QBA, QBWA hold meeting with WTO director general

The Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) and the Qatari Businesswomen Association (QBWA) held a meeting on Sunday with World Trade Organisation (WTO) director general Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and her accompanying delegation.
The meeting, held in the presence of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), discussed current global trade challenges and ways to overcome them. The meeting was held as part of the policy followed by the WTO towards non-governmental organisations concerned with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), investment, and pioneering businesswomen.
The meeting was attended by QBA chairman HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani; QBA board member Saud al-Mana; and QBA members Sheikh Mansour bin Jassim al-Thani, Nabil Abu Issa, Maqbool Khalfan, Yousuf al-Mahmoud, and Dr Mohamed Althaf.
Sheikh Turki bin Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani and Saleh al-Mana, director of the Department of International Co-operation and Trade Agreements at MoCI also attended.
QBWA was represented by board members Amal al-Aathem and Natra Abdulla, as well as QBWA members Aisha al-Jehani, Aysha al-Romaihi, Zohour Alfardan, and QBWA executive director Jiskala Khalayli.
Sheikh Faisal emphasised the QBA and the Qatari business community’s support for the WTO, and underscored WTO’s vital role in enabling SMEs to achieve growth and success in the global economy. He encouraged the WTO to support SMEs and entrepreneurs.
He also highlighted the significant role played by the Qatari private sector during the 2022 FIFA World Cup and in Qatar National Vision 2030, emphasising the professionalism and efficiency demonstrated by the private sector in executing projects and its effective contribution to enhancing global trade flows.
Sheikh Faisal underscored the private sector’s role in major initiatives like the Hamad International Port, a crucial link between the West and the East and in facilitating global trade across continents.
He said the port’s contribution is significant in bolstering global trade movements, thereby aiding member states, particularly developing nations, in addressing various crises and challenges that impede global economic activities. These challenges include food security, disruptions in global supply chains, and the consequent decline in industrial and production capacities worldwide.
The QBWA lauded Iweala’s significant contributions to women's empowerment within major international institutions and organisations. Emphasising the significance of the meeting, which coincides with International Women’s Day, QBWA reiterated its commitment to advancing women’s causes and advocating for increased representation and inclusion on the global stage. QBWA noted that Iweala’s recognition as one of Forbes 100 most powerful women underscores the importance of her presence in furthering these efforts.
Iweala discussed future cooperation to serve global trade, given the private sector's major role in the global economy. She emphasised Qatar’s significance within the global arena, citing its hosting of pivotal WTO rounds over the past two decades. She also lauded Qatar as an exemplar of economic development and legislative advancement in trade, a reputation that resonated positively during the World Cup.