The First Gulf Forum for Labour Market Skills, held under the theme From Empowerment to Leadership, recommended strengthening Gulf integration in skills development policies and preparing a unified Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) strategy in this field, as well as aligning education and training programmes more closely with labour market needs.Participants at the forum, organised by the Ministry of Labour (MOL) in partnership with the Executive Bureau of the GCC Council of Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs and University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST), called for investment in national talent, improved mechanisms for anticipating future skills needs, and measuring the impact of skills development programmes.The recommendations included considering the establishment of a joint GCC committee for skills development to prepare a unified strategy that keeps pace with technological change and evolving workplace requirements while enhancing national talent's readiness for the skills and jobs of the future.Participants stressed the importance of strengthening partnerships among educational and training institutions and the private sector, tailoring training programmes to the actual and anticipated needs of economic sectors, investing in professional, digital, and leadership skills, promoting targeted and sustainable localisation, and expanding career development opportunities for citizens in the private sector.The recommendations also called for a greater private-sector role in identifying required skills, designing training programmes, and providing learning and professional development opportunities to ensure that training outcomes meet job requirements.They further emphasised improving mechanisms to anticipate labour market needs, using data and indicators to identify future skills requirements, and continuously evaluating and improving the effectiveness of programmes and initiatives.Participants also called for the forum to be held annually, rotating among GCC member states, to sustain dialogue, exchange expertise, and strengthen Gulf co-ordination in addressing shared challenges related to the future of skills and work.The MOL's Assistant Undersecretary for National Manpower Affairs in the Private Sector Khames Mohammed al-Naimi underscored the importance of continued joint GCC efforts to develop skills systems and exchange expertise and successful practices among member states, enhancing national talent's readiness for changing labour market requirements.He stressed the need for continued co-ordination and complementary roles among government entities, educational and training institutions, and the private sector, and for translating visions and proposals into practical, measurable initiatives that deliver a sustainable impact on skills development and national workforce readiness.Al-Naimi also called for continued investment in people and the development of their ability to learn, adapt, and innovate in response to rapid advances in technology and digital transformation, while opening broader opportunities for GCC talent to contribute to development and shape the future.

The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is expanding its US presence and pursuing opportunities in several areas, chief executive Mohammed Saif al-Sowaidi said, stressing the importance of long-term investment and strategic partnerships. He said during a discussion with CNN’s Becky Anderson at the “Global Perspectives: In Doha” event, organised by CNN in collaboration with Media City Qatar, that the QIA is maintaining its investment pace despite regional geopolitical tensions, focusing on long-term opportunities in global markets while preparing to manage the expected growth in Qatar’s revenues from expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) production. “The leadership in Qatar established Qatar Investment Authority to be a long-term investment and preserve capital for the long term,” he stressed.Al-Sowaidi noted that the sovereign wealth fund remains active but selective in its investments, emphasising that its mandate is to preserve and grow national wealth for future generations. He acknowledged that a prolonged regional conflict could increase risks across financial markets, affecting inflation, logistics and infrastructure, but said the situation had not altered the fund’s investment pace. The official added that the QIA follows a structured approach in managing the relationship between the state’s fiscal policy and its investment policy, while maintaining appropriate safety margins and reserves. “This ensures the capacity to meet future obligations, including addressing the needs of current generations when necessary, without compromising the objective of preserving wealth for future generations,” he continued. According to the official, the US remains central to the QIA’s investment strategy as the fund prepares to deploy additional capital in line with Qatar’s anticipated LNG revenue growth. Commenting on the announced $500bn investment commitment in the US over the next 10 years, al-Sowaidi noted that this approach is linked to the scale of the US market and its standing in the global economy, as well as the broad range of investment opportunities across public and private equities, private credit, technology, and innovation. He said that the US accounts for approximately one-quarter of global GDP and holds a significant share of investable financial markets, making it a key destination in the QIA’s strategy to expand the scope of its investments and enhance the efficiency of its capital deployment. “This scale, combined with the country’s innovation ecosystem and depth of capital markets, makes it an important destination for the fund’s growing investment activity,” al-Sowaidi said. “The fund is also expanding its American operations,” he added. “Its New York office is expected to grow to around 40-45 employees within three years, strengthening its ability to work with companies and investment partners.”