QIA in talks for Germany’s Dea

The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is considering buying Germany’s RWE Dea AG oil and gas exploration unit, according to news reports. On 11 July, the Wall Street Journal ran a story saying a Qatar state-owned entity had held initial talks with RWE; negotiations were not expected to proceed rapidly, given the political transition under way in Qatar. On 12 July, sources confirmed the story to Reuters. “The project has been moving very slowly and no decision should be expected anytime soon,” one person familiar with the potential deal said.