The Labour Party Annual Conference 2025

SME4Labour, Embassy of Qatar & Asia House fringe: BRIDGES BEYOND BORDERS: UK–QATAR COOPERATION IN A CHANGING WORLD

Speakers:

• Abdulla Al-Ghanim, Commercial Attaché Qatar Embassy in London
• Hamish Falconer MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
• Yasmin Qureshi MP, MP for Bolton South and Walkden
• John Grady MP, MP for Glasgow East
• Freddie Neve, Lead Middle East Associate, Asia House

Chair: Michael Lawrence OBE, Chief Executive, Asia House

Asia House hosted Bridges Beyond Borders: UK–Qatar Cooperation in a Changing World, exploring the evolving strategic partnership between the United Kingdom and Qatar in an increasingly unpredictable global landscape. The discussion brought together senior diplomats, UK parliamentarians, and industry experts to examine trade, investment, energy cooperation, and Qatar’s role as a mediator in regional conflicts.

Chair Michael Lawrence OBE opened the session by highlighting the importance of dialogue in today’s complex geopolitical environment and introducing the speakers. Abdulla Al-Ghanim, Commercial Attaché at the Qatar Embassy in London, outlined the progress of the GCC–UK Free Trade Agreement negotiations, noting the significant investment opportunities for UK SMEs and startups through Qatari programmes such as Startup Qatar.

Minister Hamish Falconer emphasised the UK’s support for Qatar’s mediation efforts in Gaza, recognising the country’s unique position as a trusted intermediary. MPs Yasmin Qureshi and John Grady discussed the broader implications of trade, investment, and cultural exchange, highlighting the potential for economic growth, innovation, and closer people-to-people ties. Freddie Neve contextualised the partnership within the broader Gulf–Asia trade corridor, identifying opportunities for the UK to engage strategically in this dynamic region.

Key themes included the role of Qatar as a global mediator, the strategic significance of economic partnerships, and the importance of fostering innovation and SMEs. The discussion underscored the forward-looking nature of the UK–Qatar relationship, with a focus on prosperity, defence, leadership for peace, and cultural exchange.

The event concluded with a call to action for continued cooperation, with opportunities for businesses and innovators to engage directly with Qatari programmes, reinforcing the importance of a strategic, multi-faceted partnership that extends beyond trade into diplomacy, security, and people-to-people ties.

Bios :

Abdulla Al-Ghanim

Abdulla Al-Ghanim is the commercial attaché at the Embassy of Qatar since 2019, a newly established position by the Government of Qatar that designated the UK, USA France as the strategic partners to send the first group of commercial attaches. Ahead of that he was leading the WTO Affairs section at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. A trade negotiator by profession, he participated in a number of GCC free trade negotiations. He is part of the negotiations team of Qatar for the on-going GCC-UK FTA negotiations. He finished an LLM degree in International Commercial Law from the University of Reading in 2016.

Michael Lawrence OBE

Michael Lawrence leads the Asia House team in delivering business and market intelligence to some of the world’s biggest companies and governments in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Michael was appointed Chief Executive in September 2012 after a distinguished career as a journalist, editor and executive in international media. He has developed Asia House into the premier UK-based institution on Asia and the Middle East, chairing high-level dialogues between senior political figures and multinational businesses.

Michael is in regular conversations with global leaders in foreign affairs, finance, trade, technology and national development, and can offer valuable perspectives on how to navigate the intersection between economic, security and political issues.

Prior to joining Asia House, Michael spent 18 years at Reuters (later Thomson Reuters), the international news and financial information organisation, where he held several senior positions including Global Editor (2006-2012). In his roles at Reuters, Michael was on the frontline of all major international news events as they evolved over more than 30 years.

Michael was awarded an OBE in the King’s 2023 New Year Honours list for his services to international relations between the UK and Asia.

Freddie Neve

Freddie leads the Asia House Middle East Programme, convening briefings and events with leading business and policy figures and conducting research focused on the region. He is central to Asia House’s engagement with the Middle East, helping corporates better position themselves in the region and providing strategic advice on the business and policy environment there. Freddie is also the lead author of Asia House’s annual ‘Middle East Pivot to Asia’ research publication.

Before joining Asia House, Freddie spent five years with Pall Mall Communications advising Middle Eastern clients across a range of sectors. Prior to that, Freddie was an analyst focused on the global defence industry.

Yasmin Qureshi MP

First elected in 2010, Yasmin Qureshi is the Labour MP for Bolton South and Walkden. A barrister by profession, she began her legal career with the Crown Prosecution Service before heading the criminal legal section of the UN Mission in Kosovo. She has held several frontbench roles, including Shadow Minister for International Development and Shadow Minister for Justice. Representing a constituency with a diverse business community in Greater Manchester, she brings a crucial perspective on how national trade policy impacts local economies and SMEs.

The Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP

Liam is the Labour MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North, a member of His Majesty's Privy Council, elected Chair of the Global Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF and Chair of the House of Commons' Business and Trade Select Committee.

As Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster during the Great Financial Crisis, Liam coordinated No 10 Downing Street for Gordon Brown before serving as Chief Secretary to Her Majesty's Treasury. He is a former member of the Council of Europe and is one of Westminster's leading authorities on China.