By Peter Alagos
Business Reporter
The Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting (Goic) has offered investment opportunities worth QR500mn during the launching of the first “Invest in Qatar 2015” held yesterday in Doha.
Goic secretary general Abdulaziz bin Hamad al-Ageel said, “Goic has prepared a number of investment opportunities in Qatar in promising industrial sectors, notably pharmaceuticals, food, green building materials, recycling, petrochemicals, and aluminium. The total value of these investment opportunities is estimated at around QR500mn. Once implemented, these projects would create technical and administrative job opportunities.”
HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, who was the forum’s keynote speaker, stressed that the forum also provides a wide range of investment opportunities in the industrial sector by focusing on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
“We expect that the huge prospects of Qatar’s economy will allow for these promising industrial investments to accomplish remarkable achievements in the few coming years. In fact, Qatar is witnessing a significant industrial growth in general, in addition to an outstanding construction boom with several megaprojects, particularly related to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Ministry of Energy and Industry will deploy all possible efforts to help SMEs and facilitate setting up new industrial projects that will contribute to the development of industrial investments in the country,” al-Sada said.
He also explained that the ministry would strives to increase the number of and diversity products using a “one-stop-shop” method to facilitate investment procedures that would benefit the private sector in Qatar and the Gulf.
“We are gathered here to offer broad opportunities for local, Gulf, and foreign investments. We hope that they will enrich our expertise and move our economy forward towards more achievements meeting our country’s expectations and placing it high between advanced and developed countries,” al-Sada said.
Al-Sada also stressed that the forum reflects Qatar’s interest and thrust towards promoting downstream industries.
“Qatar is, indeed, offering all means to boost this sector and create a suitable environment capable of attracting local, regional, and foreign investments, and advanced technologies in an internationally-competitive open economy, in accordance with Qatar National Vision 2030,” he said.
Al-Ageel said one of the key strategies to stimulate economic growth is by promoting investment opportunities in the country to encourage more businesses to locate to Qatar.
“Since its foundation four decades ago, the Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting has endeavoured to provide industrial investment opportunities through its Manufacturing Industrial Opportunities Programme (MIOP), one of its most important, that resulted in the execution of many projects out of more than 400 industrial investment opportunities,” he explained.
According to al-Ageel, analytical studies carried out by Goic has revealed that there are several “promising opportunities” capable of adding value to Qatar’s economy, while at the same time promoting the industrial sector in Qatar and throughout the Gulf.
Al-Ageel presents a token of recognition to HE Dr al-Sada at the u201cInvest in Qatar 2015u201d forum. PICTURES: Shemeer Rasheed
