Post-Brexit, British city of Birmingham comes calling to Qatar for help

For many years, Qatar has had an active interest in concluding real estate deals and buying businesses in Great Britain.

Now, in a sign of changing times and post-Brexit, Birmingham officials visited Qatar in an attempt to attract up to $6.5bn worth of investments in the city, reported The National.

Britain’s largest local authority concluded the landmark ‘post-Brexit’ trade visit to Qatar recently. It is believed to be the first-of-its-kind tour undertaken by a British local authority to Qatar.

Council leader John Clancy said the visit was in direct response to the British vote to leave the European Union.

“To be frank, it’s a post-Brexit thing. It’s part of a post-Brexit resettlement and cities in the UK in particular have to have an international profile,” he said.

Birmingham, boasting of a population of more than one million and located in England’s west Midlands, wants billions for infrastructure projects and new homes as it seeks to meet the cost of regenerating two areas in Britain’s second most populous city.

Clancy was in Doha with a four-strong team, including members of ‘Marketing Birmingham,’ a public and privately funded group which seeks to attract investment to the city.

They met Qatari government ministers and business leaders and were supported by British officials and embassy staff.

In the past, Birmingham used European Union funding to help regenerate the city. But the uncertainty caused by Brexit has caused it to look elsewhere. The council had also visited China last year.

Birmingham is expected to host a UK-Qatar trade conference in March.