Government

Seoul: The State of Qatar and the Republic of Korea discussed bilateral cooperation and opportunities for collaboration in strategic projects, as well as strengthening and developing partnerships, particularly in trade and investment. This came during an official visit by a Qatari delegation led by HE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed, to Seoul to explore cooperation opportunities in strategic projects and enhance bilateral partnerships, especially in artificial intelligence, advanced industries, and technology. During the visit, HE the Minister met with HE Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Kim Min-seok, where both sides addressed bilateral relations and ways to further strengthen them in trade and investment, along with other topics of mutual interest. His Excellency also held a series of meetings with senior Korean officials, including HE Special Envoy of the President of Korea andPresidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon, HE Minister of Trade Yeo Han-koo, and HE Minister of SMEs and Startups Han Seong-sook. The meetings also touched on cooperation between the two friendly countries and explored ways to expand it in trade and investment, as well as in advanced industries such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and biotechnology. This comes as a follow-up to the outcomes of the Korean presidential envoy's visit to Qatar in April, with both sides emphasizing the importance of expanding strategic investment cooperation. HE the Minister also met with several CEOs of Korean technology companies operating in advanced sectors, including artificial intelligence, to explore cooperation opportunities, develop joint projects, and enhance their presence in the Qatari market.

General

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Transport announcedthe "full return of maritime navigation activities all day long for all types of maritime vessels and ships, as of Saturday, May 02, 2026, from 12:00 midnight." The MOT urgedowners of vessels and sailors to make sure of the availability and functioning of all necessary safety and security equipment on board before and during sailing, to ensure highest levels of safety and security for all trips.

General

Doha: QNB Group has been named "Sustainable Lender of the Year" at the Middle East Transition Finance Awards 2026, organized by Environmental Finance. The award, decided by an independent panel of industry experts, recognizes the bank's role in advancing sustainable finance and supporting economic growth across the Middle East and Africa. By the end of 2025, QNB Group's sustainable financing portfolio had reached approximately $11.34 billion, marking a 21% increase compared with the previous year. The growth was driven by expansion in green, social and sustainability-linked loans, as well as increased participation in sustainable syndications. The group said it had been involved in around $20 billion of sustainability-linked loan transactions. Green loans rose to $4.1 billion, while social loans reached $5.0 billion. Sustainability-linked loans also grew to $1.4 billion, reflecting what the bank described as continued alignment of its financing activities with sustainability objectives. QNB Group said the recognition reflected its efforts to integrate sustainability across its operations and value chain, alongside support for clients transitioning in key sectors. The bank's sustainable finance activities are guided by its Sustainable Finance and Product Framework, which it says is aligned with international principles and best practice. It also highlighted its approach to climate risk management, noting it was the first bank in Qatar to announce a Net Zero 2050 ambition and among the first in the region to align disclosures with International Financial Reporting Standards sustainability requirements, including independently assured, group-wide Scope 3 financed emissions. The group said the award underlined its commitment to embedding sustainability at the core of its strategy and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.