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Qatar has launched a evaluate of its investments in London after the town’s transport authority this week banned the Gulf state’s commercials on the UK capital’s buses, taxis and underground prepare system.
The transfer by Transport for London was prompted by considerations about Qatar’s stance on LGBT+ rights and its therapy of migrant employees. It has infuriated Doha, which has turn out to be more and more angered by criticism aimed toward it as host of the soccer World Cup.
In 2019, London mayor Sadiq Khan requested TfL to “evaluate the way it treats promoting and sponsorship from international locations with anti-LGBT+ legal guidelines”. This led to a suspension of latest adverts from 11 international locations together with Qatar, Pakistan, Brunei and Saudi Arabia.
TfL on Friday admitted that “some” Qatar adverts had run on the community since then. But it surely has moved to a complete ban following an outcry this week, when European groups on the World Cup in Qatar had been prevented from carrying armbands in assist of LGBT+ rights.
Qatar’s crew on Friday grew to become the primary crew to crash out of the event, having performed simply two matches.
The particular person concerned within the Qatari evaluate of London investments mentioned TfL, which is chaired by Khan, contacted Q22, the physique overseeing the World Cup, and Qatar’s tourism authority this week to tell them concerning the ban.
In response, Qatar was “reviewing their present and future investments” in London and was “contemplating funding alternatives in different UK cities and residential nations,” mentioned the particular person concerned within the evaluate.
The TfL ban “has been interpreted as a message from the mayor’s workplace that Qatari enterprise isn’t welcome in London”, the particular person added.
It’s unclear what influence the evaluate might need on Qatar’s London investments. Over the previous 20 years it has turn out to be one in every of largest traders in London by way of its $450bn sovereign wealth fund. The Qatar Funding Authority owns Harrods, the division retailer, the enduring Shard constructing and is a co-owner of Canary Wharf. The Gulf state additionally owns Chelsea Barracks, the Savoy and Grosvenor Home lodges, and a 20 per cent stake in Heathrow airport.
In Could, the gas-rich Gulf state pledged to speculate £10bn over 5 years within the UK by way of the QIA, together with within the expertise, healthcare, infrastructure and clear power sectors.
A spokesperson for Khan mentioned the Labour mayor was not concerned in day-to-day selections relating to promoting on the town’s transport community. A TfL spokesperson mentioned it had supplied “promoting companions and types with additional steering” on acceptable promoting through the World Cup.
Qatar’s media workplace and the QIA declined to remark. However the particular person concerned within the Qatar evaluate mentioned Doha thought-about the TfL ban “one other blatant instance of double requirements and advantage signalling to attain low cost political factors across the Qatar World Cup”.
“TfL accepts promoting from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and has a number of business pursuits in China, however there isn’t any suggestion that these agreements might be pulled,” the particular person mentioned.
They added that the dispute wouldn’t have an effect on Qatar’s relationship with the Conservative-led UK authorities.
The UK has been searching for to safe longer-term fuel provides from Qatar within the wake of the power disaster triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Qatar, the world’s prime exporter of liquefied pure fuel, is already an necessary power provider to the UK.
Qatar had launched a tourism promoting drive within the UK within the lead as much as the World Cup, with a give attention to London, because it seeks to make use of the event to advertise the nation.
Qatar leaders have turn out to be more and more open of their push again in opposition to the criticism, significantly from European politicians and soccer associations, because it has intensified within the lead as much as the event.
Final month, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir, raged in opposition to what he mentioned was an “unprecedented marketing campaign” in opposition to Qatar.
He mentioned it included “fabrications and double requirements that had been so ferocious that it has sadly prompted many individuals to query the true causes and motives behind the marketing campaign”.
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