Partnerships between Qatar’s public and private sectors will help promote multilateral efforts to achieve sustainable development, Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani has said in an interview with the Qatar News Agency.
Citing the speech of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the opening of the 45th ordinary session of the Advisory Council last November, he said it showed keenness to achieve partnerships between the public and private sectors, allowing government projects to be implemented by the private sector and the promotion of foreign investment in Qatar.
He said HH the Emir’s keenness to support the participation of the private sector in the projects offered by the state provides Qatari companies the opportunity to be an important and key player in these projects.
He also pointed out that the chamber started to prepare a draft PPP project to strengthen the public and private sectors, “especially in light of stakeholders’ efforts to relieve all bureaucratic complications to attract more capital and investment into Qatar.”
Sheikh Khalifa said the Qatar Chamber identified several “obstacles” faced by businessmen and investors, including the need of some laws to be reconsidered to keep pace with economic growth, in addition to the need to put up industrial land at reasonable prices, provide commercial streets, streamline recruitment procedures, and assign projects to Qatari companies.
He also called for removal of all restrictions and barriers “that prevent private sector to play its role,” adding that the private sector should be given “a real opportunity” to participate in implementing projects due to be established in the state, and in all economic activities.
Sheikh Khalifa hailed the directives of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani to solve the problems faced by the private sector along with the existing coordination with HE Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani on strengthening the partnership between the two sectors and the monitoring of all the obstacles facing the private sector.
On the Qatari private sector’s ability to manage the challenges posed by economic development’s projects, Sheikh Khalifa said the private sector cannot engage in a challenge in the implementation of economic projects without turning the directives of HH the Emir into reality by all executive bodies in the state.”
He added that laws and regulations are required “to provide immunity to the private sector” to face foreign companies. He called on government entities and institutions to stop establishing companies that compete with the private sector and to support and encourage it to invest in the industrial sector to diversify income sources.
Sheikh Khalifa expressed the “desire and willingness” of Qatari business owners and companies to complete and implement projects “or get satisfactory stakes in them or in partnership with foreign companies as key contractors in the industrial sector.”
Sheikh Khalifa: Private sector participation key to Qatar growth.
