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The ‘1,000 Opportunities Initiative’ launched on Sunday by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) on the occasion of ‘National Product Week’ allows local investors to secure investment opportunities from major international and local companies operating in Qatar. This was according to a statement by Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani, who participated in the launch ceremony of National Product Week, organised by MoCI, in collaboration with Qatar Development Bank (QDB), at the ministry’s headquarters in Lusail city. He explained that the ‘1,000 Opportunities Initiative’ offers small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) the opportunity to develop their products and services and become more competitive in the Qatari market. Sheikh Khalifa also said that enhancing the level of competitiveness will be advantageous to stakeholders in the private sector, allowing them to play a larger role in Qatar’s economic activity. According to Sheikh Khalifa, national products have proven their competence in both the local and international markets. He stressed that the competitiveness of local products is now at par with their international counterparts in terms of pricing and quality. This has contributed to increasing the level of the State’s self-sufficiency, he also emphasised. Sheikh Khalifa also lauded the efforts made by the ministry to support the local market, especially SMEs, and affirmed that this will “reflect positively” on the national economy. He also underscored the ministry’s role in enhancing the communication between SMEs and government bodies and praised the interest of government entities to increase their procurement of locally-manufactured products.    

Qatar witnessed an increase in the value of investments in the food products industry, which stood at QR5bn in 2021, up 69% compared to its value in 2017, HE the Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad bin Qassim al-Thani said during the launch of the ‘1,000 Opportunities Initiative’, which is part of the activities of the ‘National Product Week’. Similarly, HE Sheikh Mohamed said Qatar is currently witnessing a “remarkable increase” in the number of factories operating in the country, bringing the current number to 806 factories. The minister pointed out that the established industrial facilities have introduced new products, which totalled 845 over the past year. The 'National Product Week,' which will run until March 19, was inaugurated yesterday by the minister at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) headquarters in Lusail city in the presence of VIPs and other dignitaries. In the context of talking about Qatar’s industrial sector and the ministry’s achievements in this regard, HE Sheikh Mohamed announced the launch of the ‘1,000 Opportunities Initiative’, comprising an electronic platform within the Single Window Platform. It allows local investors to view the existing and future opportunities and projects that would meet their various needs in terms of products or services provided by local private sector companies, the minister explained, adding that the initiative is expected to contribute to providing significant investment and economic opportunities that would benefit the industrial sector, which has seen remarkable development during the past years. Acting QDB CEO Abdulrahman Hesham al-Sowaidi expressed his appreciation for the continuous support of MoCI to national companies that work alongside QDB’s support system to ensure their growth ambitions and enhance their contribution to the national economy. “During National Product Week, we celebrate Qatari products and encourage SMEs by promoting their products. We look forward to the active participation that we are well-accustomed to, of all members of the Qatari economic system and society members, to push our companies to new levels of development and excellence, in line with the goals of national development and economic diversification,” said al-Sowaidi. The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of a number of stakeholders, including the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Public Works Authority (Ashghal), Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), Qatar Airways, and Katara Hospitality. The National Product Week initiative is the first-of-its-kind in Qatar. It aims to celebrate the success of Qatari companies and their products in various sectors, enhance efforts to localise supply chains and support self-sufficiency and economic diversification efforts in Qatar. The National Product Week includes a variety of events and activities over a seven-day period, including a conference that brings together a group of national shareholders and the most prominent players in the Qatari economy to discuss a number of topics and issues related to national products. The events also include specialised workshops aimed at honing the capabilities of entrepreneurs and enabling them to contribute to strengthening the private sector, in addition to a series of virtual bilateral meetings between various suppliers and buyers from various economic sectors to find new co-operation opportunities among them and open new horizons that serve the interests of all entrepreneurs and also pour into achieving the forum’s goals. Moreover, the National Product Week activities entail a virtual exhibition that includes virtual pavilions introducing a variety of Qatari products.    

The State has been keen on ensuring that about 50% of the exhibits in major retail outlets are Qatari products, according to HE the Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad bin Qassim al-Thani. The minister delivered the statement when he inaugurated the activities of ‘National Product Week’, organised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), in collaboration with Qatar Development Bank (QDB), on Sunday at the MoCI headquarters in Lusail city. The initiative will run until March 19. Held under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani, the event was attended by Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) Chairman HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani; Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani; Civil Service and Government Development Bureau President HE Abdulaziz bin Nasser al-Khalifa; Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) president Essa bin Hilal al-Kuwari, and Qatar Airways Group CEO and Qatar Tourism Chairman HE Akbar al-Baker. In his speech, the minister described ‘National Product Week’ as “an additional building block” to the many achievements that have contributed to supporting Qatari products. “It also represents the culmination of a long process of success, starting at the brainstorming phase, followed by production and then market access, in addition to going through the stages of development, training, and continuous supervision aimed at raising the efficiency and ability of national companies to win supply deals and tenders,” he explained. He stressed that work has been done to raise the level of access to national goods and products to the largest number of sales outlets in the country. “This is being achieved by directing the allocation of about 50% of the exhibits for Qatari products, in addition to meeting and co-ordinating with more than 30 governmental and semi-governmental agencies to motivate them in giving priority to national products and increase their purchases in this field,” he said. The minister lauded the continuous co-operation with the relevant authorities and partners that have contributed to the success of the initiative, especially QDB, which has launched several pioneering initiatives, such as the virtual platform for co-ordination meetings, ‘Meet Your Manufacturer’, which was launched last year as the “first virtual platform-of-its-kind” to support Qatari companies and introduce buyers to local manufacturers. He said about 190 companies were registered on the platform, and the value of the contracts signed amounted to over QR63mn. QDB also organised four successful editions of the Government Procurement and Contracting Conference and Exhibition (Moushtarayat) since 2016, which secured deals with a total value of QR3.042bn, he also said. Moreover, HE Sheikh Mohamed said an initiative to promote the buying of national products was organised in three distinct editions, which were held in “extraordinary circumstances” and “under great challenges.” He underlined the efforts to enhance co-operation with other government agencies and bodies, such as Kahramaa, which presented during the event an integrated procurement plan for the next five years, in addition to close co-operation with Katara Hospitality with which the value of local contracts amounted to about QR21.3mn last year. The minister said co-ordination was made with Qatar Airways by concluding several procurement contracts with national companies since 2019. The value of contracts last year amounted to about QR100mn, which were offered to national companies specialising in the food and beverage industry. On a related level, HE Sheikh Mohamed noted the keenness to enhance continuous co-operation and co-ordination with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) in implementing many other initiatives aimed at accelerating the localisation of supply chains. He said MoCI is encouraging national industrial institutions to increase their productivity, in line with the Second National Development Strategy 2018-2022 and the Qatar National Manufacturing Strategy, hence the launch of the joint framework contracts initiative, in co-operation with the Ministry of Finance and Hamad Medical Corporation. “In this regard, the initiative primarily covered the pharmaceutical and medical equipment sector, and its scope will be expanded to include other sectors, in co-ordination with the concerned authorities,” HE Sheikh Mohamed said.    

The Indonesia-Qatar Business Dialogue, which will be held on March 17, will feature leading officials from both countries to speak about ways to further strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties. “The business dialogue is intended to realise plans and initiatives that have been discussed before the pandemic by expanding the choice of traded products. The webinars are also intended to introduce potential investment shares in Indonesia in the fields of data centre and renewable resources projects, among others. “Business co-operation can also be carried out in the field of sports, especially football and higher education. Several top universities in Indonesia are ready to co-operate with Qatar,” Indonesia-Qatar Business Council (IQBC) president Hendra Hartono Turman told Gulf Times. Titled ‘Optimising Bilateral Collaboration Between Indonesia & Qatar: Recover Together – Recover Stronger’, the business dialogue would include the following strategies and initiatives: ways for all parties to collaborate on strategies needed on sustaining economic activity, as well as a recommendation for a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and agreement on several key initiatives between all parties, Turman said. Qatar-Indonesia Business Council (QIBC) president Farhan al-Sayed also said the business dialogue would be held at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic is subsiding, which opens an opportunity for both countries to grow their trade relations. “The supply chain between Qatar and Indonesia is in very good shape, thanks to the state-of-the-art facilities of Hamad Port, and to Qatar Airways, which plies regular routes between the two countries. “Qatar and Indonesia have a lot to trade, not only in the hydrocarbons industry, but also in non-hydrocarbons, considering that the Southeast Asian nation also specialises in manufactured goods, textiles, leather, building materials, food products, and metals, among many others,” al-Sayed pointed out. He added: “We cannot also discount the role played by Indonesia in innovation and technology. Digital lifestyle and services, such as e-commerce, mobile apps, and web design, as well as in sectors involving tourism, banking and finance, and insurance are also areas where Indonesia has been excelling.”

The US-Qatar Business Council (USQBC) hosted Tuesday a webinar that focuses on the indispensable role played by women in the economic landscape of Qatar, which includes sports. “Their participation has not only led to substantial economic growth but has simultaneously empowered women from all walks of life to take an active role in the advancement of their country’s prosperity, as well as their personal and professional goals,” said Sheikha Mayes bint Hamad al-Thani, managing director, USQBC Doha Office. Titled ‘Women at the Forefront: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,’ Sheikha Mayes said the webinar was held in partnership with the Office of the Commercial Attache at the embassy of Qatar in the US, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, and the Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT). The online discussion, which was moderated by WIIT board member Kelly Ann Shaw, featured Fatma al-Nuaimi, communications executive director at the SC, Bodour al-Meer, sustainability director at the SC, and Lana Khalaf, general manager, Microsoft Qatar. “Their work has inspired many and will surely leave behind an outstanding legacy. The members of the panel have excelled in their fields and have contributed to advancing the country’s economic and sustainability initiatives,” Sheikha Mayes stressed. She said the webinar celebrates the role of women in leadership positions who are tackling the professional and sporting worlds. According to Sheikha Mayes, the country has put a large emphasis on the effective participation of women in its labour force through Qatar National Vision 2030. Sheikha Mayes said the Qatar Second National Development Strategy (2018-2022) “addresses how taking advantage of highly-educated Qatari women is central to the country’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.” The government of Qatar has empowered women in the country through access to education, economic participation, and career opportunities supporting growth and development, she added. “Qatar has a 59% female labour participation rate, which is above the global average and is the highest in the Arab world. In addition to actively promoting female participation in the workforce, Qatar has also made strides to combat climate change to reduce the carbon footprint of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. “Qatar also made an effort towards promoting sustainability initiatives based on innovation and technology. This technology works with the design of the stadiums in mind, by making them more efficient and environment-friendly,” Sheikha Mayes added. During the discussion, al-Nuaimi noted that with the expected 1.2mn tourists coming to Qatar for the tournament, the influx of visitors would benefit the country’s tourism industry. “We’re working with a lot of stakeholders here to make sure that there is a lot of variety and many activities that people can do,” al-Nuaimi said, citing that Russia’s tourism industry flourished after it hosted the World Cup. Al-Meer pointed out that Qatar has so many inspiring Qatari female leaders: “I strongly believe that Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser is a role model for most of us in Qatar. She is very intelligent, well-educated, and elegant. She plays a huge part in Qatar’s development and transformation. “She is an encouragement for women to study, work, and take control of their lives. She also opened the door for Qatari females to handle leadership positions in the country. “The World Cup has helped shed light to change the stereotypes about women in the Middle East. However, women in Qatar had already started to handle leadership positions way before we won the right to host the World Cup.” Khalaf said Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup is a “great” and “amazing” platform to showcase the different leadership skills and talents of women in Qatar and the Middle East. “The participation of these women leaders is a clear image to the world and to everybody coming to Qatar that women are leading some of these critical initiatives and in sports,” she said.

The role of women in Qatar’s society has taken great strides and has achieved many milestones, according to a panel of experts during a discussion organised on Monday by The Business Year (TBY), in partnership with The Qatari Businesswomen Association (QBWA). The event, titled ‘Female Voices & the Qatari Economy’, was held to commemorate International Women’s Day in Qatar. The welcome note was given by QBWA vice chairwoman Aisha Hussain Alfardan, while the keynote speech was delivered by Sheikha Alanoud bint Hamad al-Thani, deputy CEO of Qatar Financial Centre (QFC). Alfardan lauded the achievements of women in Qatar and the efforts in furthering initiatives and objectives that would help support and promote women’s participation in economic development. Sheikha Alanoud said, “I am encouraged, though, that here in Qatar the future is bright. Our workforce is eager and growing. Qatari women outnumber men in higher education, and participation of women in STEM education fields in Qatar is nearly 50% higher than the global average. “Women in Qatar also outnumber men in creating new small businesses – the Qatar Business Incubation Centre, for example, has incubated more than 50 women-led companies since it was launched.” The discussion revolved around topics, such as education for women’s empowerment, digitalisation and the role of women in Qatar, sports as an engine for growth after the World Cup, and developments in Qatar’s healthcare sector. The experts include Machaille al-Naimi, president of Community Development, Qatar Foundation (QF); Fatma al-Nuaimi, Communications executive director at Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC); Dr Muna al-Maslamani, medical director, Communicable Diseases Centre of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC); and Lana Khalaf, country general manager, Microsoft. Nataly Almanza Madrid, country manager, The Business Year, was the moderator of the discussion. "As an organization dedicated to unlocking human potential, Qatar Foundation has an important responsibility to empower and give opportunity to the entire community of Qatar, and a special responsibility to lead and exemplify the empowerment of all, including women. Our ecosystem, and our values, are characterized by openness, diversity, and inclusivity. At Qatar Foundation, we are committed to empowering women through education, providing greater opportunities in university enrolment, business and entrepreneurship, science and technology, research and innovation, and many other fields,"  al-Naimi said. According to al-Maslaman, in the past two decades, Qatar witnessed an increase in higher education, which led to more opportunities for women to get employed and participate in economic development here and across the region. She said this also helped advance women’s career paths, giving them the chance to occupy high leadership positions in different sectors in Qatar. Education has been a significant factor for women to be part of Qatar’s Shura Council, al-Maslaman emphasised. Al-Nuaimi said all preparations for the World Cup are “on track” and that all competition venues are ready. She said the SC is also focusing on delivering the best fan experience during the games. Khalaf said Microsoft is giving its best efforts to provide the “latest and greatest” technology to enable, whether the smart stadiums or the workforce involved in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, as well as the fan experience, which is critical in showing the country’s hospitality and its “amazing resiliency.”    

Hypermarket chain LuLu is open to working with startups in Qatar for the development of different solutions for a variety of applications, according to Dr Mohamed Althaf, director, LuLu Group International. Speaking to Gulf Times, Althaf said many innovative startups have made their presence in the Qatari market. “We hope they could get the much-needed support, and we are looking for ways on how we could collaborate with them,” he noted. “There are a lot of encouraging signs in Qatar; a lot of startup companies are going to the country, and we hope that Qatar would attract more startups to come here. These companies should not be specific to the retail sector. Because today, every business is interconnected. “For example, whatever developments that happen to fintech or to other sectors, they would indirectly benefit our payment solutions. Fulfilment solutions worldwide are used for logistics or in electronic processing; it is the same technology that even we will be using,” Althaf explained. Althaf noted that LuLu is keen to work with startups and app developers to explore solutions in the field of delivery, payments, or even in traceability, stating that it is possible to digitally trace “almost anything” from a company’s carbon footprint to organic certifications. “We are in talks with some people who really provide umbrella startup services. We are not looking for retail solutions only – it could be any type of solution that could be developed in digital marketing, payments, food wastage control, and carbon footprint, among many others,” he clarified. Earlier, Althaf had told Gulf Times that LuLu will establish Qatar’s first robotic fulfilment centre, adding that the company is almost in the final stages of negotiations with one of the most advanced, cutting-edge robotics companies in Europe. He also said LuLu is getting the hardware for reverse vending machines (RVMs) for plastic bottles. “At some point, we want that to be integrated with some software or app that is available, processed, and made in Qatar,” he said, adding that the hypermarket will be implementing self-scan checkouts. “I think at some point all these things should be done by an algorithm and with robots. One thing that we're going to do is to automate all our shelf reading, and based on a robotic and automated system, it will tell you the items that are out of stock, so we are discussing automating that part of our business,” Althaf emphasised. He said, “I believe all these ecosystems should come together. Every business today is part of the knowledge-based economy. The food sector is a high-tech business. Every technology is useful; drone technology has been widely used in the military. “But today, drones are being used in warehouses for stocktaking. Drones are also being used in many sectors, such as in agriculture. Similarly, every technology that is evolving will have an impact on us.”    

Qatar’s overall entrepreneurship ecosystem is changing thanks to the country’s rapid digital acceleration efforts, which has been benefiting many fintechs, tech-based companies, and other startups, according to Doha Bank CEO Dr R Seetharaman. “This year is going to be a major breakthrough for Qatar. It is a defining moment; priorities will be visible, so the opportunities for entrepreneurs are there and they only need to take advantage of what the government is offering to them. “This is an advantage for entrepreneurs in terms of guaranteed access to funding as long as their ideas and companies have value creation,” Seetharaman told Gulf Times on the sidelines of a session titled ‘Convergence of Conventional Banking with New-Age Fintech Startups’ hosted recently by Startup Grind Doha. According to Seetharaman, Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup “is designed to deliver sustainable value creation.” “Digital acceleration is a way of sustainability. The whole world will be stunned by this digital acceleration embedded in the World Cup. You will find innovation within the frame. I think that will reignite and set a very high standard for the World Cup itself. “By bringing the World Cup here, you will have much more digital acceleration in the coming days through multiple tools. Through innovation, new technology will evolve,” Seetharaman explained. Seetharaman also said digital acceleration is also redefining Qatar’s banking system. In the financial services sector, banks will have to collaborate because the different mechanisms in terms of different facets of banking are being transformed, he stressed. “Technology is an integral part of society’s way of life. Trade will change; buyers and sellers will come together. Fintechs will become partners in the banking frame. It applies to every industry. You have to change the business model; that's the need of the hour,” he said. In the same way, Seetharaman said entrepreneurs and owners of small companies should embrace digital transformation to cope with the changing times. “Every entrepreneur, in today’s context, has to realise that digital convergence is a must so that he has got direct access to the global market – that's the principle-centred value this new revolution is giving. There’s a new world order. Let us embrace the technology, work with partners, and let us collaborate more,” he pointed out. On Qatar’s entrepreneurial culture in 2022, Seetharaman said: “I think you'll find more and more innovators, and entrepreneurship will flourish, so I am confident that 2022 will be a major driver for innovation for Qatar. And you'll have more entrepreneurship assuming in the coming days. We invite young minds to partake in this great movement of digital convergence.”    

German companies are keen to cooperate with Qatar, especially beyond the 2022 FIFA World Cup, in sectors like e-mobility, solar energy, and hydrogen, as well as other environmentally-sound and sustainable strategies, German ambassador Dr Claudius Fischbach said yesterday on the occasion of Dorsch’s 10th anniversary in Qatar and 70th worldwide. “The presence of Dorsch in Qatar for the past 10 years is an example of the engagement of German companies here, especially in the environmental field, such as their project in Lusail, which is practically a city of the future,” Fischbach told Gulf Times on the sidelines of the anniversary celebrations held in West Bay. “This is an ideal example of how German companies can contribute to the reduction of CO2 and the carbon footprint of this country. Other German countries, such as Siemens, have done the same thing. This company is contributing to the first solar energy plant in this country think,” he stressed Fischbach said, “Hydrogen is a very important energy for the future. We think gas is a bridging technology and it plays its role; right now we see in Europe how much we need gas and where do we get the gas from. It's important; nobody doubts that gas is more environmentally-friendly than all the other fossil energies. That is true and it's especially true for Qatari LNG. But still, we need to achieve net-zero in the end, which we can only achieve with other technologies like wind, biomass, and hydrogen.” According to Fischbach, many other German companies helped in the construction of mega-projects in Qatar, such as the tram in Msheireb and in Lusail, as well as in many fields. “We are very willing to do more in the field of sustainable development. What we wish for is that Qatar might, for instance, be even more active in the field of future technologies, such as hydrogen, and there are so many German companies that would love to cooperate as they do in other Gulf countries in order to promote this energy of the future,” he emphasised. On Qatar’s pledge to invest €10bn in Germany, which was announced by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in 2018, Fisbach said he is expecting to see “more investments in the near future by Qatari companies.” Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani said more German companies are investing in Qatar, especially in the Free Zones, as well as other locations across the country. “Our role as Qatar Chamber is to market Qatar to the international community. This year, as the world economies are recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are expecting more international delegations to arrive in Doha. We are also looking at sending Qatari business delegations to meet with our international partners,” he said. Dorsch Qatar general manager Hossam Korra said the company has gained milestones through its flagship project in Lusail City since its establishment here in 2012. The 3,500-hectare project will be home to around 450,000 people and includes commercial and residential areas with open spaces and parks. “We thank the leaders and the citizens of Qatar in giving us the chance to achieve the highest standards of prosperity for all residents as a part of Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims to lead the country into a post-oil future,” Korraa stressed.

The Centre for Social Development (Nama) on Thursday launched the activities of its ‘Social Entrepreneurship Programme’, in co-operation with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). The programme, which will run until March 2, aims to empower young people and workers, and to build their capacities in social work field. Its main objective is to build the capacities of young Qatari men and women, aged 20 to 35 years, in the field of social development work, thus empowering them and developing their scientific knowledge and skills. The Social Entrepreneurship Programme will provide Qatari youth with a unique opportunity to learn about leading best practices in major international institutions and companies in this domain. They will benefit from practical contact, increase their knowledge in this perspective, and enhance their professional practices and performances. The participants will undergo two basic stages on developing the capacities of institutions and youth, and enhancing their role in the field of social work, consisting of a training phase and the ‘Training of Trainers’. The programme will focus on several main axes: the most important concepts of social work, its moral principles, and its link to human rights and social responsibility. It will also focus on providing the appropriate environment to increase the effectiveness of youth participation in social work and to enhance their skills. Ahmed al-Kuwari, CEO of Qatar Foundation for Social Work, said: “There is no doubt that social work is one of the most wonderful acts in line with the principles of our religion and human nature in general. It is all about righteousness, piety, benefiting others, and contributing effectively to solve many social problems facing society. “And based on our vision to develop our society and consolidate its foundations altogether, we are doing our best to enhance the welfare of our people, look after their health, build the capabilities of human cadres and the skills of their children, and serve them through our centres. We are specialised in family stability support, orphan care, child and women protection, youth empowerment, care and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, and caring for the elderly.” Nama executive director Saba al-Fadala underscored the value of co-operating with the Gender Justice, Population and Inclusive Development cluster at ESCWA. She said, “We are proud to strengthen our partnership with ESCWA as the result of the great success of our joint experience in introducing the ‘Sawari’ Social Entrepreneurs Development Programme; and we thank Ooredoo, our Platinum sponsor in this programme. “Today, we are going the extra mile reinforcing this co-operation through which our visions are aligned and our efforts are combined to make a real difference in the lives of our community's people, guided by the global plans and sustainable development goals, with the human element as the most important pillar.” Al-Fadala added: “We are moving together through these efforts to create more opportunities for our generation today and our promising youth, paving the way for broader horizons and better opportunities for future generations.” Maryam al-Marri, head of Youth-Capacity Building Department at Nama, said: “We are very pleased to launch the activities of the vocational training programme, which frames our continuous efforts to enhance the capabilities of young men and women in Qatari society. “It is worthy to note that this stems from our strategic vision based on understanding the challenges facing Qatari youth, and helping them to overcome these challenges in order to be active in society while supporting Qatar’s aim towards a knowledge-based economy in the framework of Qatar National Vision 2030.” She added: “The workshops aim to raise awareness among the participants about human rights issues in general and social justice. They will also review the most important qualities and competencies of the social worker in Qatar. We hope that this programme will achieve its desired goals in the short and long term.” Nama was established in 1996 in line with the mission of Qatar Foundation for Social Work. Its main vision is to encourage the youth to invest in a system of training programmes that enhance their skills and knowledge and qualify them to contribute to modern society. The centre offers several development projects in the field of social work, entrepreneurship, and social entrepreneurship to achieve its strategy based on promoting social work and consolidating social leadership, as well as expanding the options available to young people to participate in this field.    

Sri Lanka is playing a significant role in the food security needs of Qatar amidst steady growth in its local and expatriate population and the imminent influx of millions of tourists for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, according to a top business leader. “Qatar’s population is growing and as we come close to hosting the World Cup by the end of this year, LuLu is diversifying the State’s sources of food different nationalities, so from a food security perspective, Sri Lanka is a reliable partner, Dr Mohamed Althaf, director, LuLu Group International, told Gulf Times. Through LuLu’s sourcing facility in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, Althaf said Sri Lanka is able to export fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as other food products to Qatar. “This is an ideal strategy because Sri Lanka has the same food basket as that of other Southeast Asian countries. Whenever we have supply issues with other countries, Sri Lanka can be a very good support source,” Althaf explained. This was also echoed by Sri Lankan ambassador Mohamed Mafaz Mohideen, who stressed that LuLu’s direct dealings with local suppliers are not only generating employment and business for Sri Lankan farmers, food producers, and SMEs, but giving them access to the Qatari market, thus improving both countries’ bilateral trade exchange. Qatar-Sri Lanka bilateral trade stood at “$90mn” in 2021, according to Mohideen, who noted that he expects business relations with Sri Lankan manufacturers and traders to expand across many different sectors. The ambassador emphasised that in terms of food security, the export of Sri Lanka’s vast agricultural products “will help stabilise the country’s food market.” He stressed that LuLu and Sri Lanka’s partnership helped guarantee the steady and uninterrupted supply of goods to Qatar from Sri Lankan producers. Althaf said LuLu has started its private label in its sourcing facility in Colombo, as well as contract manufacturing. He said not only is the hypermarket chain able to provide the needs of the Sri Lankan community here, but LuLu also caters to expatriates and citizens' food and non-food requirements. “We are also looking at some lines that people don’t traditionally associate with Sri Lanka, such as large organic varieties of coconuts and organic vegetables and similar items. Through our textile section, LuLu now offers a variety of quality saris and other women’s garments from Sri Lanka. “We are also handling skin care products based on organic vegetable oils and other products. The customer response was very good. At least 80% of these products are not aimed only at Sri Lankans; they are meant for the general customer. Once travel abroad picks up and the flight frequencies increase, we hope to have more products from Sri Lanka coming in,” said Althaf. He added: “We are busy exporting a wide range of products. Our facility in Colombo is doing a lot of local level coordination there, as well as quality control operational procedures like what we have done in our facilities in other countries. “Our target is to expand our sourcing base, so we can make sure that good quality products are available consistently and without any disruptions. Sri Lanka is now adding more items to our customer base in Qatar, such as textiles, handicrafts, and organic skincare items.”

An innovative ‘speech tech’ startup is aiming to lead the market in Arabic speech recognition that supports 19 dialects. “The smaller market of Arabic speakers versus English speakers and the dialectal challenges of Arabic have limited voice technology in the region,” said Ryan Carmichael, chief executive officer of Kanari AI. Kanari AI is a recipient of the Tech Venture Fund (TVF) from Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), part of Qatar Foundation's (QF’s) Research, Development and Innovation (QF RDI). The company licensed its core technology from Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI), part of QF’s Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU). Carmichael said Kanari AI was launched in 2020 to provide innovative Arabic speech recognition that recognises individual dialects in audio and video files to convert them to written text. “We created the leading dialectal Arabic speech recognition platform in the market to detect 19 Arabic dialects in one global model. This covers 95% of the market, so this really sets us apart from the competition,” he explained. According to Carmichael, written and spoken Arabic takes many forms – from accents to linguistic inflections and regional dialects. It is assumed that there are at least 22 dialects of Arabic in circulation today, he said. “Perhaps due to its complexity, many tech companies have avoided making Arabic a central focus of their R&D and services. This includes popular speech recognition platforms,” Carmichael noted. Reflecting on the Qatari market’s unique features and how startups like Kanari AI can succeed within it, Carmichael said: “The first thing that comes to mind is ‘partnership’. Qatar is a smaller market – but it is immensely meaningful. “By having the support of QSTP and QCRI, startups gain immediate validation, which helps onboard initial customers. Just one customer in one vertical can help with the initial traction and growth that startups need.” Kanari AI stood out as one of the promising outputs of QSTP’s Research to Startup (RTS) programme, a unique platform that links entrepreneurs with QF RDI’s Industry Development and Knowledge Transfer office, research institutes, and the TVF team. “The pre-seed investment allowed us to hire the right team to complete our tech transfer and prepare our products for commercialisation. Having QSTP as an investor also helped us attract additional capital,” Carmichael said. Kanari AI has since developed new elements of its business model based on the core technology and has steadily grown its customer base partly due to the global demand for new communications technologies stimulated by the pandemic. “Covid-19 has actually helped the global speech recognition market as people interact more on virtual platforms – from online meetings to customer service. The opportunity for speech technology is everywhere,” Carmichael explained. Carmichael said Kanari AI is rapidly asserting itself as a leader in speech recognition in the Arabic-speaking world. Its partners range from the UN Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) Innovation Cell in support of peacemaking efforts in the MENA region through AI dialectal speech recognition, to government parliaments. An active participant across various startup platforms, Kanari AI was recently selected as one of 20 promising startups for the Alchemist Accelerator's 29th Demo Day, joining other promising early-stage ventures that monetise from enterprises. For Carmichael, Qatar’s innovation ecosystem laid the groundwork for Kanari AI’s success, particularly the collaboration and teamwork at QSTP. “On the tech side, licensing AI technology can be challenging because the core models are complex. The QCRI IP team did an excellent job ensuring that the technology was transferred and working properly,” Carmichael stressed. “On the investment side, we received capital support but also links to investors and partners. Launching a startup during a global pandemic is challenging to say the least. But the right partners understand that things do not always go as planned and can work with you to face the challenge,” he emphasised. Looking ahead, Carmichael wants to encourage other up-and-coming entrepreneurs to follow Kanari AI's footsteps and “take charge of their ideas.” He said, “Be honest about your current needs and challenges. Be patient with the process and ask for help when needed.” QSTP’s TVF is a strategic venture capital fund designed to support local innovative startups and attract international ones looking to scale in the region. The fund provides opportunities for local, regional, and global tech founders and entrepreneurs to source seed-stage funding and follow-on capital. It also seeks to lower the barriers to starting a tech venture within Qatar’s growing innovation ecosystem. To apply and learn more about QSTP’s TVF, visit https://qstp.org.qa/tech-venture-fund/. For more information on Kanari AI, visit https://kanari.ai. Ends    

Qatar is expected to emerge as a major player for key industrial sectors in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) and the Middle East this year, according to a Qatari entrepreneur. Speaking to Gulf Times on Sunday, Farhan al-Sayed, who is also the president of the Qatar-Indonesia Business Council (QIBC), said not only is the State of Qatar considered “one of the most attractive nations globally,” but many countries had been gravitating towards Qatar as an investment destination. Since it was announced that Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, al-Sayed said many countries and international companies have benefited from the multi-billion projects related to the staging of the games – a first in the Middle East. “Qatar’s ability to attract many international partners will play a pivotal role in the GCC region and the Middle East as a business hub in redistribution, manufacturing, logistics, and other key sectors. “Aside from the state-of-the-art Hamad Port, Qatar also has the world-class Hamad International Airport, which provides connectivity to different cargo and passenger destinations worldwide.” Al-Sayed lauded the government for passing new laws and other legal reforms, as well as streamlining policies to make doing business in the country easy and attract foreign direct investments (FDI). By raising its liquefied natural gas (LNG) capacity, Qatar’s energy sector places a significant contribution to the country’s GDP, said al-Sayed, adding that the “economy will grow faster than expected.” “Qatar is definitely witnessing an economic boom this year, assisted by high oil and natural gas prices. Not only is GDP expected to grow this year, but Qatar’s population is also on the rise as the country gears up for the World Cup games,” al-Sayed pointed out, adding that the hospitality, retail, and tourism sectors, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, are bracing for the influx of tourists in the run-up to the FIFA World Cup. “Under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Qatar was able to withstand the challenges of a tough and prolonged pandemic. This has been achieved by having one of the highest standards of healthcare, one of the highest vaccinated populations in the world, uninterrupted supply chain of goods, which kept the markets stocked, complemented by the services and support of Qatar Airways and Hamad Port,” he said.    

A major hypermarket chain in Qatar will establish the country’s first robotic fulfilment centre as part of plans to offer fully-automated services and solutions for consumers here, according to a top official. “LuLu is also now almost in the final stages of negotiations with one of the most advanced, cutting-edge robotics companies in Europe. We want to make this first robotic fulfilment centre in Qatar,” said Dr Mohamed Althaf, director, LuLu Group International. Speaking to Gulf Times, Althaf said the fully-automated facility is expected to be completed before the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The project was borne out of LuLu’s digital transformation strategy, he stressed. “LuLu has been quick to adapt to the needs of the market since the 2017 Gulf crisis and, especially, during the Covid-19 pandemic. We have added more delivery vehicles and we are upgrading our digital platforms almost on a monthly basis. “But we know that this is not sufficient to keep pace with whatever is happening in the market, so right now we are going for fully-automated, robotic solutions. We have already identified a space along Salwa Road. We are also in negotiations for a location in the Qatar Free Zones,” Althaf explained. He said the digital transformation of the business is LuLu’s largest project in Qatar this year. The company is targeting that at least 20% to 25% of its transactions should be through e-commerce and omnichannel platforms. Althaf said he believes the move would even support and complement LuLu’s brick-and-mortar services. “LuLu is not a digital-native company, so we are not only focusing on e-commerce. It’s about being omnichannel. Other than ‘last minute delivery’, we are also looking at ‘curbside delivery’, ‘order-from-home and pick-up from store’, and other solutions. We are working with some of the world’s leading cutting-edge solution providers to achieve this,” he pointed out. Althaf said the facility has a scalable model, giving it sufficient room for expansion in the future. Also, the project aims to address key issues, such as the picking speed for items ordered by customers. “Currently, our picking speed is a major challenge, which is why we are building an automated shopping assistant to better improve our picking speed by 40% to 50%. And because this facility is fully-automated, we can refocus and maximise our manpower to other essential operational tasks,” he emphasised. Althaf noted that around 10 to 15 years ago, the grocery and retail industry, including consumers, were slow to adapt to digitalisation. However, the Gulf crisis and the pandemic accelerated Qatar’s digital transformation “10 times faster than what was anticipated,” he said. “There were a couple of things that we understood from these challenges. The first one is scalability, while the second is that economic headwinds offer opportunity and a sense of urgency. We also realised that digital transformation is essential for our business,” Althaf added.

* A Qatar-based fintech startup seeks to redefine retail ecosystem A Qatar-based fintech startup is aiming to redefine the retail ecosystem through innovative business-to-customer marketing and to revolutionise the retail industry through digital transformation. Spendwisor, which is part of the Qatar Financial Centre’s (QFC) fintech circle, has introduced a retail industry-led mobile wallet, and mobile POS (mPOS) integrated loyalty programme that transforms the retail ecosystem by providing an innovative digital platform that accepts mobile payments and rewards shoppers with points and cashback. Data from Spendwisor indicated that many consumers globally are unaware that they hold “$360bn” worth of unused loyalty points in their wallets. Spendwisor co-founder & CEO Safarudheen Farook noted that the company’s mission is to democratise the reward points and provide freedom for shoppers and profit for retailers. With Spendwisor, retailers can use the app to accept mobile payments, create cashback campaigns, and issue loyalty points, said Farook, who was one of the industry experts participating in a panel discussion during the ‘1st Arab Fintech Forum’ held in Doha last year. “Our algorithm tailors the reward programme according to a customer’s shopping habits. Combining payment and loyalty programmes into a single platform lets merchants use the payment data to target the right shoppers and reach them directly,” Farook explained. Spendwisor co-founder Khalid Easa N A al-Kaabi said, “We are on the verge of revolutionising the retail industry and the entire shopping experience by introducing a one-of-its-kind mobile payment platform where every shopper earns a cash reward instantly after shopping for their favourite brands. “Furthermore, the reward shoppers earn is ‘brand agnostic’ and can be used or redeemed at any brand, thus providing the complete freedom to earn and spend their rewards.” Spendwisor has been registered in Qatar Financial Center since July 2020 with a presence in the US and the UK, and offers a unique experience to customers and retailers, said Farook, who added that the company has achieved significant milestones, such as winning the 2nd prize in DIC’s ‘Idea Camp’ competition in 2021, and has established itself as a leading fintech startup in Qatar and the Middle East region.

Qatar and Indonesia’s respective business councils are working to stage a business dialogue slated this coming March aimed to enhance bilateral trade and economic ties of both countries, according to officials. Indonesia-Qatar Business Council (IQBC) president Hendra Hartono Turman told Gulf Times on Monday that his team is working with Qatar-Indonesia Business Council (QIBC) president Farhan al-Sayed to conduct the dialogue under the theme ‘Optimising Bilateral Collaboration Between Indonesia & Qatar: Recover Together – Recover Stronger’. According to the event’s Terms of Reference (TOR), the event will be held on the occasion of Indonesia’s assumption of the G20 presidency this year. “Departing from various other multilateral forums, the G20 agenda and activities are established by the rotating presidencies, in co-operation with the membership. As agreed at the Riyadh Summit 2020, Indonesia will assume the G20 presidency in 2022, with the baton passed from Italy at the Rome Summit in October 30-31, 2021. Through the theme ‘Recover Together – Recover Stronger’, Indonesia invites the whole world to work together, recover together, and grow stronger and sustainably together,” the TOR stated. The TOR noted that the priority agenda of the Indonesian G20 presidency in 2022 includes the following objectives: exit strategy to support recovery, addressing the scarring effect to secure future growth, payment system in the digital era, sustainable finance, and digital financial inclusion. Turman said the IQBC supports these objectives and the success of the G20, adding that the council sees the potential for co-operation in the fields of Shariah and non-Shariah investments, FDI, and green investment; creative economy and digital economy applications to provide easy access and increase the economy; Medical tourism, education, and sports to improve the quality of these sectors for both parties; and trade of industrial products, especially products of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and co-operative actors. Turman said the 2022 FIFA World Cup is an opportunity for Indonesia to participate in various supporting roles. “It is hoped that after this business dialogue, concrete agreements could be forged. The results of the agreements will be conveyed at a business summit scheduled in August 2022,” he said. The business dialogue will be held using hybrid platforms with the participation of IQBC and QIBC members, government officials and representatives, and the Indonesian and Qatari business community, Turman explained. Some of the objectives of the dialogue would include the following strategies and initiatives: ways for all parties to collaborate on strategies needed on sustaining economic activity, as well as a recommendation for a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and agreement on several key initiatives between all parties, Turman said. “Indonesia is ready to contribute to the success of the World Cup by fulfilling its supporting needs. The business council can provide selected products, human resources, and support services so that the World Cup and Qatar's economic activities can run well. “In terms of trade with Qatar, Indonesia hopes to reach the 2020 figure of $200mn and maintain an average growth of 38% in 2022. Several initiatives that will be carried out in 2022 are related to strengthening self-sufficiency programmes and e-commerce,” Turman added. Al-Sayed said, “We would like to create stronger and vibrant connectivity between Indonesia and Qatar, whose investments in the Southeast Asian nation are also growing, especially in the telecoms sector. “We are inviting Indonesian investors to explore Qatar’s business climate. Staging regular business forums will bolster further trade relations and create a platform for companies to connect and forge agreements leading to economic growth.”    

Access to funding, balancing work and family life, and gender disparity are among the many challenges facing women in business, according to female industry experts during a recently held webinar. Hosted by the Founder Institute, the virtual forum titled ‘Women’s Roundtable: Starting, Growing, Scaling a Business’, “aims to give women a space to share and join conversations on the challenges of male-dominated entrepreneurial ecosystems,” said Dr Hanan el-Basha, founder, empowering business strategist, The Business Doctor. El-Basha, who moderated the discussion, was joined by Nadine Zerrini, Innovation Fund manager, Harvard University; Astrid Chedid, regional director for LAC and Spain, Annual Investment Meeting; Sophie Smith, founder and CEO, Nabta Health; Dr Luana Ozemela, founder and investor, DIMA; and Sondos Alkhraisha, founder, Educarso. Citing a report on investment into female-founded companies in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, Smith said that while the region had “a record year” in 2021 with over $2bn in investments, “only a measly 1.2%” went into female-founded companies. “And about an additional 7% went to co-led companies, which is, from a female-founded perspective, roughly half proportionately what it was two years ago,” continued Smith, adding that the Covid-19 pandemic also had an adverse effect on the ability for women to secure venture capital. “At the moment, there’s a real problem in the ecosystem with women finding it very difficult to secure funding at the pre-seed and seed stages, which is when, as a business and as a founder, you’d be judged purely based on your potential. Smith added: “We need to get women through the pre-seeding stages and to make sure that they stick to their guns in terms of how they value themselves and their companies and the amounts they want to raise – the better it would be for female-founded businesses in the region.” According to Chedid, access to funding is “one of the biggest challenges” for female entrepreneurs. She said the issue has been a longstanding obstacle for women “to the point that it is almost accepted by everyone.” She further stressed that aside from the financial aspects of running a business, other challenges include managing family and other domestic responsibilities amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Chedid stressed that sharing information and best practices on internal and external business dynamics are important to prepare other female entrepreneurs for the variety of challenges that women would encounter when running a company. Citing statistics from the World Economic Forum, Ozemela said it would take “108 years” to achieve global gender parity. In the Mena region, she said gender parity would take “153 years” and “165 years” in North America. Ozemela said a recent presentation made in Qatar showed that “about 48%” of graduates of STEM fields are women. “We know that it’s no longer a ‘pipeline problem’ – we have the pipeline. But now, how do we effectively tap the talent pool that we are producing?” she asked. Citing cultural values and age-old traditions, Zerrini said it is very difficult for women to find a career-oriented mindset. “I don’t think that this is encouraged. We do need more role models in the Mena region for us to show that this can be done,” she said. Zerrini added that there is “a very big disparity” between the male and female gender gap in terms of digital information or digital skilling and up-skilling, AI, and access to the Internet and mobile Internet, among others. Alkhraisha also added that among the main challenges for female entrepreneurs is looking for the right amount of funding to scale or accelerate the growth of their respective businesses.    

Qatar’s growing economy and population are providing farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the South Asian country access to a wider market in the Gulf region, Sri Lankan ambassador Mohamed Mafaz Mohideen has said. “There is a huge demand for Sri Lankan exports to Qatar, as well as even from a labour point of view because the economy here is expanding, so our exports, especially in the agriculture sector, will continue to grow,” Mohideen told Gulf Times on the sidelines of the recently launched ‘Taste of Sri Lanka’ festival, which will run until February 11 at all LuLu Hypermarkets across Qatar. The ambassador said Sri Lanka’s partnership with LuLu is providing Sri Lankan SMEs and farmers access to the Qatari market, which is expected to keep growing in the coming period. He said LuLu’s warehouse in Colombo gives the hypermarket chain direct access to producers and farmers, enabling LuLu to tap into the industry and pay farmers and SMEs fair market value. “And we've seen this business grow year-on-year; throughout the pandemic, it grew 100%, so there's every reason to believe that this business can grow multiple folds in the coming years. “As Qatar’s economy and population grow, so does the demand, which is why there's no reason why Sri Lankan manufacturers and traders shouldn't expect business to expand across many different sectors. If you’re taking the wider economy here, I'm hoping other products and sectors like rubber and gems could come and play a big part, as well, in the coming years, he said. According to Mohideen, Sri Lanka sees the 2022 FIFA World Cup as an opportunity for the South Asian nation to boost bilateral trade relations with Qatar. In 2021, Qatar-Sri Lanka bilateral trade stood at $90mn, he said. In terms of food security, Mohideen said exporting Sri Lankan produce to Qatar will help stabilise the country’s food market. “Through the pandemic, Sri Lanka and LuLu were able to work with Sri Lankan producers without any interruption. I hope in the coming years we're able to add to this business and hopefully grow it,” he said. In LuLu, more than 350 Sri Lankan items are being sold in their hypermarkets across the country. This year, Mohideen said saris from Sri Lanka are now available in LuLu stores. “That’s a great addition not only to the range of Sri Lankan brands in Qatar, but it also gives another manufacturing sector the opportunity to come here and, hopefully, create a new market,” he added.