HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani has said that Qatar provides an “attractive investment environment” that has made the country a leading investment destination.

He was addressing a session organised by the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU), on the sidelines of the ‘Select USA’ Summit in Washington, DC on Saturday.

Sheikh Ahmed highlighted Qatar economy's “advantages” that made the country a leading investment destination. He referred to the measures taken by Qatar to encourage and attract investments, including the Foreign Investment Regulation Act, recently approved by the Council of Ministers, which would allow foreign ownership up to 100% in all sectors and support the entry of foreign investors into the Qatari market.

He pointed out that the “prudent” policies adopted by Qatar have helped stimulate various sectors and increase their productivity. This has positively impacted the national economy and achieved positive growth rates during the last one year.

The session discussed the latest developments in the two-way economic, trade and investment relationship between Qatar and the United States and means of developing them.

Steps to encourage “exchange visits” between the businessmen of the two countries were also discussed.

The Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) is a nonpartisan, US-based organisation that works to expand international trade and commerce. It does this by helping its member companies engage internationally and by facilitating mutually beneficial relationships between business and government leaders worldwide.

The BCIU members include a number of major US companies, investment funds, asset management companies and financial portfolios in the US.

Sheikh Ahmed also met with the US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, president of the US Chamber of Commerce Tom Donohue and senior vice president (Middle East and Turkey) at the US Chamber of Commerce Khush Choksy.

During the meeting, they discussed means of enhancing cooperation in the economic and trade fields.

They also focused on the opportunities to increase trade exchanges in light of the potential and capabilities of the economies of the two countries.

The meeting reviewed the latest developments in the economic, trade and investment relations between the two countries and means of developing them.

The two sides also reviewed to the positive results of the first phase of Qatar's economic tour in the United States, and discussed the preparations for the second phase of the tour.

Sheikh Ahmed also met with Governor of Kentucky Matt Bevin, during which they discussed means of enhancing the bilateral relations between Qatar and the United States in economy and trade.

Qatar and the United States have close economic and trade relationship, reflected positively on the volume of trade exchange between the two countries, which reached nearly QR21bn in 2017. The United States of America is Qatar's biggest trading partner in terms of imports, being the source of 16.3% of the total imports of Qatar.

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