Augusta Mayor Hardie Davis Jr. is scheduled as a speaker in the middle eastern country of Qatar as part of the 2022 Smart City Expo Doha.
The Mayor’s Office released a brief statement to select media that did not indicate whether Davis was traveling to the country or appearing remotely; however, the Smart City Expo’s website lists two speeches to be given by Davis and lists the venue as the Doha Auditorium. If he is attending the conference in person, it would be his second trip to the Islamic kingdom in four months.
According to the website, Davis is set to give a welcome speech on March 29 and a speech entitled “Smart Solutions for Urban Sustainability.” The only other American elected official slated to speak is Francis Suarez, mayor of Miami.
If the mayor is appearing in person, he will miss the March 30 meeting of the Augusta Commission, the agenda for which includes discussion of a city wide audit that would include his own office.
District 10 Commissioner John Clarke said he was broadsided by the sudden announcement.
“Well, the people of Qatar must really like him, I reckon. I wonder if he will come back dressed as a sheik,” Clarke said.
Davis faced criticism for his December 2021 trip to the country as he disappeared without telling anyone where he was going. Davis maintained that it was a privately sponsored trip and that the city did not pay for his travel.
Qatar is the world’s leader in exports of natural gas but has a poor record on human rights.
Scott Hudson is the senior reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
