Economic Partners
Qatar is one of the UK’s leading trade partners outside Europe and a major investor in the UK.
£13 billion
UK-Qatar trade is over £13 billion a year and rising fast*
£40 billion
The UK is one of the largest recipients of Qatari foreign direct investment**
1,200
Over 1,200 British businesses operate in Qatar
* Total UK exports to Qatar amounted to £4.9 billion in 2022 (an increase of 103.8% or £2.5 billion in current prices, compared to 2021); total UK imports from Qatar amounted to £8.5 billion in 2022 (an increase of 275.1% or £6.2 billion in current prices, compared to 2021).
** £40 billion in 2021.
Britain and Qatar, Economic Partners
Under a new UK-Qatar Strategic Investment Partnership signed in 2022, Qatar committed to investing up to £10 billion across the UK in key industries, such as fintech, zero emission vehicles, life sciences and cyber security and to creating jobs and growth in new industries.
Not only will the Strategic Investment Partnership boost local economies and support jobs, but it supports our green economy and decarbonisation – crucial in meeting our Net Zero targets. It also strengthens our relationship with Qatar.
Real Estate Investment
The UK has benefited from multibillion-pound investments made by the property development business, Qatari Diar, with its urban developments in Glasgow, Manchester and Leeds.
Qatari Diar’s London portfolio includes:
Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority, is also a significant investor in the UK with an extensive portfolio of property interests and investments which include:
