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Qatar Gas Summit Set to Kick off in Doha on Tuesday

Sheikh Tammim and Tebboune during the singing of the agreements on Sunday. (QNA)
Sheikh Tammim and Tebboune during the singing of the agreements on Sunday. (QNA)
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Qatar Gas Summit Set to Kick off in Doha on Tuesday

Sheikh Tammim and Tebboune during the singing of the agreements on Sunday. (QNA)
Sheikh Tammim and Tebboune during the singing of the agreements on Sunday. (QNA)

Qatar is preparing for the launch of its sixth summit for the 11-member Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) on Tuesday at a time when the world is witnessing an escalation in the Russia-Ukraine crisis, which threatens Europe’s gas supply.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Saturday in Doha.

The Algerian President was invited by Sheikh Tamim to visit the country, where the leaders reviewed bilateral ties.

Algeria and Qatar signed many memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements on cooperation as part of Tebboune’s state visit.

The first agreement pertains to the establishment of political consultation and coordination among the foreign ministers of the two countries.

The second agreement, on legal and judicial cooperation in criminal matters between the two governments, was signed by the Algerian justice minister and Qatar’s attorney general.

Another agreement in the field of social development and family was also signed.

The two countries also signed the second executive program on higher education and Scientific and technological Research, under the agreement on educational and scientific cooperation between the governments of the two countries for the school years 2022-2025.

Tebboune is set to participate at the GECF summit.

Preparatory meetings for the GECF summit had begun in Doha.

An extraordinary ministerial meeting of the GECF was held with the aim to identify the progress made in preparations for the summit and summarize the main results for consideration by heads of state and government.

Member states include Russia, Qatar, Libya, Algeria and Nigeria -- who together account for more than 70% of proven gas reserves, 44% of gas supplies in the global market and 51% of LNG exports.

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Taiwan’s Representative to Saudi Arabia: 260,000 Pagers Exported in Two Years

Taiwan’s representative to Saudi Arabia Samee Chang. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Taiwan’s representative to Saudi Arabia Samee Chang. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Taiwan’s Representative to Saudi Arabia: 260,000 Pagers Exported in Two Years

Taiwan’s representative to Saudi Arabia Samee Chang. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Taiwan’s representative to Saudi Arabia Samee Chang. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Taiwan is investigating who is responsible for modifying the pagers that were turned into explosives in the hands of the Lebanese people, including members of Hezbollah.

Taiwan’s representative to Saudi Arabia Samee Chang told Asharq Al-Awsat that 260,000 pagers were exported from his country between 2022 and 2024, and 16 percent of them were sent to the United States and Europe.

He expressed his regret that the pagers were planted with explosives that were used in the attack in Lebanon last month, clarifying that the devices were not directly exported from Taiwan to Lebanon.

He explained that the components of the device are made of material that is not liable to explode.

Apollo Gold, the Taiwanese company that exported the pagers between 2022 and 2024, has never received any complaints that its devices have caused harm or exploded.

The attack in Lebanon has raised several questions and they are being probed by authorities in Taiwan, he went on to say.

One thing is for certain, the devices were not harmful in the shape they were exported from the country, stressed Chang.

Asked about whether the attack may harm Taiwan’s economy, he replied that his country’s industry sector has a strong reputation that will be difficult to undermine given the trust it has from clients.

The size of the sector and Taiwan’s investments cannot be measured by a small number of pagers, as they only make up a mere fraction in the country’s trade relations with countries all over the world, he stressed.

Separately, Chang revealed that Taiwan was considering cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the chip industry, saying he was optimistic over the broad potential for cooperation in the technology sector.

There are no limits to the cooperation between them, he added.

Taiwan constantly wants to maintain the relations and discuss opportunities for joint investments, he stated.

Taiwan was among the first countries to leap to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in all fields to help the Kingdom achieve its Vision 2030 that is spearheaded by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Chang said.