Lanka offers Qatar land for farming

Gulf Times | 13 January 2009

By Arvind Nair

SRI LANKA has offered farm land to Qatar to grow food on the fertile island.

The offer was made when Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama called on Qatar’s authorities, including HH the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani.

The minister noted that Qatar had been seeking to invest in agricultural land in foreign countries to ensure a steady and guaranteed supply of food to the country. He said the move had “far-reaching objectives”.

“We are prepared to offer our land for farming to Qatar,” the minister said. “We have enough and more of farm land and an excellent weather” and the country liked to share its resources with Qatar.

Answering a question, he said, the process of farm co-operation had just begun and modalities had to be worked out. “We are ready for joint ventures,” he added.

Qatar has already shown an interest to do joint farming in countries like Sudan and Kenya.

During his two-day “successful visit”, Bogollagama had a number of meetings with ministers and senior officials. They included Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs HE Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Marri, Minister of Economy and Finance HE Yousef Hussein Kamal, Minister of Justice HE Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanem, Minister of Labour HE Dr Sultan bin Hassan al-Dhabit al-Dousari, Minister of Business and Trade HE Sheikh Fahd bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Abdulrahman al-Thani and Minister of State for International Co-operation HE Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah.

Bogollagama said co-operation between the countries was set to expand. The current areas of co-operation and engagement included economy and trading and multilateral platforms. Human resources also provided a major boost to the relations.

The minister noted that Qatar was shifting its focus from the West to the East and this was significant to Sri Lanka in terms of future relations.

Bogollagama said HH the Emir was “likely to visit Sri Lanka in the first half of this year”. It is of immense value since it could make the relations more structured.

“It can make the relations more meaningful,” said the minister, who later left for Dubai.
Answering a question, Bogollagama said there was “no war” inside Sri Lanka and more people were being “liberated” from the clutches of the LTTE. “Democracy is being resorted to most parts of the country”.

Asked why he chose a time of economic crisis to promote Sri Lanka as an investment destination, Bogollagama said he was confident the island could withstand the downturn since its impact was not severe.

The country received foreign direct investment (FDI) of $604mn in 2006. It went up to $750mn in the following year and to $800mn in 2008.

He identified infrastructure and urban development, tourism, services and agricultural sectors as possible areas of Qatari investment. However, currently, the Qatari investment on the island was “insignificant”.

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