OTTO SONNENHOLZNER
Ecuador and Qatar can both strengthen their relationship through boosting bilateral trade and investment in up-and-coming sectors.
BIOGRAPHY
Otto Sonnenholzner is the Constitutional Vice President of the Republic of Ecuador, appointed by the National Assembly on December 11, 2018. An entrepreneur, economist, and broadcaster, he studied at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, the University of Passau, and Schiller International University at their campuses in Germany and Spain, where he graduated with a degree in economics. For 12 years, he was the host of a talk show and the general manager at Tropicana Radio in Guayaquil. In addition, Sonnenholzner served as president and member of the Ecuadorian Association of Broadcasters (AER) in Guayas. He is an entrepreneur and has developed various activities in the agricultural sector and commerce, among others. He was professor of economics at the faculty of business sciences at the Catholic University of Guayaquil.
What are the main areas of interest between Ecuador and Qatar?
I am pleased to be here as there is a great deal of interest from Qatari investors in Ecuador in different sectors, including agriculture and aquaculture, as we are the global leaders in aquaculture and the largest exporter of shrimps, having surpassed India in 2019. We are the largest exporter of bananas and tuna as well. We export mostly bananas and roses to Qatar today, and exports are growing steadily. Qatar is one of the markets growing the most for us, and there are possibilities of shrimp export investments. In addition, there is great interest in tourism for Qatar investors as well as in agriculture, real estate, and infrastructure, with road building, ports, and airports. Qatar is also interested in operating one of our ports. The Minister of Transportation recently visited Qatar and met with the Qatari Minister of Transportation. Esmeraldas port in Ecuador in the north is of interest to Qatar, as it specializes in oil transport. Ecuador produces 500,000bpd, and we mostly use that port. It needs investment, so we are looking for private investors.
Are there plans to open a direct flight between Doha and Ecuador?
The issue with a direct flight between Doha and Ecuador is the distance, and currently the only direct destination in South America for Qatar Airways is São Paolo. However, Qatar Airways owns an important airline in Italy, Alitalia, and there are 500,000 Ecuadorians living in Italy, so there is an interesting market for a flight from Rome to Ecuador that connects with Doha as well. This is great news, as you can fill up a plane which makes economic sense. That will be good news for Ecuador as we have an aggressive campaign with President Moreno to bring new airlines to the country. We have achieved about 10 new connections from abroad, including Spain, France, Canada, and the Netherlands.
What are the possible areas of interest for both Qatar and Ecuador?
For any country to contribute in a relationship, it will always be through trade. We are growing through trade. The most important thing that will benefit both countries is natural gas, because Qatar has natural gas and we need it.
Qatar is currently attracting foreign investment. Are there opportunities for partnerships between Ecuador and Qatar to manufacture products here?
There have been ideas broached about adding value to Ecuadorian products in Qatar, starting with coffee or chocolate. This is great, as there are free trade zones where Ecuadorian products can enter, and there one can invest with Ecuadorian companies to provide added value to these products. The best example is coffee, as we have high-quality Robusta coffee, so we could start with that. Qatar is in great strategic location in the region for such a distribution and logistics project. President Moreno has worked extensively on this relationship. The amir knows Ecuador and there have been sheikhs who have been to Ecuador and know what they are talking about. We have a president and a vice president who have visited Qatar, so when we speak about Qatar, we know what we are talking about. That is how relationships start.
How has Ecuador's anti-corruption initiatives delivered successful results?
The entire region was impacted by corruption two or three years ago. The government has worked hard on this; the first thing is not to cover up for anyone. That was the first change. The second was that President Moreno started a process via a referendum where people voted to give the entire institutional system strength to uphold justice. We are reinforcing our institutions with transparency processes, including SGS standards to fight against corruption through certifications. We started with the largest companies in the country and are certifying them with SGS anti-corruption standards. We are meeting with the relevant authorities in Qatar, who are willing to share experiences and are cooperating to see where we can help each other.
OTTO SONNENHOLZNER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Interview
Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida, CEO, Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority
Given its successful performance in the last few years, QFC is optimistic it will be able to capitalize on Qatar's ongoing efforts to create a world-class business environment and attract more global companies.
read articleInterview
Lolwah R M Al-Khater, Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is focused on pushing forward Qatar's foreign policy, sharing information and perspectives that could be useful for regional security and advancing the Qatari narratives on many issues facing the world today.
read articleInterview
Richard O’Kennedy, Vice President, Research, Development, and Innovation, Qatar Foundation
The first country in the world to track its citizens' genomes, Qatar is on track to make one of modern science's biggest breakthroughs by personalizing medical treatment and precision care.
read articleInterview
Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister, Transport and Communications (MoTC)
With plans for a fully electric bus system and an impressive set of interconnected transportation options including metro, rail, and tram, the Ministry of Transport and Communication is shifting mobility into the next gear in Qatar.
read articleInterview
Sheikh Abdulla Bin Saoud Al Thani, Governor, Qatar Central Bank (QCB)
Encouraging local manufacturing, initiating self-sufficiency in dairy and farm products, expanding into new air and sea routes, offering select visa-free entry, and enacting fiscal reforms are but several of the successful reforms undertaken since 2017.
read articleInterview
Sean Kelly, Project Director, Place Vendôme
Place Vendôme is no ordinary mall: with 650 hotel rooms, a 6,000-sqm cinema with 18 screens, six slides, three toboggan runs, and an ice river opening in September 2020, it is looking to slide into Qatar's tourism infrastructure in time for the World Cup.
read articleInterview
Mehmed Zingal, General Manager, Turkish Airlines - Qatar
With its 30th year celebration of its Miles&Smiles club launch in Qatar, Turkish Airlines is acknowledging its continued diligence to provide the best customer service, with targets to increase customer happiness through innovative technologies and increasing tourism to Qatar for the future.
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Hassan Rashid Al-Derham, President, Qatar University (QU)
Ranked in the top-500 universities by the Times Higher Education, Qatar University improves students' academic success by supporting students throughout their academic lifecycle, from the pre-university stage to beyond graduation.
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A lesson learned
The international attention set to fall on Qatar over the coming years is significant only to the extent that it generates advances in human capital required by Qatar's blueprint, National Vision 2020, where local know-how and innovation advance the nation and promote wellbeing.
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Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health & Managing Director,, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)
The health minister is committed to continuing the growth of Qatar's healthcare system, with plans for more than 20 new facilities specializing in pediatrics, geriatrics, and mental health.
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