British head of state — also the head of the Church of England — quoted the Quran, saying, “Whoever saves a life, it will be as if they saved all of humanity.” Then, adding words from the Christianized Bible, he said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
Al-Thani praised the king’s noted “inter-faith dialogue” and said their two countries are “not only friends, but partners.”
Qatar has extensive investments in the British and European economy.
According to Britain’s Foreign Office, the gas-rich state of Qatar is a key partner in defense and trade with the Arab nation representing more than $50 billion in yearly investments in the British economy.
“Our strong, historic ties with Qatar are vital to UK prosperity, growth and security,” a spokesperson said, adding how the British government is “committed to continued strong relations with Qatar to deliver partnerships of mutual value.”
However, many have been critical of Qatar’s poor record on women’s and LGBTQ+ rights and its treatment of migrant workers.
On Tuesday, a group of protestors lined the streets to shout “Qatar’s anti-gay shame” as the royal carriage made its way past the Mall in London.
The state visit should not ignore Qatar’s “troubling” record on human rights, according to Human Rights Watch.
On Wednesday, Starmer met with the Qatari leader at 10 Downing Street — the prime minister’s official residence and office — after a formal farewell at Buckingham Palace with the king and Queen Camilla.