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The Qatar Chamber signed a memorandum of understanding with the Portuguese Industrial Association – Chamber of Commerce and Industry during a virtual ceremony, the Qatar News Agency reported. Acting General Manager Ali Bu Sherbak Al Mansori represented the Qatari side while Filomena Pina Perez signed on behalf of the AIP-CCI, with the pact designed to encourage investment in both nations and support the opening of company branches. The agreement further commits the two organisations to joint work on emerging international opportunities through market research, consultancy services, knowledge exchange and trade delegations.
Al Mansori said the memorandum represents an important step toward strengthening cooperation between the two organizations and further enhancing the economic and trade relations between the State of Qatar and the Portuguese Republic. He highlighted the strong and longstanding ties between the countries and noted promising opportunities to expand private-sector cooperation. The framework will improve communication between Qatari and Portuguese businesses, facilitate information exchange and organise business meetings as well as trade missions to explore investment options.
Pina Perez stated that the signing of the MoU would help strengthen cooperation between the business communities of both countries, encourage the exchange of trade delegations and stimulate reciprocal investment. She expressed hope that the coming period would witness visits by Qatari business delegations to Portugal to explore investment opportunities, particularly in the industrial sector. The Portuguese director added that her side held strong interest in learning more about the investment climate in Qatar.
Qatar Chamber data places bilateral trade between the two countries at QR441 million in 2024, leaving considerable scope for expansion that the new memorandum seeks to address. A Portugal Global assessment from late 2025 noted continued efforts to deepen investment ties amid broader economic partnerships between the nations. The pact fits within Qatar’s wider strategy to diversify its economy and build international business networks beyond the energy sector.
The Qatar Chamber has concluded several similar agreements in recent months, including a May 2026 memorandum with the Qatar Financial Centre to attract foreign expertise and bolster private-sector contributions to sustainable development. These initiatives underscore the chamber’s focus on fostering partnerships that transfer knowledge and promote joint ventures across sectors of shared interest. Officials have repeatedly stressed the value of such arrangements in supporting Qatar’s economic goals.
Portugal recorded GDP growth of 1.9 percent in 2024, more than double the European Union average, according to the U.S. State Department’s 2025 investment climate review. The country continues to court foreign direct investment in technology, industry and services while facing occasional bureaucratic hurdles in licensing procedures. The latest agreement with the Qatar Chamber could therefore provide Portuguese firms with enhanced access to Gulf markets and give Qatari businesses greater exposure to European industrial capabilities.
