Bern: The third session of the Joint Economic and Financial Committee between the Ministry of Finance of the State of Qatar and the Federal Department of Finance of the Swiss Confederation was held in the city of Bern, Switzerland. The meeting was led by HE Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari for the Qatari side and HE President of the Swiss Confederation Karin Keller-Sutter for the Swiss side. Several senior officials from both governmental and private sector entities participated in the discussions.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Qatar-Switzerland Joint Committee deliberated on various proposals to enhance economic and investment cooperation between the two nations. Key topics included digital finance, sustainable finance, and cooperation in the infrastructure sector, along with collaboration in sustainable investments and joint efforts in development projects.
In his closing remarks, HE Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari stressed the importance of the partnership, noting the shared values, open economies, and commitment to international engagement that Qatar and Switzerland possess. He expressed confidence that the ongoing meetings of the Joint Committee will further bolster their bilateral friendship and economic ties.
A technical committee meeting was held before the main session, chaired by Dr. Saud bin Abdullah Al Attiyah, Deputy Undersecretary for Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Finance, for Qatar, and Christoph Konig, Head of the Planning and Strategy Department at the State Secretariat for International Financial Matters, and Andrea Rauber Saxer, Head of Bilateral Economic Relations at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, for Switzerland. This meeting aimed to prepare for the Committee’s work and discuss key cooperation areas, contributing to the success of the session.
The Qatar-Switzerland Committee was established following a Memorandum of Understanding signed in March 2022 between Qatar’s Ministry of Finance and the Swiss Federal Council. This MoU sought to establish the Joint Committee on Financial and Economic Affairs to promote and strengthen bilateral relations, with meetings held alternately in both countries.