On the back of its vibrant economy, Italian companies will continue to participate in major projects in Qatar even after the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Italian ambassador Alessandro Prunas has said.
“Italy has always been available for business with Qatar, but aside from that, we’ve always been available for Qatar when it comes to supporting the building of local capabilities,” Prunas told Gulf Times on the sidelines of Project Qatar and Hospitality Qatar, which concludes today at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC).
Prunas stressed: “Italian companies have invested in this country in many areas, so I think the situation will not change after the World Cup. We will remain here and hopefully, we will continue in contributing to the development of this country, which is incredibly ambitious and limitless.”
According to the ambassador, the Doha Metro and Al Bayt Stadium were built through a joint venture between Italian and Qatari companies, adding that these developments emphasises the role of Italian companies in the growth story of Qatar, including projects related to the World Cup and in other sectors.
With the presence of Italian companies in World Cup-related projects, Prunas said the upcoming tournament is seen as “one of the best organised World Cup events” in the history of the sport.
“Seven of the eight stadiums that will host the World Cup were ready a year ahead of the event. I don’t think that this has ever happened before. Never mind the infrastructure, which has been a very relevant part of the World Cup preparations, but this city now has an extensive metro system that didn’t exist a few years ago.
“What Qatar did is quite remarkable and in this framework, I’m very happy that many Italian companies managed to contribute to projects like the Doha Metro and Al Bayt Stadium, among others. We’re looking forward to seeing all these incredible infrastructures in use,” Prunas pointed out.
Asked about the role of Italian companies in post-World Cup projects in Qatar, Prunas said: “I don’t think the World Cup would be the end of it. On the contrary, it is one step toward a direction that was taken many years before the World Cup was imagined.
“There is so much already ongoing but in any good project, Italy is always available and ready in all sectors. We can offer a complete range of capabilities and we have a much-diversified economy and expertise in many areas, and Qatar knows that very well.”
He added: “Business interconnection between our two countries is very deep not only in terms of trade but also in concrete exchanges of projects. Qatar knows which door to knock on if they need our help, and we are looking forward to continuing this cooperation.”
 
 
Related Story