By Mark Baber
April 16 – Angela Merkel yesterday urged Qatar to ensure transparency and reliability in the bidding for World Cup 2022 projects.
Speaking at the opening of a Qatar investment conference in Berlin the German Chancellor said, “For the engagement of German companies in Qatar, it is very important that tender procedures are fair and transparent and the legal framework is reliable.”
40% of the Qatari government budget has been allocated to infrastructure in the period up to 2016. Projects being planned include $5.5 billion for a deep water port, $20 billion for roads and $17.5 billion for a new airport.
For its part, Germany is increasingly turning to Qatar to meet its energy needs and Merkel said: “Renewables are gaining in importance but also gas is obviously low in CO2 emissions and very much a future-oriented source of energy.”
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani said: “Foreign investment is a pillar of Qatar’s economy.”
Qatar wishes to benefit from German know-how, with particular opportunities for German companies in expansion of rail capacity and renewable energies as Qatar plans to invest $160 billion in its infrastructure in an effort to broaden its economic base.
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