Qatar’s bid to encourage local industry expansion, as part of a broader move to increase self-sufficiency and alleviate the impact of the regional blockade is featured in a report just published by the global research and consultancy firm Oxford Business Group (OBG).
The ‘Report: Qatar 2017’ considers the key role that the newly approved six-year plan will play in spearheading efforts to generate growth through private sector development and entrepreneurship.
It also includes extensive coverage of Qatar’s pipeline of infrastructure and transport projects, which form part of the country’s preparations for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
It also considers the myriad opportunities emerging in other areas of construction, particularly housing, as the drive to accommodate Qatar’s growing population gains momentum.
The energy sector is another focus. The Report: Qatar 2017 looks in detail at the country’s plans to increase liquefied natural gas production by 30%.
OBG also examines the overhaul earmarked for Qatar’s electricity network, which will help provide the additional power capacity needed to fuel economic expansion.
Oliver Cornock, OBG’s editor-in-chief and managing editor (Middle East), said that while 2017 had been challenging in many ways for Qatar, diversification, resourcefulness and development were aiding recovery.
“Qatar’s infrastructure investment boom has helped the country to weather the oil price fluctuations better than much of the GCC, while the visa-free programme and local industry initiatives are easing the impact of the blockade,” he said.
“Higher oil prices should now support the country’s efforts to reduce the deficit and, longer term, broaden its economic base.”
The Report: Qatar 2017 marks the culmination of more than 14 months of field research by a team of analysts from Oxford Business Group.
The publication assesses trends and developments across the economy, including those in macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and others.
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