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Qatar Airways and Kenya Airways have announced the launch of codeshare flights to some 19 destinations, with more set to be added in the near future. Kenya Airways customers can book codeshare flights between Nairobi and Doha, as well as to 10 destinations connecting through Hamad International Airport.Similarly, Qatar Airways customers now have access to eight destinations in Kenya Airways’ network, connecting through three daily flights between Doha and Nairobi. Passengers will be able to travel on these codeshare flights from October 26. Flights will be available for sale starting tomorrow, October 21. Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Thierry Antinori, said: “We are pleased with the significant progress made in just a few months since the partnership initiated with Kenya Airways, and this enhancement is a testament of the collaborative efforts, which further strengthens our presence in Kenya and the African continent. “The recent addition of Qatar Airways’ third daily flight to Nairobi also serves as another cornerstone of this partnership that is driven by strong demand from passengers seeking reliable and seamless connectivity.”Kenya Airways Chief Commercial and Customer Officer, Julius Thairu, said: "We are excited to embark on this new chapter of our partnership with Qatar Airways. This partnership will significantly enhance connectivity especially across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, expanding our flight offerings, and opening up a world of new destinations for our customers to explore. Together with Qatar Airways, we are dedicated to providing our customers with easy access to a variety of destinations, paired with better connectivity and a seamless travel experience."Today’s announcement enables Qatar Airways to continue expanding its footprint within the African continent, providing passengers from more than 170 destinations across the globe with easier access to key leisure and business destinations served by Kenya Airways, including Lilongwe, Livingstone, Juba, Nampula, Ndola, and Victoria Falls.Similarly, Kenya Airways passengers will now be able to connect to multiple destinations in 10 countries across Asia and the Middle East through Hamad International Airport. These destinations include Bahrain, Colombo, Islamabad, Karachi, Malé, Singapore, and Tokyo Narita.Additionally, Qatar Airways Privilege Club members will earn Avios on the codeshare flights operated by Kenya Airways. The two airlines will continue to collaborate on codeshares, airport operations, lounges, sustainability and procurement. Other future phases and areas of collaboration will include network development, cargo, aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul.Kenya Airways codeshares on Qatar Airways routesBahrain, Colombo (Sri Lanka), Doha, Dhaka (Bangladesh), Islamabad and Karachi (Pakistan), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Malé (Maldives), Muscat (Oman), Singapore, and Tokyo Narita (Japan).Qatar Airways codeshares on Kenya Airways routesAbidjan (Côte d'Ivoire), Accra (Ghana), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Lilongwe (Malawi), Livingstone (Zambia), Juba (South Sudan), Nampula (Mozambique), and Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe).

QatarEnergy aims to scale its carbon capture and storage capacity to 7–9 million tonnes per year (mtpy) by 2030 and over 11 mtpy by 2035.Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) is central to QatarEnergy’s lower-carbon strategy.So far, QatarEnergy has successfully deployed 2.2 mtpy of CCS capacity in Qatar, capturing CO2 from feed gas used in LNG trains and sales gas assets, contributing to lower-carbon LNG exports.“Since the inception, we have successfully captured and stored around 7.5mn metric tonnes of CO2,” QatarEnergy noted in its latest Sustainability Report.QatarEnergy’s North Field East (NFE), North Field South (NFS), and North Field West (NFW) expansion projects will be integrated with CCS infrastructure, targeting total capacity of over 5.5 mtpy once fully operational.Other CCUS plans include expanding CCS capacity at existing LNG trains, capturing CO2 in the production of lower-carbon ammonia, studying post-combustion carbon capture at gas-fired turbines, further design modifications of the existing CCS infrastructure to increase the annual injection capacity closer to its design limits and developing infrastructure to pilot utilisation of captured CO2 from RLIC for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) project in Dukhan.Key CCUS developments in 2024 included QatarEnergy LNG North and South CO2 Capture Project and CO2 Export Pilot Project.In respect of QatarEnergy LNG North and South CO2 Capture Project, it aims to capture around 4MTPY of CO2 from the existing LNG facilities by compressing and injecting it via six wells within RLIC by 2030.CO2 Export Pilot Project: This project will transfer captured CO2 from QatarEnergy LNG facilities in RLIC to Dukhan for EOR.The captured CO2 will be dehydrated, compressed, and transported via a new 154 kilometers pipeline to Dukhan.The pilot project is part of QatarEnergy’s long-term strategy for the redevelopment of Dukhan fields that will contribute to the recovery of additional crude.The pilot project is expected to last for five years, and after the completion of a successful pilot phase a full field development is planned for the other parts of Dukhan.The project will directly reduce CO2 emissions because some of the injected CO2 will remain in the reservoir after injection. The project is expected to start before the end of 2027.“Efforts continued to support the development of a CCUS framework and standards for Qatar, ensuring a robust and scalable approach to reducing emissions,” QatarEnergy noted.

Marquee events such as 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and multiple Formula 1 race weekends, have elevated region’s global profile, according to PwC Middle East reportThe GCC has established itself as a global stage for major sporting events – and now stands to capture a share of the $2tn global sports tourism market by 2030, a PwC Middle East report has shown.Marquee events such as the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and multiple Formula 1 race weekends, have elevated the region’s global profile, it said.A new PwC Middle East report, ‘Game on for the GCC – Turning sporting ambition into lasting tourism impact’, reveals how the region can convert its success in hosting global sporting events into a long-term driver of economic growth, job creation and global visibility.The study finds that while GCC countries have established themselves as a premier host of global tournaments, the next phase of growth lies in creating experience-led destinations, immersive fan journeys and a connected regional ecosystem that keeps visitors returning throughout the year.Globally, sports tourism now accounts for 10% of global tourism spend and is projected to exceed $2tn by 2030, growing at a compound annual rate of 17.5%.In the Middle East, the wider sports sector contributes around $600bn, expanding at nearly 9% each year. Between 2023 and 2025, the region hosted a series of international tournaments, esports competitions and wellness festivals, supported by major state-backed investment.Saudi Arabia’s sports market is expected to triple to $22.4bn by 2030, creating some 39,000 jobs and adding $13.3bn to its GDP.The report illustrates that the next wave of opportunity lies in building experience-led destinations, immersive fan journeys and a connected regional ecosystem that encourages visitors to return throughout the year.PwC research estimates that the region currently accounts for just 5-7% of global sports tourism spend, leaving significant room for growth.Three priorities will define the next phase:• Designing experience-led sports destinations that blend sport, retail, leisure and culture to attract longer stays and higher visitor spending• Enhancing immersive fan engagement through digital innovation and storytelling. Multi-day festivals, digital platforms, and cultural integration can turn visitors into active participants and repeat tourists• Building a connected GCC-wide sports tourism ecosystem, linking events, destinations and talent across borders through easier travel, and unified marketing.Peter Daire, Senior Executive Adviser, PwC Middle East noted, “The GCC has already shown it can host the world’s biggest events. The next step is to turn that success into lasting impact, building destinations that attract fans year-round through richer experiences, smarter digital engagement and stronger regional links. This will define the next chapter of global sports tourism.”The report also calls for greater investment in women’s sports, sport leisure and workforce development, alongside enhanced use of existing venues to extend impact beyond flagship events.With over 60% of the region’s population under 35, the study underscores the importance of digital innovation and youth engagement in shaping the future of sports tourism.By moving from hosting to experience creation, data shows the GCC can position itself as one of the world’s most dynamic, connected and resilient sports tourism regions, where fans, athletes and travellers have a reason not just to visit, but to return.

His Excellency the Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari participated in the meeting of Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors, and Heads of Regional Financial Institutions from the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The meeting was chaired by Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and was held on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Group Annual Meetings, now being held in Washington, DC. The meeting discussed key strategic issues related to economic growth in the region, in addition to future outlooks and fiscal policy requirements to combat inflation. It also addressed sustainable financing strategies, ways to stimulate economic growth, and the promotion of innovation in financial development.Regional and global challenges were also reviewed, particularly the risks of rising inflation rates and food insecurity. The participants stressed the importance of continuing efforts to adapt to the current financial and economic developments.The meeting was held within the framework of enhancing regional cooperation and the exchange of insights among financial and economic policymakers, with the aim of supporting economic stability and achieving sustainable development across the region.

The rising cost of air travel, post-pandemic, across all major markets with the exception of China, has been largely driven by consumer price inflation and reduced airline competition in some key sectors.A recent study has shown the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions witnessed the “sharpest” airfare increase, since mid-2019.Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID), the trade association representing airports, recently released the 2025 edition of the ‘Airfare Trends for the Asia-Pacific and Middle East’ regions, highlighting the rising cost of air travel.The analysis, developed with the assistance of Flare Aviation Consulting, highlighted markets that have experienced notable increases in airfares and examined factors behind this surge across two of the world’s most dynamic aviation regions.Despite substantial recovery of passenger traffic, across the region, an increasing trend is witnessed from H1-2019 to 2025, in contrast to the decreasing pattern observed during pre-pandemic years. The surge is largely driven by inflation (CPI) and reduced airline competition in some key sectors.Asia-Pacific region has witnessed an average +8% increase in H1, 2019 to 2025 as compared to an average -18% decrease observed during H1-2014 to H1-2019.However, the increase reported over the first half of the current year has been much more acute at country level, especially in the Oceania and Asean regions.Middle East has seen a 15% surge in H1-2019 to 2025 as compared to an average -9% decrease observed during H1-2014 to 2019.The report once again proves the marginal role of airport charges in driving the changes in airfares. Airport charges and turnaround costs (including government taxes) have generally increased below CPI levels.Interestingly, in markets where airport charges have moderately decreased, airfares have continued their upward momentum.Key findings of the study indicate airfares have surged across all markets, except China. Southeast Asia and Oceania experienced the highest increases, with airfares rising 20% and 30% above pre-pandemic levels, respectively.It shows Oceania is the most expensive region for air travel while India and China are currently below the regional average in terms of airfare levels.International fares increased by 17% above pre-pandemic, especially in Southeast Asia and Developed East Asia.In terms of domestic fares, they surged over 30% above 2019 levels, especially for short-haul low-cost carrier (LCC) routes, where reduced competition allows higher pricing.According to the study, economic travellers are seen to bear the biggest share of these increases.Routes with low airline competition saw airfares increased up to 13 percentage points above the regional average.The US-China market was stable in 2025, with no significant airfare impact.Airfares variations are largely influenced by inflation (CPI) and airline competition, factors which are outside the airport’s control.Also, airfares increased between 9% and 28% across the markets in the regions, even in markets where airport charges have decreased.Stefano Baronci, Director General, ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, said: “The objective of this analysis is to assess the market dynamics and its impact on aviation, as well as provide transparency into the rising cost of air travel. This study also proves that lowering airport charges does not translate into reduction in ticket prices, instead, it limits airports’ ability to invest in capacity and technology to enhance service quality.“To make air travel more affordable from a consumer perspective, policymakers should focus on liberalising markets such as open skies, market access and efficient slot policy that can strengthen airline competition while ensuring airports can continue to invest to build capacity to support the growth in the coming years.”Undoubtedly, air travel has become one of the great enablers of our time — connecting people, cultures, and economies like never before. Yet, for millions of people, airfares still remain a barrier to otherwise incredible opportunities around the world.Making air travel affordable cannot be the responsibility of airlines or airports alone. It is definitely a shared mission for governments, technology providers, and the industry as a whole.When air travel becomes more accessible, it obviously strengthens trade, tourism, education, and cultural exchange.Certainly, it will build bridges where borders once stood — and brings people together in ways that benefit all nations!Pratap John is Business Editor at Gulf Times. X handle: @PratapJohn.

International Air Transport Association (IATA) highlighted three critical priorities for aviation safety and operations at the World Safety and Operations Conference (WSOC) in Xiamen, China. These are defending and evolving global standards, fostering a strong safety culture through leadership, and using data to enhance performance amid growing operational challenges.IATA Global Director Safety Mark Searle noted: “The environment in which airlines operate has grown even more complex as conflicts and regulatory fragmentation have proliferated. As a result, we have seen airspace closures, drone incursions and rising global navigation satellite system (GNNS) interference disrupt connectivity, undermine confidence, and threaten safety.“Ensuring aviation remains the safest mode of transport requires strong leadership, robust adherence to global standards, and smarter use of data. By focusing on these — industry and government together — we will build a safer, more resilient and increasingly efficient global aviation system that can manage today’s risks and is prepared for those of tomorrow.”“Global standards are essential to aviation safety,” IATA noted. Current standards must be adhered to and future standards must be developed to continuously improve industry safety performance. Currently, this focus revolves around:• Addressing GNSS interference: Reports of GNSS interference have increased by more than 200% between 2021 and 2024. Neither spoofing nor jamming of GNSS systems is acceptable. Together with EASA, IATA has launched a GNSS Resilience Plan built on four priorities: monitoring and reporting, prevention tools, backup infrastructure, and civil–military co-ordination.The next step is for ICAO to advance these solutions through global standards, guidance, and reporting.• Protecting aviation’s radio spectrum: The radio spectrum essential for aviation navigation, defined in ITU’s global standards, must be safeguarded. The rapid expansion of 5G, and soon 6G, is putting pressure on aviation’s allocations.In several markets, including Australia, Canada and the United States, 5G rollouts have created interference risks near airports and forced costly retrofits. Stronger co-ordination with telecommunications regulators and realistic timelines for mitigation are urgently needed, along with the development of more resilient on-board systems.• Timely accident investigation reporting: Global standards under Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention clearly define the need for timely accident investigations. Yet, only 58% of accidents between 2019 and 2023 have produced a final report.Delays hinder the industry’s ability to learn vital safety lessons and create space for speculation and misinformation. IATA continues to remind governments of their obligations while recognising progress, such as the prompt preliminary reports issued following recent accidents in India, South Korea, and the United States.Data is transforming aviation safety, delivering the insights needed to anticipate risks and enhance performance. Through the Global Aviation Data Management (GADM) program, which integrates the Flight Data eXchange (FDX), Incident Data eXchange (IDX), and Maintenance Cost Data eXchange (MCX), IATA is enabling data-driven decision-making across airlines and regulators.Areas where data is making a difference include:• Turbulence Aware: IATA’s Turbulence Aware platform shares data in real-time, enabling pilots and dispatchers to mitigate the risks stemming from inflight turbulence.Participation in the platform grew 25% over the past year, with 3,200 aircraft including Air France, Etihad, and SAS now sharing real-time turbulence data to enhance flight safety and efficiency.• Predictive safety insights: The SafetyIS database, drawing on in-flight data from 217 airlines, enables predictive analysis. For example, early identification of a spike in collision-avoidance alerts at a Latin American airport allowed swift action to reduce risks.• Risk-based IOSA: The risk-based IOSA audit model is well-established in using data to tailor audits to each airline’s operational profile. Already it has resulted in more than 8,000 corrective actions that are strengthening safety.

His Excellency the Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari participated in the meeting of Arab Finance Ministers, alongside Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group and several finance ministers.The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, now taking place in Washington, DC. The meeting comes as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation with international financial institutions, exchange views on global economic developments, and explore opportunities to support financial stability and promote sustainable growth in the region.It aims to highlight the achievements of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in addressing global and regional priorities, and explore opportunities for cooperation across several actionable economic and financial sectors – contributing to the empowerment of both regional and global economic growth.The meeting also shed light on the attractiveness of the investment environment in GCC countries and the creation of high-quality opportunities across various sectors. In addition, it addressed the economic and development policies expected to be adopted as part of joint GCC efforts in the coming phase.

More than 300 global personalities will attend the 2025 Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah International Energy Awards, which will take place in Doha on October 22.The ceremony and gala dinner will welcome over 300 global leaders from across the energy sector, including CEOs, policymakers, and experts, to celebrate the lifetime achievements of six distinguished individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the industry.The event’s Gold Sponsor is ExxonMobil.TotalEnergies supports the awards as a Silver Sponsor.“Their involvement underscores a shared dedication to advancing dialogue on energy and sustainability”, Al-Attiyah Foundation said in a release. Speaking ahead of the ceremony, HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, Chairman of the Al-Attiyah Foundation, said:“The awards are a unique opportunity to bring together the energy community to celebrate those whose dedication and achievements continue to inspire progress and innovation. We look forward to welcoming our guests to Doha for what promises to be an exceptional evening.”The awards form part of the Al Attiyah Foundation’s wider mission to foster dialogue, share expertise, and promote sustainable development through its research, roundtables, and knowledge-sharing platforms.The Foundation’s achievements and growth are made possible by its esteemed member organisations, which include some of the world’s most influential companies:QatarEnergy, Qatar Electricity & Water Co., Woqod, QNB, QatarEnergy LNG, Dolphin Energy, Qatar Shell, QAPCO (Qatar Petrochemical Company), Marubeni, ConocoPhillips, QAFCO (Qatar Fertiliser Company), Sasol, Q-Chem, Gulf Helicopters, Qatar Cool, JTA Holding and QFZ (Qatar Free Zones).

QatarEnergy’s world-scale urea fertiliser complex in Mesaieed Industrial City “will position Qatar as the largest urea exporter, post-2030”, the energy major said in its ‘Sustainability Report 2024’.The initiative aligns with Qatar’s vision of becoming a leader in sustainable energy and addressing agricultural and environmental challenges, QatarEnergy noted.“QatarEnergy is contributing to global food security by expanding its urea production capacity,” it said.According to QatarEnergy’s ‘Sustainability Report 2024’, urea is a critical nitrogen-based fertiliser that boosts crop yields and soil fertility, making it indispensable for global food security.It provides plants with an easily accessible form of nitrogen.Widely applied in growing cereals, vegetables, and fruits, urea supports sustainable agriculture by addressing the rising demand for food and challenges of limited arable land.Urea produced in Qatar is made from natural gas. Natural gas is reacted with steam in the presence of catalyst at high temperature to produce hydrogen.This hydrogen is then combined with nitrogen (which comes from the air) in a high-pressure reactor to produce ammonia and CO2. The ammonia is subsequently recombined with CO2 to produce urea.In relation to food security, the report noted urea fertiliser enhances agricultural yields and food production to address global food security.As one of the world’s leading exporters of urea, QatarEnergy plans to significantly expand its production.“In 2024, we announced the decision to build a new, world-scale urea production complex to boost our current annual urea production of 6mn tonnes to more than 12.4mn tonnes annually,” QatarEnergy said.In respect of QatarEnergy’s contributions to UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), the report noted that there are 17 goals collectively providing a universal framework for addressing poverty, reducing inequalities, tackling climate change, fostering economic growth, and ensuring peace and prosperity for people and the planet.QatarEnergy said it aims to align its activities, operations, and sustainability contributions with the UN SDGs.“While we contribute directly and indirectly to all SDGs, we address the ones that are most relevant to our business activities, focusing on areas where we can potentially have the greatest impact,” QatarEnergy noted in its ‘Sustainability Report 2024’.

Access to aviation is a critical driver of global development, connection, and prosperity as it links markets and facilitates exports and imports, besides attracting investments.For many developing countries, air connectivity has opened doors to global value chains and tourism, which are major engines of growth.Globally, the aviation industry directly employs millions and indirectly supports many more in tourism, logistics, and manufacturing.And efficient air transport enhances trade and business ties between neighbouring nations and continents, promoting a balanced economic development.A global platform for universal access to air transport (by 2050) has been created following some recent landmark decisions by UN body - the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) - to support access to aviation for the benefit of all nations and people.This is the result of a series of decisions towards ensuring every nation has the physical and regulatory capacity to develop air connectivity.Building on commitments to ensure the environmental sustainability of the forecasted growth in air traffic, ICAO’s 42nd Assembly boosted its ‘No Country Left Behind’ strategic goal by delivering some 25 new aviation capacity development agreements for specific regional and country needs.This support for increased infrastructure capacity will additionally be supported by the Assembly’s expansion of the ‘TRAINAIR PLUS’ programme.Increased access to standardised training worldwide will mean ICAO can ensure that States are able to develop sufficient human resources to operate and develop their air transport sectors.Similarly, ICAO’s Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) and Gender Equality programmes received strengthened mandates to support aviation professionals of all ages and career stages.This will provide both a sufficient pool of qualified candidates for recruitment and equal access to the highly rewarding careers offered by air transport.The Assembly’s decisions also ensured that new and existing air services alike will progress towards accessibility for and by all.Aligning with the Doha Declaration, the ICAO member countries endorsed a comprehensive facilitation strategy prioritising resource allocation and political momentum.The global rollout of ICAO Digital Travel Credentials and biometric solutions, secured through an enhanced Public Key Directory framework, will make seamless travel a reality.New harmonised measures for crew treatment, unruly passenger management, and humanitarian response procedures were matched with strengthened accessibility standards for persons with disabilities and service animal transport.Importantly, the Assembly also addressed human rights and dignity in international aviation, with reinforced protections for accident victims and expanded co-operation against human trafficking.The economic viability of air transport and the optimisation of its contributions to broader prosperity was also a key focus for Assembly delegates. To support this objective, the Assembly made significant decisions.These included:• Encouraging air transport liberalisation through the Template Air Services Agreement (TASA), in support of preparations for negotiations the Seventh Worldwide Air Transport Conference to be held in 2026 and flexibility for varying levels of readiness.• The modernisation of airport slot practices to ensure policies remain equitable and responsive to public interest, while considering local infrastructure realities.• Affirmation of the ICAO principles preventing double taxation, in support of an economic framework that benefit all stakeholders,• Initiation of a review of ICAO's core principles on consumer protection, ensuring consistency while respecting national approaches.The Assembly also strengthened the legal foundations of international air transport to support and safeguard these developments. Expressing its support for the achievements of the Legal Committee's working groups and taskforces, the Assembly passed a new resolution commemorating the Chicago Convention's 80th anniversary to encourage stakeholder collaboration in developing international air law.It also emphasised the urgency of securing the outstanding ratifications to enact key aviation treaties, following significant progress at the Assembly’s “Third ICAO Treaty Event.”Through these decisions, the Assembly has provided the incoming ICAO Council with a clear and strong mandate to drive implementation of the ICAO Strategic Plan for 2050 worldwide, ensuring that the Organisation's vision of universal access becomes a reality through co-ordinated progress on infrastructure, accessibility, economic frameworks, and legal foundations.Clearly, access to aviation is access to opportunities — in areas such as wider economy, education, technology, healthcare, culture and humanitarian initiatives. By ensuring that all nations and people benefit from it, a more interconnected, equitable, and resilient world can be realised.Pratap John is Business Editor at Gulf Times. X handle: @PratapJohn.

India and Qatar are working towards concluding a free trade agreement (FTA), possibly by the third quarter of 2026, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said yesterday.He was replying to a question by Gulf Times at a session hosted by the Indian Business & Professional Council in Doha yesterday.India, a key trading partner of Qatar, recorded over $14.15bn in bilateral trade during financial year 2024–25.“By 2030, we can more than double it to $30bn, including goods and services,” Goyal noted.Goyal emphasised that 2025 will be a “defining year” in the partnership between the two countries.“With the visit of His Highness the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, to India in February, the partnership became a “strategic” one. This was followed by the visit of HE the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal al-Thani to India in August.“And now with my visit to Qatar, very clearly 2025 will be a defining year in this partnership,” Goyal noted.The Indian minister highlighted the amount of growth that is being seen, both in India and in Qatar.“India being the fastest growing large economy of the world and Qatar being amongst the prominent growing economies in the Middle East, there is a fabulous future waiting for all of us in the years to come,” Goyal said.He said the growth in bilateral trade will come from investments, both ways.“I think the growth will come out of services, goods, food products, technology, innovation, artificial intelligence and data centres that are coming up in the two countries.”Goyal highlighted the “rapid strides” made by the the Indian economy in recent years.“India is one of those countries, which offer some of the best returns on investments. And that has only been possible because the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strengthened India's macroeconomic fundamentals... has developed an economy, which is growing on both pillars of massive investments on infrastructure and consumption-led demand.”He noted that the rapid development in India’s infrastructure helps bring down logistics costs and make Indian industry more competitive. It generates the multiplier impact that investments always have on the economy, on the demand for goods and services, on mobility of people, better quality of life and ease of doing business.“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision is to make India a developed prosperous nation - ‘Vikasit Bharat’ - by 2047, when we celebrate 100 years of our independence. Our economy is poised to grow from $4tn today to $32tn by 2047.”He said India has now one of the “best performing” stock exchanges in the world.“If you recall, some 11 years ago, when Prime Minister Modi took charge, NIFTY 50 - an Indian stock market index - was at about 5,700 points. It has crossed 25,000 points now - a more than four-fold growth!“And despite all the turbulence... all the difficulties... all the uncertainties around the world, the Indian stock market is an oasis of stability. The Indian economy is powering the world economy, world growth,” Goyal said.He pointed out that India’s first quarter growth was at 7.8%.“Our exports in the first six months have grown by between 4% and 5%. It only goes to demonstrate the resilience of the Indian economy... the huge potential that is awaiting your participation. And I invite all of you to join us in India, in this journey of our growth and prosperity.”

QNB Group, the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa, announced the license approval has been received for a digital-first banking entity, ezbank, from the Central Bank of Egypt.This milestone reflects the Group’s commitment to supporting the Central Bank of Egypt’s vision for financial inclusion and digital transformation, as well as the government’s broader economic development strategy. The license approval for ezbank is an important step in Egypt’s ongoing efforts to transform the banking sector. By securing the approval, ezbank positions itself at the forefront of this transformation, reflecting Egypt’s growing role as a hub for innovation and financial inclusion.ezbank will combine advanced digital technology with international best practices to offer seamless financial services to a broad customer base. The bank will use mobile-first platforms, AI-driven tools, and smart risk management to make transactions easier, increase access, and support Egypt’s digital economy.

QNB Group, one of the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, has posted a nine-month net profit of QR12.8bn, up 1% on the same period last year.Net profit before ‘Pillar Two Taxes’ reached QR13.9bn in nine months that ended on September 30, which is an increase of 9% compared to September 2024.Operating income increased by 9% to reach QR33.3bn, which reflects QNB Group’s “ability to maintain successful growth” across a range of revenue sources.Total assets (as on September 30, 2025) reached QR1,389bn, an increase of 9% on September 30, 2024, mainly driven by growth in loans and advances (by 11%) to reach QR1,001bn.Customer deposits increased by 6% to reach QR963bn (as on September 30, 2025) from the same period last year.QNB Group’s efficiency (cost to income) ratio stood at 23.3%, which is considered “one of the best ratios” among large financial institutions in the MEA region.The ratio of non-performing loans to gross loans stood at 2.9% (as on September 30, 2025), which is “one of the lowest” amongst financial institutions in the MEA region.This, QNB noted, reflects the “high quality” of the Group’s loan book and the effective management of credit risk.In addition, loan loss coverage ratio stood at 100%, which reflects the “prudent approach” adopted by QNB Group towards non-performing loans.Total equity (at the end of September this year) increased to QR121bn, up 7% on September 2024.Earnings per share reached QR1.31 in September this year.QNB Group’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) (as on September 30, 2025), amounted to 19.5%. Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) and Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR - as on September 30, 2025), amounted to 151% and 105% respectively.These ratios are higher than the regulatory minimum requirements of the QCB and Basel III reforms requirements.Group statistics: QNB Group’s presence spans some 28 countries across three continents operating from approximately 900 locations, over 5,000 ATMs supported by more than 31,000 staff.

Some 16 government entities will take part in the 3rd edition of the Annual Meeting of the State Procurement Programme 2026 from October 20 to 22, the organisers announced today.The event will be held under the slogan ‘One Vision, Multiple Opportunities’, officials of the Ministry of Finance, represented by the Government Procurement Regulatory Department and Qatar Development Bank, in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Qatar Chamber said at a media event at the Ministry of Finance.They said the 2026 Government Procurement Plan Forum is considered one of the most prominent events in the field of government procurement.This announcement comes following the success of the previous two editions, with last year's forum witnessing notable attendance, reflecting the active role the forum plays in strengthening communication and cooperation between the public and private sectors.The 2026 Government Procurement Plan Forum is considered a strategic platform aimed at enhancing collaboration between government entities and local companies, while providing an enabling environment for economic growth and technological development within the procurement sector.With participation from some 16 government entities, this year’s edition will feature a renewed set of focus areas.Workshops will explore key themes such as procurement policies and legislation, digital transformation, and company classification. In addition, updates related to the In-Country Value (ICV) framework for 2026 will be presented.Panel discussions will address issues including support for small and medium-sized enterprises, cost-saving opportunities, competitiveness enhancement, investment potential, promotion of local products.The Government Procurement Regulatory Department at the Ministry of Finance has invited all companies, entrepreneurs, and interested parties to take part in the third edition of the forum.The event offers a unique opportunity to gain direct insight into the government’s procurement plans for 2026 and to explore available opportunities for building future partnerships and participating competitively in the national procurement market.The previous edition of the forum attracted more than 2,000 participants from the local community, including entrepreneurs, investors, and representatives of companies of different sizes.Over 980 representatives from across the economic spectrum took part, contributing to the creation of an ideal environment for communication and partnership-building.The diversity of participation spanned several key sectors, including manufacturing, services, construction, construction technology, hospitality, and other industries.This broad and inclusive engagement reflects the forum’s growing importance as a national platform for reinforcing collaboration between the public and private sectors, while also empowering companies and advancing the national economy.

QNB Group, the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa , announced the successful refinancing of its $1.5bn unsecured syndicated term loan facility. QNB Group CEO Abdulla Mubarak al-Khalifa, commented:“This refinancing attracted the interest of global and regional banks and helped us further broaden our investor base. The issuance was substantially oversubscribed at very competitive all-in pricing, which despite challenging global markets demonstrates our standing as a high-quality issuer.” The $1.5bn facility, with a maturity of five years, was well supported by both regional and international banks with significant oversubscription. Global Coordinators of the facility were HSBC, DBS, and SCB, and Initial Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners were Mizuho, Barclays and JPM. HSBC was mandated as the Documentation Coordinator, DBS as Syndication Coordinator and Mizuho as Facility Agent.

QatarEnergy has entered into an agreement with Shell to acquire a 27% participating interest in the North Cleopatra block offshore Egypt.Under the terms of the agreement, which is subject to approval by the Egyptian government, Shell will retain a 36% participating interest as operator. The other participating interest holders are Chevron (27%) and Tharwa Petroleum Company (10%).Commenting on this agreement, HE the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Saad Sherida al-Kaabi,the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, said: “We are pleased to secure this additional exploration acreage, which further expands our upstream exploration activities in the Arab Republic of Egypt.”Minister al-Kaabi added, “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, and our partners in the block for their valued support and cooperation. We look forward to working together and delivering our exploration objectives.”The North Cleopatra block is located offshore Egypt in the frontier Herodotus basin and is north and adjacent to the North El-Dabaa block, where QatarEnergy holds a 23% participating Interest. The North Cleopatra block covers an area of over 3,400 square kilometers in water depths of up to 2,600 meters.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has highlighted the GCC region’s “comparative advantage” in terms of access to energy that helps it host data centres and cites Qatar's partnership with Blue Owl Capital as an example.“GCC’s comparative advantage in terms of access to energy is helping it unlock major projects to host data centres. Examples include partnerships with Humain and Nvidia in Saudi Arabia, Blue Owl Capital in Qatar, or the US-UAE AI accelerated partnership,” Georgieva said in her meeting with the Ministers of Finance and Central Bank Governors of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) in Kuwait.Georgieva noted: “The last time we saw each other was during the Spring Meetings six months ago. At the time, trade tensions brought global uncertainty to new highs, contributing to a downward revision in our global growth projections.“Since then, a series of trade agreements and pauses in tariff increases have prevented escalation. Almost all countries subjected to US tariffs have refrained from retaliating. This, combined with the fact that the rest of trade relations among countries remain guided — so far — by WTO rules, allowed us to avoid a full-scale trade war.”In addition, she noted the private sector has shown “impressive” agility and adaptability, front-loading cross-border purchases, adjusting supply chains and pursuing investment strategies aligned with a more complex global environment.And access to finance has eased both for the public and the private sector. As a result global growth prospects are better than feared during our last meeting in April.Yet, they are still worse than pre-Covid and the world economy remains in flux. Major transformational forces are in play, from geopolitics to trade relations, technology and demography, producing new opportunities but also new risks.They steer anxiety in societies and complicate the job of policymakers. Navigating uncertainty is becoming the new normal.She said, “In this environment, risks to the global outlook remain tilted to the downside. Protectionism could lead to escalation of trade tensions, with negative impact on supply chains. Erosion of confidence could constrain consumption and investment. Shocks to labour supply, including from changing immigration policies, could lower growth, especially in countries with aging populations.”Georgieva said the outlook is not homogeneous — while some parts of the world are slowing down, others do better. Growth is expected to accelerate in the Middle East and Central Asia as global headwinds are offset by an increase in oil production, and structural reforms pay off.“As for the GCC, a year ago I said that the GCC ‘remains a bright spot’ despite the numerous shocks.”Since then, global uncertainty has increased, including related to shifts in the global trade system, while oil prices have declined and geopolitical tensions have intensified.“Yet, despite this increasingly challenging environment, the GCC continues to deliver strong and steady performance and is still a bright spot in the world economy. You, the finance ministers and central bank governors of the region, deserve credit for the strong reform momentum underlying this. It is making the GCC more resilient, as evidenced by limited spillovers from tensions and conflicts in the region,” Georgieva said.She noted the impact of higher US tariffs on GCC economies has been modest, with exports to the US ranging from just 0.1% of total exports for Kuwait and up to 8% for Bahrain.“Against this backdrop, we now expect overall GCC growth to accelerate to a 3-3.5% range in 2025 and close to 4% in 2026, supported by the resilience of the non-hydrocarbon economy, the unwinding of voluntary oil production cuts, and the expansion of natural gas production.”Over the medium term, non-hydrocarbon activity is set to remain strong on the back of ambitious reform efforts facilitated by ample policy buffers — both official reserves and those available through sovereign wealth funds. This activity is expected to offset the impact of lower oil prices.But there are risks to this outlook. Oil prices and revenues could be negatively affected by weaker oil demand, driven by elevated economic uncertainty, an escalation of global trade tensions, or deepening geo-economic fragmentation.Additionally, a potential supply glut may emerge as Opec+ continues to unwind voluntary oil production cuts at a time when demand remains weak.“In a downside scenario where oil prices temporarily fall to $40 per barrel, non-hydrocarbon GDP growth in the GCC could slow by 1.3 percentage points, while fiscal deficits could rise significantly. In addition, high global uncertainty could lead to tightening of financial conditions and lower FDI, thereby threatening the economic diversification agenda.“Over the medium term, the outlook remains subject to two-sided risks related to ongoing global structural shifts, such as the energy transition, potential global fragmentation, digitalisation and the use of AI,” Georgieva noted.

Qatar Airways is now providing access to 18 additional routes in the United States through expanded codeshares with its International Airlines Group (IAG) partners, Aer Lingus and LEVEL. With the latest enhancements, Qatar Airways has “strengthened its partnership” with IAG and its carriers to expand global connectivity between the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. Following the successful codeshare launch with Aer Lingus in 2024, Qatar Airways has grown its partnership with Aer Lingus to share code on the Irish carrier’s flights from Dublin Airport (DUB) to 11 US cities, including Boston, Bradley International in Connecticut, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Nashville, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, and soon to Las Vegas.Additionally, Qatar Airways has re-introduced its codeshare agreement with LEVEL, the leading long-haul operator at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN), to share code on LEVEL flights to Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, and soon to Santiago.Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Thierry Antinori, said: “At Qatar Airways, we believe in offering passengers broader and greater choices to travel to their preferred destinations. Together with our International Airlines Group partners Aer Lingus and LEVEL complementing our existing partnerships, Qatar Airways is further setting a new standard for passenger convenience and global connectivity with 18 additional routes to the US and South America.“This strategic progress enhances Qatar Airways’ award-winning service in the Americas and Europe, and enables travellers in these regions to seamlessly access over 170 destinations in our global network through Hamad International Airport.”Aer Lingus Chief Customer Officer, Susanne Carberry, said: “Aer Lingus is delighted to partner with Qatar Airways to extend our services to its customers travelling to a number of top US destinations. Aer Lingus has significantly grown its North American network in recent years, with a number of routes flying on our brand-new Airbus A321 XLR aircraft. Customers flying with Aer Lingus to North America can also avail of Dublin Airport’s US Pre-Clearance facility, allowing them to conveniently clear US immigration before leaving Dublin and arrive in the US as domestic passengers. We look forward to welcoming new customers on board through our partnership with Qatar Airways and extending a very warm Irish welcome, the excellent service we are renowned for as well as the most comfortable and modern in-flight experience.” LEVEL Chief Commercial and Network Officer, Lucía Adrover, said: “We are delighted to re-introduce our partnership with Qatar Airways and to further expand our codeshare agreement, to continue contributing to the strengthening of Barcelona’s long-haul connectivity. LEVEL is linking the Middle East and Asia with the Americas via Barcelona, with its next-generation airline model designed to deliver a competitive, seamless, and welcoming travel experience.” Qatar Airways’ latest partnership enhancements are part of its codeshare portfolio with all IAG carriers, including British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Vueling, solidifying its position in the European market.Qatar Airways Privilege Club members can make the most of this new opportunity to collect Avios on these codeshare flights with Aer Lingus and LEVEL. Members can use their Avios on travel and lifestyle rewards of their choice including bidding on “money-can’t-buy experiences” with Privilege Club Collection.