Qatar is reaping the rewards of the range of initiatives that the Qatari government had introduced to help make sectors of the local economy self-sufficient, Al Faisal Holding chairman Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani told Oxford Business Group (OBG).
Sheikh Faisal said the strategy was implemented to help ease the impact of the blockade and marked a shift away from previous practices among the GCC countries, when the primary aim had been preventing conflict or competition among member states.
“Major projects, such as Hamad Port, Ruwais Port, and Hamad International Airport provide additional access to the country, aiming to promote local and regional trade, as well as enhance the local economy.
“In addition, Qatar has established important strategic relationships with countries, including Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. This has led to Qatar developing long-term relationships that will last regardless of the blockade, and benefit the country’s economic growth and self-sufficiency,” Sheikh Faisal told OBG.
During the interview, Sheikh Faisal highlighted the opportunities emerging for businesses in Qatar as the country moves to launch collaborative initiatives between the public and private sectors, led by the food security project at Hamad Port.
Turning to the gap between demand and supply in Qatar’s real estate sector, he said prices had begun to correct themselves, which would stimulate buying and selling.
“Most companies have focused on the real estate sector during the economic boom. The sector has started to see adjustments in prices, which have declined by varying degrees according to area. Property prices are expected to become reasonably stable in the near future, which will reinforce market activity,” he said. The full interview with Sheikh Faisal will appear in ‘The Report: Qatar 2020’, OBG’s forthcoming report on the country’s economic development and investment opportunities.
Marking OBG’s 15th year of operations in the country, ‘The Report: Qatar 2020’ will contain interviews with high-level representatives from the public and private sectors, together with a detailed sector-by-sector guide for investors. It will assess trends and developments across the economy, including those in macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and others.
‘The Report: Qatar 2020’ will be produced with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Qatar Chamber. Marking the culmination of more than 12 months of field research by a team of analysts from OBG, the report will be available online and in print.
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani (file photo)
