Qatar plans to invest at least $10 billion in US ports and has approached international banks for financing help, three finance sources say, in an infrastructure spree that reflects the Gulf country’s deepening ties with Washington, reports Reuters.
The Middle East and Western sources familiar with the matter said Doha was targeting investments in ports around the US East Coast which were expected to be developed in phases, adding that the plan was at a preliminary stage.
The country’s sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority and the Qatar Government Communication Office both declined to comment.
« The Qataris have been preparing for almost a year to test the waters with US port investments, » said Michael Frodl, a US-based adviser on projects including maritime security, commerce, and infrastructure, who is familiar with Qatar’s strategy. LINK TO ARTICLE