Official welcome given by the Qatari government to the PM

DOHA: The state of Qatar extended an official welcome to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today as he arrived for a three-day visit.

The Amiri Diwan, the name of the nation’s sovereign body and the structure housing the administration, bestowed upon him the formal reception.

Included in the Amiri Diwan is Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, who formally greeted Anwar today at 10.30 a.m. (3.30 p.m. Malaysian time).

At the Emir of Qatar’s invitation, Anwar arrived in Qatar yesterday night. The visit is being arranged to commemorate the 50 years that Malaysia and Qatar have had bilateral ties dating back to 1974.

Anwar is in Qatar for the first time as Malaysia’s 10th prime minister, having taken office in November 2022. Among his plans is to attend the Doha Economic Forum (DEF) in 2024.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, and Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir are accompanying him on the tour.

Anwar got the chance to have a private audience with the Emir of Qatar while at the Amiri Diwan.

Additionally, he met with Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, his counterpart.

In light of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Anwar and Sheikh Mohammad’s second meeting—which took place in Riyadh towards the end of last month—is noteworthy.

Malaysia is one of the nations that speaks out most against concerns pertaining to Palestine, yet Qatar is an important diplomatic link in resolving these issues as well as a major mediator in the Gaza war between Israel and Palestine.

One of the prime minister’s primary goals while in Qatar, which has the greatest per capita income in the world, is to draw attention to Malaysia and encourage investment.