Qatar will soon announce the establishment of a local defense manufacturing center. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani during the Global Security Forum in Doha.
“We are working with a regional partner, as well as other partners such as the US, UK and France, to provide local defense capabilities or invest in some of these companies,“ the minister said.
Al Thani did not name the regional partner or indicate when the official announcement would be made. No details have been announced about the location, financing, structure of the future center, or the specific systems and technologies that will be produced.
The initiative comes amid regional tensions
The statement was made against the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East, which, according to Reuters, has led to Iranian attacks on energy-rich Gulf states. In this context, Qatar is emphasizing the development of its own defense capabilities and closer cooperation with international companies.
The minister's words make it clear that the model could include both production or defense on local territory, as well as investments in defense companies. However, there is no publicly announced data yet on which companies will participate and what the share of the Qatari state will be.
Sources: reuters.com