Doha: Qatar seeks to become a business hub in the region, said H E Ali Sherif Al Emadi, Minister of Finance inaugurating the World Exchange Congress.
“Qatar has been supportive of investment opportunities. Based on its strong, robust and open economy, Qatar seeks to become a business hub in the region,” said Al Emadi. “No doubt that the economic policies adopted by the Qatari government would enable the Qatari institutions to play an important role in order to achieve sustainability and adaption to global changes,” he said.
He also highlighted that Qatar is prominent and well known for having one of the best economies in the world with a GDP growth by 6.5 percent in 2013 and an estimated GDP growth rate up to 6 percent and more than 10 percent growth rate in the private sector in 2014.
“Qatar Exchange has witnessed many achievements that have contributed to the strengthening of its role as a regional financial centre, especially after the MSCI upgrading of the Qatari market into emerging market status. The 2012 law, giving the Qatar Central Bank the supreme authority in the supervision of all financial services and markets, is an important step in promoting financial stability,” he said.
The two-day congress includes interactive roundtables, debates and workshops and live interviews with major Exchange CEOs, focused on developing the exchange and financial markets business and performance across Europe, the Middle East, America, Asia and Africa.
“The MSCI and S&P decisions to upgrade the Qatari market from a Frontier to Emerging Market status clearly and evidently reflect the recognition of the prominent international investment institutions of the positive steps made by Qatar Exchange over the past years,” said Rashid bin Ali Al Mansoori, CEO of Qatar Exchange. “It is to be noted that the upgrade of Qatar status reflects meeting the qualitative requirements for inclusion in emerging markets, especially the degree of openness of the market to the international investment community and an established and well-tested operational framework,” he said.
He added that the upgrades were a very positive step for the development of Qatar Exchange and it would enhance the trustworthiness of the market and consequently attract foreign portfolios.
Addressing the gathering Satoshi Matsuo, Deputy Chief Representative in Europe invited investors to invest in Japan’s market. “Japan has created Japan Exchange Group and we are trying to expand line up based on Asian indices through collaborating Asian exchanges,” Matsuo said.The Peninsula
