UK and Qatar pledge to grow investment relationship

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, pledged to deepen their investment relationship during a meeting on the final day of a Qatari state visit to Britain.

The visit comes as Starmer seeks to deepen ties with Gulf states in search of investment to help fund his mission to rebuild a cash-strapped Britain’s creaking infrastructure and shift to a clean energy system by the end of the decade.

“The two leaders agreed that the countries’ thriving investment relationship would continue to grow and deliver significant benefits for both countries,” a statement on the meeting issued by Starmer’s office said.

On Tuesday, Qatar said it would invest 1 billion pounds ($1.3 billion) in climate technology in Britain, and the two countries also announced a memorandum of understanding to promote cooperation in financial services.

Qatar is already a big investor in Britain through the Qatar Investment Authority which owns the Canary Wharf business and entertainment district in east London and stakes in blue-chip names such as Barclays and Heathrow Airport.

The emir is scheduled to leave Britain later on Wednesday after another formal dinner engagement in the London’s financial district.