Qatar, Philippines Agree To $1 Billion Investment Fund

Qatar Holding LLC reached an agreement this week with the government of the Philippines to bring a $1 billion investment fund to the country's disposal this year. The project finance fund will help the Philippines pay to open up new trade partnerships and start infrastructure and public works projects the country hopes to bring online in the next few years.

Qatar Holding LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), specializes in strategic private and public equity as well as in other direct investments, according to the agency’s Web site. The company signed a memorandum of understanding along with the investment fund deal declaring that the fund would conduct an investigation into possible investment projects across the Philippines.

“There is a provision there which says that parties would explore investment opportunities in the Philippines in various sectors including but not limited to natural resources, commodities, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, and to study the establishment of the fund,” Philippines Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement on the proposed fund last week.

This fund and the subsequent studies stemming from it will likely open up project financing opportunities across the Philippines for companies and individuals looking to diversify portfolios through international financial management. From infrastructure to alternative energy funds across the world, Qatar will soon begin to look for additional funders interested in getting involved in the Philippine economy.

Not all of the projects the fund will tackle will make immediate money. Many of the projects—infrastructure, agriculture—are not expected to turn a profit in the near future. Whether you are an experienced investor or working with a portfolio management firm, there will likely be competition for the more quick-turn investments. But by planning a long-term financial strategy, your financial advisors can show you a path to long-term growth in these foreign markets. Recommendations are expected to change as more news comes out about funding priorities for the Philippines government.