QNA
Doha: Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa (RSA) to the State of Qatar H E Faizel Moosa underscored the strength of bilateral relationships between South Africa and the State of Qatar, affirming that these relations are on the verge of being significantly strengthened over the next few years.
In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) on the occasion of Qatar National Day, the Ambassador referred to the success of Qatar Petroleum/Total in finding a huge gas condensate field off the South African coast in South African waters in the two wells that was explored called Brullapadda (Bullfrog) and Luiperd (Leopard) wells. He explained that this would be a new event in South Africa, which is not a producer of oil or gas, as energy security has become an inevitable and important need at the global level, and clean energy supplies will greatly help in achieving their sustainable development goals.
He noted that Qatar will also be playing a major role in South Africa’s energy production capacity as they kick start their economy during and after COVID-19 crisis, adding: “There is big opportunity for Qatari companies in the energy space to take advantage of South Africa’s aggressive plan to introduce independent power producers in the cleaner energy and renewable energy space. South Africa remains a critical partner of Qatar in terms of its food security programmes. I am confident that this relationship will go from strength to strength.”
The Ambassador of South Africa commended the Qatari people for their resilience at a time when their sovereignty has been threatened by the demands of the blockading quartet, pointing that Qatar has embarked upon a foreign policy direction that has maintained and even advanced its global standing when it comes to peace initiatives around the globe.
In the area of international solidarity the Ambassador said: “South Africa, through the teaching’s of our father of nation the Great Nelson Mandela, and Qatar, by its wise youthful leadership of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, demonstrate its commitments to human rights which are clearly defined by our common commitment to the Palestinian issue.”
Ambassador Moosa also said that the COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on the whole world, where not a single country was spared its ravages. “The very decisive response to the pandemic by the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management and the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) under the very competent leadership of H E Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari at the very beginning played a major role in flattening the curve,” he said, adding that this allowed the MoPH enough time to prepare its health systems and infrastructure for the eventuality of the pandemic.
Concluding his statement, the Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to the State of Qatar Faizel Moosa said: “Let me take this opportunity to congratulate Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the government and all the people in Qatar on their National Day on December 18 on behalf of the President of the Republic of South Africa, the South African Embassy in Qatar and all the people of South Africa.”
