QC chairman hails leadership’s confidence in private sector

HE the Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani paid tribute to the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani during the opening of the 48th session of the Shura Council on the need for the state to increase the contribution of the private sector in major projects in the future.He added that the private sector appreciates the high trust placed by His Highness the Amir in this sector, while pledging that the private sector should be responsible and at the level of confidence of the wise leadership, and work to contribute effectively to the strength and durability of the national economy.He pointed out that His Highness the Amir’s speech provided important data regarding the economy of the country overcoming of the effects of the continuation of the unjust blockade and that Qatar’s GDP at current prices in 2018 grew by 15% and non-hydrocarbon GDP by about 9%.  The chairman appreciated the keenness of His Highness the Amir to enhance the role of the private sector in economic activity, through issuing a law for partnership between the public and private sectors, as well as the recent laws and legislation that support the private sector indirectly, such as laws on the regulation of food stocks and strategy, and the law to support the competitiveness of national products and combat harmful trade practices.He praised the speech’s focus on protecting the national production achieved by the local industry while controlling the quality and improving production at the same time.He explained that the Qatari private sector has benefited greatly from the economic diversification plans pursued by the State, and worked hard to be able to win the confidence of the State as a real partner of the public sector in economic development.He added that it was evidenced by the figures mentioned by His Highness the Amir in his speech which indicate that the private sector has contributed to major projects amounting to QR27bn during the past five years.The chairman pointed out the importance of the speech of His Highness the Amir, which affirmed the national sovereignty and the constants of the Qatari policy, and dealt with various Arab and international issues and the foreign policy of the State in dealing with those issues, as well as local issues, most notably the development of democratic practice through the preparation of the Shura Council elections. He also added that His Highness the Amir has stressed that the announcement of the date of the elections will be after the Supreme Committee for the Shura Council elections finished its work in preparing for the  elections