Two agreements on avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income as well as on economic, commercial and technical cooperation and two MoUs on cultural cooperation and education were signed yesterday following the four-eye meeting between His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, who was here on a one-day State Visit.

His Majesty and His Highness witnessed the signing of the documents. First was an agreement between the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and the Government of the State of Qatar for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income.

Signing on behalf of Brunei Darussalam was Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Hj Abdul Rahman bin Hj Ibrahim, Minister of Finance II at the Prime Minister's Office, and the State of Qatar was represented by Yousef Hussain Kamal, Minister of Economy and Finance.

Next was an agreement on Economic, Commercial and Technical Cooperation between the Government of His Majesty and the Government of Qatar.

Signing on behalf of Brunei Darussalam was Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Hj Abdul Rahman bin Hj Ibrahim, Minister of Finance II at the Prime Minister's Office, and for the State of Qatar Yousef Hussain Kamal, Minister of Economy and Finance.

Two MoUs were also signed, Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of His Majesty and the Government of Qatar on Cultural Cooperation and in the field of Education.

The MoU on Cultural Cooperation was signed by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Hazair bin Hj Abdullah, on behalf of Brunei Darussalam, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Khaled bin Mohamed Al-Attiyah, on behalf of the State of Qatar.

In the field of education, signing on behalf of Brunei Darussalam was Acting Minister of Education, Dato Seri Setia Awang Hj Yusoff bin Haji Ismail, and on behalf of Qatar it was Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Khaled bin Mohamed Al-Attiyah.

Also present at the signing ceremony were His Royal Highness Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Also at the ceremony was Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng.

Also attending the ceremony from the State of Qatar were Chief of Amiri Diwan, Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Khalifah Al-Thani, and Charge d' Affaires of the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Brunei Darussalam, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Abdullah. - Borneo Bulletin (18th January 2012)