The State of Qatar is a monarchy ruled by the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani who has ruled since 2013. The European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed a Cooperation Arrangement in March 2018. This Cooperation Arrangement serves as basis for an enhanced political dialogue and strengthened cooperation on sectoral areas of mutual interest, notably private sector development and research and innovation. These are key areas for Qatar’s diversification efforts and the country's transformation agenda, contained in the Qatar National Vision 2030.