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Qatar has agreed to purchase up to 210 aircraft from Boeing in what US President Donald Trump has hailed as the largest order of jets in the history of the American company. The White House announced that economic deals worth more than $243bn had been agreed with Qatar as Trump visited the oil-rich Gulf in search of significant investments.
Qatar Airways, the state-owned national carrier, has agreed to a $96bn deal to acquire up to 210 American-made Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 777X aircraft. This deal is said to be Boeing’s largest-ever wide-body order, with no specific timeframe provided for the order. During a signing ceremony with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Qatar’s emir, Trump congratulated Boeing and encouraged them to get the planes out there.
Following Trump’s visit to Riyadh, where he announced Saudi Arabia’s commitment to investing $600bn through various deals, including defense, artificial intelligence, and energy sectors, analysts have cautioned that some of these deals may not come to fruition. While Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated that over $300bn had been signed at the forum, Riyadh was reportedly working on partnership opportunities with the US worth $600bn.
Trump’s tour of the Gulf has been met with controversy, particularly regarding an offer from Qatar to provide a $400mn jumbo jet as a temporary replacement for Air Force One. While Trump defended the offer, stating that the jet would go to the defense department, Qatar clarified that the possible transfer of the aircraft was still under consideration.
During his meeting with Sheikh Tamim, Trump emphasized the importance of the friendship between the two nations and expressed optimism about working together in the future. In addition to the aircraft deal, Qatar also agreed to purchase 400 GEnx and GE9X wide-body engines from GE Aerospace, marking GE’s largest-ever wide-body engine deal.
Other multibillion-dollar deals were also sealed in Qatar, spanning defense, energy, and technology sectors. Qatar has been actively engaging with the US, acting as a mediator in various international conflicts, including between Washington and the Taliban, as well as Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
As Israel prepares to escalate its offensive against Hamas in Gaza, Sheikh Tamim emphasized the importance of bringing peace to the region during his discussions with Trump. Negotiations between Israel and Hamas are ongoing, with mediators working to secure a short-term truce and the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
Overall, the economic agreements between Qatar and the US, particularly in the aviation sector, signify a strengthening of ties between the two nations and a potential for further collaboration in the future.
