Gonul Serbest, Commissioner for Victoria to Europe, the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa at the Victorian Government Trade and Investment
Doha, Qatar: The Qatar-Australia relationship is robust and steadily growing, with Qatar ranking among Australia’s top three trading partners in the MENA region.
The two-way trade in goods and services reached A$3.4bn (QR8bn) as of 2023, reflecting an increase of 10.2 percent from 2022, an official explained.
In an exclusive interview with The Peninsula, Gonul Serbest, Commissioner for Victoria to Europe, the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa at the Victorian Government Trade and Investment, noted that the Australian state of Victoria and Qatar play a key role in strengthening trade ties, especially in education, health, research, and innovation.
“Victoria state is pleased to be able to contribute to this momentum, and while our exports to Qatar have traditionally been dominated by agricultural goods, in particular meat and dairy, we are seeing a diversification of exports given Qatar’s bold vision and post-World Cup legacy initiatives,” she said.
From an investment perspective, Australia and Qatar Airways have played a vital part in connecting the two regions. Serbest said, “Last year marked 15 years of direct flights between Melbourne and Doha, which has been a key enabler of trade, tourism, and people-to-people links.”
“Melbourne-Doha was the airline’s first Australian route, beginning December 2009. Qatar Airways is also a key supporter of Victoria’s sport and major events calendar, given its role as Global Partner and Official Airline of the Australian Formula 1 in Melbourne and Official Airline & Cargo Airline Partner of MotoGP in Philip Island,” she said.
The official stated that while there is a strong foundation and positive momentum, there is still room to strengthen and diversify the relationship further as the countries continue to build on this base, supporting more Qatari Australian collaborations in the years ahead.
To strengthen the relationship between Victoria and Qatar, Serbest visited Doha this year and held talks with senior representatives from key organisations, including the Qatar Foundation, Invest Qatar (the Investment Promotion Agency of Qatar), the Qatar Chamber of Commerce, Qatar Airways, and Aspire Academy.
She said, “Our discussions focused on expanding and deepening bilateral trade and investment ties, particularly in sectors where there is strong alignment and synergies such as sports, education, health, climate action, technology, and of course, food and agriculture.”
In terms of the education sector, she said Victoria is a “global leader” in quality, innovation, and inclusion. There are currently several ongoing conversations between Qatari and Victorian universities to collaborate in teaching bachelor, and postgraduate courses in Qatar. Serbest said, “This presents an exciting and promising development in the relationship.”
On the other hand, she lauded Qatar’s heritage and tradition and was “deeply impressed” with the city’s commitment to design excellence and modern architecture with its cultural identity.
“It’s a powerful example of how design can elevate urban environments while honouring cultural roots,” she said. Serbest emphasised that Sport is a “powerful connector” between the two countries as she noted that Victoria is uniquely positioned to drive economic development through various sports, including the Grand Slam tennis tournament and Formula 1 Grand Prix. “Qatar has emerged as a global player and hub for major sporting events, with a growing focus on grassroots development, and therefore, the potential for collaboration is significant,” she added.
The Commissioner also praised the support and leadership of the Australian Embassy in Doha, Ambassador H E Shane Flanagan, and the team.
