Qatar and UK agree on £1bn green investment deal with boost for Rolls-Royce technology

Sheikh Tamim concludes two-day state visit to UK

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer receives Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim outside No 10 Downing Street in central London. AFP

A partnership aimed at creating thousands of highly skilled jobs and world-leading climate technology hubs across the UK and Qatar was struck on the second day of a state visit by the Emir of Qatar to Britain.

The agreement was signed at No 10 Downing Street as Sheikh Tamim met Prime Minister Keir Starmer, following Qatar's confirmation of an initial commitment of £1 billion ($1.27 billion). The agreement promotes co-operation between the two countries in financial services, with a focus on the development of sectors such as FinTech and green finance.

After praising the “strong partnership” between the UK and Qatar, Mr Starmer thanked the Emir for "your vital role in difficult issues in the Middle East".

Sheikh Tamim said: “We will be talking about some details about how to go forward and how to put an end to this crisis.”

During talks, Mr Starmer and Sheikh Tamim reflected on the close co-operation the countries share and their ambition to go further to strengthen their unique partnership.

Earlier, Sheikh Tamim, who was educated in the UK at Harrow before graduating from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1998, visited his former military academy where he inspected Qatari cadets. He was accompanied by Britain’s Defence Secretary, John Healey.

The Qatari Emir also received a formal farewell from King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.

Included in the announcement about investment in green technology were:

• Deal involves technology programmes from British engineering firm Rolls-Royce that improve energy efficiency, support new sustainable fuels and lower carbon emissions.
• Funding will be funnelled to start-ups in the UK and Qatar focusing on energy efficiency, carbon management and green power.
• Hubs will be launched in both countries to accelerate development in climate-friendly technology.

Emir of Qatar inspects troops at Sandhurst - in pictures

The Rolls-Royce section of the deal is aimed at improving energy efficiency, supporting new sustainable fuels and lower carbon emissions, and in start-ups focusing on energy efficiency, carbon management and green power.

Mr Starmer said the partnership was a "significant step in our ambition to become a clean energy superpower".

"Enabling the energy transition through lower carbon technologies is a key part of our strategy," Rolls-Royce chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic said. "We are delighted to welcome Qatar as a strategic partner, who will support the growth of these technologies."

Funding will also be funnelled to start-ups in the UK and Qatar, which will both be home to new technology hubs, creating thousands of jobs.

Mr Starmer was elected in July on a promise to lift economic growth and is looking to potential wealthy investors such as Qatar to help fund his plans for new infrastructure and energy development.

The Gulf state is already a big investor in Britain through the Qatar Investment Authority, which owns the Canary Wharf business and entertainment district in east London as well as stakes in Barclays and Heathrow Airport, among other holdings.

Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed Abdulrahman al Thani described the partnership as groundbreaking and acknowledged the UK's history of innovation in cutting edge technology.

He said: "We welcome the formalisation of our strategic relationship with Rolls-Royce. Qatar is already one of the largest purchasers of Rolls-Royce engines for Qatar Airways and a major investor in the small modular reactor nuclear industry.

"We welcome the creation of highly skilled jobs in both Qatar and the UK, and look forward to welcoming a diverse range of businesses to Doha as part of the Rolls-Royce partnership."

The Emir was to attend an evening dinner at Mansion House hosted by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation before departing from Stansted Airport.

Qatar's Emir attends UK state banquet with King Charles - in pictures

Sheikh Tamim met members of the royal family, including the Princess of Wales on a rare public appearance, and attended a state banquet hosted by the king on Tuesday.

Guests at the event, which was hosted in the Buckingham Palace ballroom, included David Beckham, who was a paid ambassador for Qatar when it hosted the 2022 Fifa World Cup.

Attendees dined on a menu of Windsor pheasant wrapped in Savoy cabbage, Cornish lobsters with quail eggs and a Balmoral plum sorbet, receiving a special mocktail after dinner called a Royal Mirage, made of smoked pomegranate and ginger with black lime garnish.

The non-alcoholic drink reflected the colour of the Qatari flag, which was also celebrated with seasonal flowers.

Vivid red amaryllis in silver-gilt centrepieces served as a focal point, with bright scarlet winterberries, hydrangeas, red nerines and black tulips among the foliage, collected from the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Music was played by the Hiraeth String Quartet and Welsh harpist Mared Pugh-Evans, with tunes including Moondance by Van Morrison and excerpts from the film La La Land.