QNA/Doha

QCCI Chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani speaking to journalists at the opening of Made in Qatar exhibition.
Picture: Noushad Thekkayil
Chairman of Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani has urged authorities concerned to establish a supreme industrial development body to develop a general and comprehensive plan and strategy for Qatar in the next five years.
The authority should have members from various technical, financial and administrative institutions and investors and a cream of industrial leaders, he said, stressing that the industry should be placed at the top of government and the private sector list of priorities so that the industrial development becomes a target that everyone seeks to achieve.
Addressing a panel discussion on the sidelines of ‘Made in Qatar’ expo, the QCCI Chairman said that achieving industrial development can only be through identifying challenges of the development and addressing them, pointing to the existence of a variety of challenges.
Sheikh Khalifa lauded the efforts made by government bodies under the directives of the leadership to promote industrial sector in Qatar, referring to the efforts spared by the Ministry of Energy and Industry through the provision of industrial opportunities and necessary support for industrialists as well as its continuous co-operation with QCCI to resolve the problems and obstacles faced by industrialists.
He also praised the fund and soft loans provided by Qatar Development Bank to a number of industrial projects, while appreciating the QDB for adopting QCCI initiative to set up an agency to promote exports, in addition to other initiatives including ‘Al Dhameen’ which is designed to improve access to financing for SMEs.
Sheikh Khalifa also lauded the approval of the Council of Ministers for a proposal by QCCI to establish Qatar Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Authority. The QCCI Chairman extended sincere thanks to HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani for patronising and opening the ‘Made in Qatar’ exhibition, which contributed hugely to its size and level of participation.  ‘Made in Qatar’ exhibition features 180 companies from various sectors, which are grouped in four sections - manufacturing and food industries; petrochemicals, general, medium and small enterprises.