Ambassador

Ambassador Untermeyer concludes his three-year assignment in Doha, Qatar

Given below are the remarks given by the out going Ambassador Untermeyer at a press roundtable held at his residence on August 16, 2007

 

"The three years of my tenure as the American Ambassador to Qatar have witnessed many developments in Qatar and in the relationship between the United States and Qatar.  The fast pace of change during the previous three years is probably the one thing that stands out the most about my time in Qatar.

Qatar and the United States have an important relationship, and one that I was proud to support as the American Ambassador to Qatar.  Through an increasing number of cooperative exchanges in business, education and culture, I predict that the friendship between our countries will grow stronger with each passing year.

The economic relationship between Qatar and the United States is solid, and growing stronger every year.  This summer saw the inauguration of direct flights between Doha and Washington, DC and New York City.  These direct flights will make it even easier for business ties between our countries to grow.  Trade between our countries provides stability and strengthens the economies of both Qatar and the United States. American investment in Qatar has grown significantly during the past three years, and total U.S. investment in Qatar is estimated to total 60-70 billion U.S. Dollars. A new Foreign Commercial Service office opened at the American Embassy in 2006 to encourage Qatari-American business investments, and the Embassy receives daily inquiries from U.S. companies who are interested in doing business in Qatar. I am pleased to see that CitiGroup has recently opened an office in the Qatar Financial Center and I am excited at the prospect of Qatar’s development of the Golden Pass Refinery, set to open in late 2008 in my home state of Texas, which will allow Qatar to export large amounts of LNG to consumers in the United States.  Qatar and the United States have a mutual interest in increasing ties and I expect that in the coming years both countries will look at ways to encourage mutually beneficial investments in the Qatari and American economies.

It is amazing to drive around the streets of Qatar and see the changes that have occurred, which benefit the people living in Qatar.  Beautiful hotels, a fast-growing road network, sports facilities constructed for the Asian Games, shopping centers, state of the art schools and medical facilities all have been built and even more projects are announced each day.  Investment in such developments will yield benefits to the people of Qatar for many years to come. Qatar is fortunate enough to have the financial resources and wise leadership to encourage such development.  While ground is broken on new construction projects and infrastructure development continues, it is important that those individuals working to make these projects a reality are treated in accordance with international standards of human rights. I am confident that once Qatar enacts an anti-trafficking-in-persons law, curtails the current sponsorship system, and extends legal protection for domestic workers, it will be a model for the entire region in guaranteeing basic human rights for all residents of Qatar.

In this past year, it was exciting to watch Qatari men and women actively involved in the elections process for the seats in the third session of the Central Municipal Council. The campaign tents, slogans and election advertisements showed that Qataris are committed to expressing their ideas about how to make Qatar a better place to live by engaging and participating in a healthy and exciting democratic process.   I was particularly pleased to see youth and women taking active roles in the election campaigns.  I eagerly await the chance to see the campaigning that will occur when Qatar holds its first-ever parliamentary elections.

Educational exchange between the United States and Qatar has never been stronger.  Every year, more American researchers, and increasingly students, are coming to Qatar to study, teach and conduct research at one of the five American universities present in Education City.  The exchange of ideas that occurs between Qataris and Americans in classrooms, boardrooms and living rooms will continue to strengthen the friendship between our countries.  In the three years since I arrived in Qatar, there has been a 25% increase in Americans registered with the American Embassy in Doha, and in the past year the Embassy witnessed a 92% increase in American visas issued in Qatar, with a 72% increase in students and exchange visitors going to the U.S.  I couldn’t be happier that more Americans are coming to live, work and study in Qatar, and likewise I am reassured to see that more Qataris are being welcomed in the United States as students and visitors.

I will depart Qatar with sadness, since everyone made my wife, daughter, and me feel so welcome throughout our three years here, but we shall return as often as possible, eager to see more of the developments and changes which will continue to occur in Qatar in the even more exciting years ahead."