ANSA and Qatar News Agency (QNA) sign deal

ANSA and Qatar News Agency (QNA) on Tuesday signed an agreement to reinforce the interchange of information products between the two agencies. Qatari ambassador to Italy, Soltan Saad Al-Moraikhi, and ANSA Managing Director Giuseppe Cerbone signed the deal at ANSA's Rome headquarters. It ramps up the existing collaboration on news coverage, multimedia products and journalistic training, within the framework of excellent bilateral relations between the two countries. ''We are very happy about Italy's interest in Qatar, which is entirely reciprocated. Through this agreement with ANSA, we want first of all to get the news out to citizens about countries like Italy, whose culture we perceive as very close to us'', the ambassador said. Qatari Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani considers knowledge and education to be priority objectives, and is focusing on news, education and health as ways ''to foster the human development, that is, the physical and mental well-being of his citizens'', Moraikhi said. ''Qatar has a cutting edge, totally free public health care system, and a university system that is among the best in the world''. As shown by recent sports and real estate joint ventures signed in France and other European countries, ''Qatar is open to investing in the world, including in Italy, where we have made energy investments on the Emerald Coast'', the ambassador said. Italian companies are investing in Qatari infrastructure ahead of the 2022 football World Cup, which the emirate is hosting. Qatar confirmed participation in Milan Expo 2015, for which ''we are evaluating several investment projects'', the ambassador explained. ''We plan to reinforce our relations in every sector, and hope to be able to invest more and more in Italy'', Moraikhi said. ''We are willing to evaluate all proposals, ahead of an upcoming visit by Premier Mario Monti to Qatar''.