Relationship dossier
Qatar
Spain
Relationship assessment
Qatar and Spain maintain a cooperative partnership marked by investment and high-level agreements.
Qatar toward Spain
+35Qatar has pursued economic engagement with Spain through state-linked investment, including Qatar Holding’s major stake in Spanish energy company Iberdrola. During the emir’s 2022 state visit, Qatar agreed with Spain on a strategic partnership and further investment cooperation.
Spain toward Qatar
+35Spain has pursued closer bilateral cooperation with Qatar through high-level engagement and agreements announced during the emir’s 2022 state visit, including a strategic partnership and cooperation on investment and energy.
Overall relationship
+35The relationship is characterized by institutional engagement and substantial economic links, particularly Qatari investment in Spain, alongside agreements intended to broaden cooperation. These features support a cooperative overall relationship; the scope and durability of newer commitments remain unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Qatar and Spain have developed a cooperative relationship supported by high-level engagement, bilateral agreements and substantial Qatari investment in Spain. During the 2022 state visit by Qatar’s emir, the countries announced a strategic partnership and agreements covering areas including investment and energy. Qatar’s state-linked investment in Spanish companies has also been a prominent feature of economic ties.
Key developments
Qatar Holding acquired a major stake in Spanish energy company Iberdrola, becoming a significant shareholder.
During the emir’s state visit, Qatar and Spain announced a strategic partnership and agreements covering investment, energy and other areas.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of the agreements announced during the 2022 visit are unclear.
- The extent of continuing bilateral cooperation beyond investment and high-level engagement is uncertain.