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DOHA, Qatar: Accompanied by a business delegation, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong is in the Gulf state of Qatar to touch base with the country's leaders and industry players, and explore opportunities available.
Former pearl diver Saad Ismail Al Jassim, 71, now owns a shop. He has seen Qatar morphed from a pearl fishing economy to one of the richest Arab nations.
"We like it because it's better than before. Before there (was) not much, now we're getting money, the AC (air-con), the car, everything - good houses," he said.
Saad was one of a few shopkeepers in the local bazaar known as Souq Waqif who met Mr Goh.
Shops in the souq sell a variety of items, including handicrafts and accessories. Souqs first started off as weekend markets, and were used by Bedouin traders to peddle their goods in Doha.
The Singapore delegation watched how the Qataris preserved their culture through a traditional performance and witnessed how much things have changed in recent years, with skyscrapers springing up around the city.
The business outlook in Qatar is promising. Besides attracting foreign investments into infrastructural and real estate projects, it also attracts investments in its oil and gas sector. Its economy is also expected to grow strongly in the next two years.
Hoping to tap on this growth, Singaporean businessmen are exploring the opportunities available, especially in infocomm technology and business services sectors.
The prospects look bright as trade between Singapore and Qatar jumped by over 60 per cent to S$6.67 billion in 2007. - CNA/ac
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