Jerry of Arabia? Fresno mayor courts foreign investment from questionable source | Opinion
Fresno’s mayor is out of town and off hunting for big game.
To pursue his quarry, Jerry Dyer (accompanied by wife Diane) traveled 8,100 miles across the globe to reach a tiny nation on the Arabian Peninsula.
But don’t fret. No rifles, or taxpayer dollars, are involved. The purpose of Dyer’s visit to Qatar is the recruitment of foreign capital investment in California’s fifth-largest city.
Which is a more graceful way of saying “Fresno wants some of that Qatari money.”
“I’m honored to join mayors from across the country on a visit to Qatar, where I’m meeting with investors and promoting Fresno as a premium investment opportunity,” Dyer posted on the social media hellscape formerly known as Twitter.
Dyer’s post was accompanied by photographs of he and his wife posing alongside their Qatari hosts with the mayors of Atlanta; Montgomery, Alabama; Columbia, South Carolina; and Rochester Hills, Michigan.
Alas, Dyer didn’t wear a turban in any of the photos. Depriving folks back home of the opportunity to make “Jerry of Arabia” jokes.
“Qatar is focused on building subnational relationships with mayors and learning about direct foreign investment opportunities in U.S. cities – especially in healthcare, tech, real estate, and infrastructure,” Dyer said.
“They’ve already invested over $70 billion in the U.S., and I’m here to ensure they see Fresno as an excellent opportunity.”
The weeklong trip is “completely funded” by the Qatar Embassy, Dyer’s post added.
Gosh, that’s awfully nice of the Qatari to pay for the excursions of a bunch of U.S. mayors who are only after their dough.
Like its larger neighbor Saudi Arabia, Qatar ranks among the world’s richest countries based on per capita gross domestic product thanks to its vast oil fields and natural gas reserves.
And like Saudi Arabia, Qatar (which remained a British colony until 1971) is ruled by a hereditary monarch who holds nearly all the country’s executive, legislative, and judicial authority.
How wealthy is Qatar? In 2023, the state-founded Qatar Investment Authority controlled $475 billion worth of assets.
That’s more than two Jeff Bezoses and at least 1.5 Elon Musks, for perspective’s sake.
“Qatar is a young destination with a rich heritage, that will leave you wanting more,” reads the “About Qatar” section on visitqatar.com.
“It’s where the desert sands meet the ocean and where ancient traditions, and modern wonders live side by side. Discover more about the land of infinite wonders, epic adventures and striking beauty.”
Not entirely rosy in Qatar
In addition to those atrocities involving the use of commas, Qatar has been routinely criticized for human rights violations that occur within its borders.
According to the U.S. Department of State’s 2023 Country Report on Human Rights Practices, Qatar experienced “significant human rights issues” based on “credible reports” of enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrests, extreme restrictions on free expression, substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly, extensive gender-based violence and existence of laws criminalizing consensual homosexuality.
Amnesty International had a similar take.
“Authorities continued to restrict the right to freedom of expression and silence critical voices,” the global nonprofit stated in its Qatar 2023 report.
“Migrant workers continued to face a range of abuses, including wage theft, forced labor and exploitation, and had inadequate access to grievance and redress mechanisms. Women continued to face discrimination in law and practice. Discriminatory laws put LGBTQ people at risk of detention.”
Not being a part of Dyer’s inner circle, I can’t be certain how much the mayor knew about Qatar (besides its oil money) before agreeing to the trip. Let’s hope none of this is news to him.
Fresno could certainly use another hospital or a technology park. No argument there. But should city officials be courting investment from a foreign country that exploits its imported laborers, discriminates against women and the LBGTQ community and silences every dissenting voice?
If that question doesn’t give Dyer a moment of pause, it certainly should.
