By Sachin Kumar
DOHA: Qatar has invested $30bn annually since 2010 on infrastructure, industry and housing, Minister of Municipality and Environment H E Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi told Singapore International Water Week yesterday.
He also highlighted Qatar’s main strategies regarding the environment and water, as part of Qatar National Vision 2030. He said Qatar has three main challenges — water, environment and development. Qatar is located in a desert area that poses a challenge when it comes to the production of water and increasing the agricultural land. Qatar’s production of water will reach 500 million gallons a day by 2019, he added.
He also spoke about the new highways, economic areas and new cities and stadiums that will host World Cup 2022.
Singapore President Tony Tan addressed the opening of the conference, laid out challenges facing cities of the world in terms of infrastructure and stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation to optimally use natural resources, especially water.
Qatar is working proactively to increase water production to meet its growing demand for potable water. Last March, Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani had laid the foundation stone for QR11bn Umm Al Halul Power Plant of Qatar Electricity and Water Company, to boost water and electricity production.
When completed, the plant will produce 2,520MW of electricity and 136 million gallons of water a day — a 22 percent increase in the current electricity output and a 25 percent increase in water production — making the project one of the biggest of its kind in the region.
The project is expected to be completed in two phases. The first will be completed by the second quarter of 2017, with the production 40 million gallons of water a day. The plant will reach full capacity in the third quarter of 2018
Infrastructure development is a focus area for Qatar. The government in its budget for 2016 has made higher allocation for major projects and infrastructure, health and education sectors. The allocation for major projects in Qatar went up to QR90.8bn in the fiscal 2016. Qatar is implementing mega projects in athe railways, roads and highways, ports, sewage and power sectors.
The Peninsula
