(MENAFN- Gulf Times) A high-level delegation from Qatar led by Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Thani bin Abdullah al-Thani, Ezdan Holding Group chairman and Qatari Businessmen Association second deputy chairman, met Ecuador President Rafael Correa in Quito recently and discussed investment opportunities in the Latin American country.
The meeting, which was attended by Ecuador Vice-President Jorge Glas and other ministers, besides senior Qatari officials, discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the private sector of the two countries and facilitate investments in real estate, tourism, banking, insurance and medical sectors.
Correa hailed the relationship between Ecuador and Qatar and said his government wholeheartedly welcomed Qatari investors including the private sector. He said the Ecuadorian government would safeguard the interests of the Qatari investments in Ecuador.
He said the growing relationship between Ecuador and Qatar was a "good model" to be replicated.
The Ecuadorian side was represented at the high level talks by Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino, Finance Minister Fausto Herrera, Tourism Minister Freddy Ehlers and president of the Ecuadorian Central Bank Carlos Vallejo.
Sheikh Dr Khalid was accompanied by QIIB chief executive officer Abdulbasit Ahmed al-Shaibei; Ezdan Holding Group (EHG) CEO Ali al-Obaidli; Qatar Islamic Insurance Company CEO Abdul Rahman al-Abdul Ghani; International Company for Investment CEO Ali al-Hashemi; Al Sharq editor-in-chief Jaber al-Harmi, and Medicare Group board member Walid al-Saadi. Ecuador ambassador to Qatar Kabalan Abi Saab was also present.
Sheikh Dr Khalid stressed that the Latin American market, including Ecuador, was "very important" for Qatar and "excellent opportunities" are available there. The investment climate in Ecuador is also "promising".
He expressed the hope that the bilateral trade between the two countries would grow significantly over the years and that the private sector would be instrumental in that.
A release issued by Ezdan Holding Group said an Ecuadorian ship that sails around the world had called on the Doha Port in an "expression of friendship" and to forge closer ties with Qatar.
Doha is home to the first Ecuadorian embassy in the Middle East, which was opened in 2012. Qatar later opened its embassy in Quito.
The embassy of Ecuador in Doha serves many countries in the region, most notably the GCC countries, as well as Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
"Many Qatari businessmen and investors seek to establish a presence in the Ecuadorian market, and take advantage of the facilities and investment opportunities provided by the Government of Ecuador to foreign investors and funds," it said.
There are various firms in Ecuador either with Qatari shareholders or owned by Qatari businessmen. This includes the oil group Gente Oil with investments amounting to $700mn, which looks to invest in new oil projects and tourism sector.
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