A view of the panel discussion held as part of ‘Doing Business in Qatar: Reforms, Incentives, & Economic Indicators’ in Washington, DC.
The US-Qatar Business Council’s “Doing Business in Qatar: Reforms, Incentives, & Economic Indicators” took place recently, in Washington, DC. The business event featured senior members of a visiting Qatari delegation comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Interior of the State of Qatar, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Qatar Financial Centre, and other critical entities in Qatar’s government. The visiting delegation was in Washington for meetings focused on enhancing the business environment.
The event was opened by Mohammed Barakat, the US-Qatar Business Council’s Managing Director, who thanked participants for joining and introduced Ambassador Anne Patterson, President of the US-Qatar Business Council.
Ambassador Patterson delivered opening remarks highlighting major reforms which have taken place in Qatar, paving the way for more private sector development, and encouraging more American companies to invest in the country.
Khamis AlMohannnadi, Advisor to Qatar’s Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani delivered the keynote address. He highlighted the productive week the delegation had in Washington and developments taking place in Qatar that will improve the business climate.
Al Mohannadi Barakat moderated a panel discussion comprised of experts on Qatar’s economy and economic diversification, including Saud Al Attiyah, Deputy Undersecretary for Economic Affairs with the Ministry of Finance; Nasser Al Taweel, Advisor to Qatar’s Finance Minister H E Ali Shareef Al Emadi, Minister of Finance; Dr. Durmus Yoruk, Economic Expert, The Ministry of Finance; and Mohamed Abdulkader; Senior Private Sector Specialist, the World Bank.
Al Attiyah highlighted Qatar’s three decades of economic development and the role played by the 2022 FIFA World Cup, set to be hosted in Qatar. He discussed critical investments in Qatar’s infrastructure, expedited by the hosting of the mega-sporting event,
Al Taweel discussed the slogan “We Mean Business” which has been a motto for the Qatar Financial Centre, a premier financial center based in Doha.
Dr. Yoruk commented primarily on Qatar’s public-private partnerships (PPP) regulations, which are due to be signed into law soon. He emphasised Qatar’s careful work in developing a PPP law that would facilitate development in the private sector under a more natural line of progression to encourage sustainable economic growth in the country. He described the PPP law as focusing on waste management, municipal projects, and continued infrastructure development, which will all in-turn contribute to further economic development.
Abdulkader of the World Bank described his work with Qatar and this particular visiting delegation. The World Bank indicators for Qatar have increased dramatically in previous years as the country has enacted pro-business reforms and created a sustainable ecosystem for the development of its private sector.
The event concluded with a presentation focused on investment promotion and the ease of doing business in Qatar delivered by Saleh Al Khulaifi, Assistant Undersecretary for Commerce with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry of the State of Qatar.
“The US-Qatar Business Council seeks to effectively communicate these developments to the American private sector and facilitate greater trade and investment,” he added.
