São Paulo – Brazil should host the World Cup in 2014, Qatar in 2022, and both countries plan to cooperate in the preparation of the championships. This was one of the agreements signed between the emir of Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the Brazilian Foreign minister, Antonio Patriota, in a meeting on Wednesday (9), in Doha.
The agreement makes it possible for Brazilian companies to work on the construction of stadiums, for example, and of Qatar investing in airports, large events or hotels for the Cup in Brazil. According to Tovar Nunes, a spokesperson for the Brazilian Foreign Office, Qatar is interested in investing in infrastructure in Brazil for the World Cup and 2016 Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro.
According to Nunes, the emir has great appreciation for Brazil and received the new Foreign Minister with great cordiality. Despite a full agenda due to the visit of Dutch queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard, the head of Qatar met with the Brazilian minister. Both countries have close political relations and Qatar even hosted the last Summit of South American-Arab Countries (Aspa), in 2009.
The World Cup has been attracting the eye of foreign investors, not just of Qatar, to Brazil. Estimates disclosed by the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) show that the country should receive 183 billion Brazilian reals (US$ 111 billion) in direct and indirect investment due to the World Cup and Olympics. Expansion and modernisation of airports in the cities to host the events should receive 5.5 billion reals (US$ 3.3 billion).
In Doha, minister Patriota also met the prime minister of the Arab country, Hamad Bin Jassem Jaber Al Thani, and the minister of state for Foreign Affairs, Ahmad Bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud. The Brazilian foreign minister’s visit was accompanied by the ambassador of Brazil to Doha, Ânuar Nahes. "The meetings were very good, very frank, sincere and professional," said Nahes to ANBA.
*Translated by Mark Ament
