FROM QATAR WITH LOVE
THE chief of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Hassan Al Thawdi, has hailed Zimbabwe on the occasion of the country’s 38th Independence anniversary and wished the nation prosperity as it marches forward with renewed focus and determination in the new political dispensation.
Hassan, one of the most powerful figures in world football today, by virtue of the position he occupies as the chief of the 2022 FIFA World Cup to be staged in Qatar, is also a leading figure in global business given he has been the general counsel of the his country’s $335 billion global empire.
A Sheffield-educated lawyer, he has been part of the leadership of the Qatar Investment Authority, the state-owned holding company which specialises in domestic and foreign investments and has tentacles around the world — from Europe to the United States and from Asia to the Pacific.
The wealth fund has substantial investments in the Qatar National Bank, Qatar Islamic bank, is estimated to have investments worth more than €30 billion in Britain, €10 billion in France and €5 billion in Germany in a graphic demonstration of its financial muscle.
It has a substantial stake in Barclays, about 12.7 percent, a 17 percent stake in the Volkswagen Group and has huge interests in Total, France Telecom, Areva, the Harrords Group, Sainsbury, Credit Suisse, Royal Dutch Shell and in Miramax and Disney in Hollywood in the United Stets.
Its subsidiary, Qatar Sports Investments, completed the buyout of French football giants, Paris Saint-Germain, for $130 million and they have interests in Al Jazeera Sport.
The fund also has properties in London, New York and Washington D.C.
Hassan was the chief executive of the successful Qatar World Cup bid for the 2022 football showcase and is now the secretary-general of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, which was established by Qatar in 2011 “to deliver the required infrastructure and host country planning and operations for Qatar to host an amazing and historic FIFA World Cup which accelerates progress towards achieving national development goals and creates a lasting legacy for Qatar, the Middle East, Asia and the world.’’
This week he sent a special message to the Zimbabweans, which was delivered through ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa, on the occasion of the country’s 38th Independence anniversary.
“On behalf of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, (SC) and on my own behalf, I wish to extend to you my warmest congratulations as you celebrate your nation’s National Day,’’ Hassan said in his letter.
“I wish you and the people of you country have memorable moments of the celebrations as well as long years of prosperity and well-being.’’
Chiyangwa yesterday thanked Hassan for the message saying it showed that the country had moved from the days when it struggled in isolation and had become part of the community of nations around the world.
“This is powerful in that it is coming from someone who occupies a very important position not only in terms of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but in terms of business and it shows that we are moving as a country and the days when we were an isolated nation are truly behind us,’’ said Chiyangwa.
“It shows that a lot of powerful people in the world now want to see a prosperous Zimbabwe taking back its place as a strong nation in the global community.
“There are huge opportunities for us out there and there are a lot of very powerful people who are interested in being our partners in our march towards success and prosperity.
“I have always said that football is now business and the days when we looked at this sport as a past-time are well and truly behind us and we have to shift our focus to get the benefits from this powerful sport.’’
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy say the benefits of Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup in 2022 will only be known long after the tournament had ended.
“We will only know we have succeeded decades from now. That is when it will be possible to see the full effects of the legacy we are building every day,’’ the organisation says.
“We deliver for 2022 and beyond, creating real change through the power of football and serving as an amazing model for other nations around the world seeking development opportunities through sport.
“Our bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup told the world to ‘Expect Amazing.’ The task of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy is to ‘Deliver Amazing.’
“Our organisation leads the development of infrastructure that will be critical to Qatar’s hosting of an exceptional FIFA World Cup that creates a lasting legacy for our nation, region and the world.
“To deliver on the promises we made during our bid, we have assembled a diverse team from across the globe, with more than 40 nationalities represented.
“This talented and creative team has come together to work on one of the most exciting projects in the world.
“Not only are we entrusted with delivering the infrastructure for the FIFA World Cup; we are one of the many Qatari organisations acting as catalysts and working together to achieve the ambitious goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030.
“We have a difficult task ahead, but we are not acting alone. Our stakeholders are working diligently, and we are focused on building support in Qatar and across the Middle East.
“We will use this opportunity to transform perceptions of our region and bridge cultural divides.
“Qatar has already made significant progress, and we are working hard every day to maintain our momentum. In the time period that has passed since FIFA awarded our nation the hosting rights, we have committed time to ensuring that strong foundations are in place for our journey towards 2022.
“We are confident that the early progress we have made leaves us in an excellent position to deliver on the promises we made to the international football community during our successful bid.’’