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His Excellency the Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the President of the National Planning Council (NPC), Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, attended Sunday the second "National Development Forum: Social Development Pillar," organised by the NPC under the theme "Sustaining Prosperity in Qatari Society" at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.The forum was attended by a number of ministers and senior officials, along with leaders from the private sector, representatives of civil society, and local and international institutions operating in Qatar.The forum constitutes a national platform for discussing the pillar of social development, and the role of family, society and national identity in supporting the path of national prosperity.

Under the patronage of His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Chairman of the National Planning Council, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani the "National Development Forum: Social Development Pillar" will be held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center on Sunday.Organized by the National Planning Council (NPC) under the theme "Sustaining Prosperity in Qatari Society," the forum is part of a series of National Development Forums organized by the National Planning Council to foster open national dialogue on the priorities of the Third National Development Strategy (2024-2030), contributing to the realization of the aspirations of Qatar National Vision 2030 into tangible national outcomes.The forum will be attended by their excellencies the ministers, senior officials and representatives from the private sector, civil society and local and international organizations operating in the State of Qatar. It will serve as a national platform to discuss the pillar of social development and the role of family, community, and national identity in supporting the path of national prosperity.A panel discussion at the forum will feature HE Minister of Social Development and Family Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi; HE Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani; HE Minister of Public Health Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud; and HE Chairman of Qatar Tourism and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Visit Qatar, Saad bin Ali Al Kharji.This panel discussion will highlight the importance of developing a cohesive society where individuals enjoy a high quality of life and thrive on a spirit of participation and shared responsibility. The first theme of the discussion, "Continuing to Improve the Quality of Life for All Citizens and Residents," will review national efforts to enhance the quality of healthcare, expand social protection, support vulnerable groups, and promote active and healthy lifestyles for all.The second theme, "Strengthening Family and Community Cohesion for a Balanced and Resilient Life," will discuss the importance of family support policies and community initiatives that promote social cohesion and empower individuals to contribute to building a more resilient and balanced society.The third theme, "Preserving Qatari Culture and Identity in a Vibrant, Cohesive, and Open Society," will focus on the fundamental role of national culture, creativity, and heritage in strengthening Qatari identity and fostering a positive openness to the world. It will also highlight efforts to enhance Qatar's position as a leading cultural and tourist destination.HE Secretary-General of the National Planning Council, Dr. Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa stated that the forum underscores the importance of the family as the cornerstone of building a cohesive society that achieves the desired social progress within an environment that ensures a high quality of life. He emphasized that Qatar National Vision 2030 and successive national development strategies have consistently placed social development and the family at the heart of their development policies.He affirmed that ongoing, structured community dialogue is a fundamental pillar of the National Planning Council's work, noting that social progress is the cornerstone of the nation's prosperity."Through the National Development Forum on the pillar of social development, we emphasize that social welfare is not an end in itself, but rather a foundation for sustainable prosperity and a key driver for achieving Qatar National Vision 2030," His Excellency added.This forum embodies the National Planning Council's commitment to fostering a culture of dialogue and partnership among all stakeholders in development, and to unifying national efforts towards a more prosperous and sustainable future, where comprehensive development is an investment in and for people.

Qatar's economy-maintained growth in the second quarter of 2025 despite a challenging global context, with real GDP rising by 1.9% compared to the same period in 2024. This growth was driven primarily by non-hydrocarbon activities, which expanded by 3.4%.According to a statement issued by the National Planning Council (NPC) on Sunday, Qatar's economy registered real GDP growth of 1.9% year-on-year, reaching QR181.8bn at constant prices, compared to QR178.5bn in Q2 2024.Non-hydrocarbon activities accounted for 65.6% of real GDP, with value added reaching QR119.3bn in Q2 2025, compared to QR115.4bn in the same period of 2024. This reflects a year-on-year increase of 3.4%, underscoring the effectiveness of diversification policies outlined in the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3) and Qatar National Vision 2030.Within the non-hydrocarbon economy, the fastest-growing activities on a year-on-year basis were: agriculture, forestry and fishing (+15.8%); accommodation and food services (+13.4%); arts, entertainment and recreation (+8.9%); wholesale and retail trade (+8.8%), and Construction (+8.7%).These broad-based gains reflect ongoing investment in tourism, services, and specialised infrastructure, and strengthen the role of private sector activities in Qatar's economy.In total, 11 of 17 economic activities recorded positive real growth in Q2 2025, demonstrating the resilience of Qatar's economic base. Service-related activities such as accommodation, food services, and entertainment continued to expand strongly, reflecting sustained momentum in tourism and domestic demand.NPC noted that its National Statistics Center continues to refine its methods for measuring GDP, with recent revisions applied to Q1 2025 and Q2 2024 estimates. As part of ongoing efforts to align national accounts with international best practices (System of National Accounts 2008/2025), a comprehensive revision of Qatar's national accounts is underway and scheduled for completion by Q1 2026.NPC Secretary-General Dr Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak al-Khalifa emphasised the strength and resilience of Qatar's economic performance, noting the sustained expansion of non-hydrocarbon activities."These indicators reflect the progress of Qatar's economy, with non-hydrocarbon sectors recording notable growth that demonstrates the increasing diversification and stability of our national economy," he said."The current growth rates also point to additional opportunities for advancement. There remains significant potential that we aim to unlock through the Third National Development Strategy, which will continue to drive sustainable economic growth and create distinctive investment and entrepreneurial opportunities for the private sector," al-Khalifa added.

The Statistical and Data Training Centre at the National Planning Council (NPC), in co-operation with Qatar Foundation (QF), has concluded a specialised training programme entitled ‘Economic Statistics for Managers: From Data to Decisions’.The initiative, held at QF headquarters, was part of national efforts to enhance government efficiency and advance knowledge-based sustainable development, a statement said.The aim is to qualify government leaders in economic fields, empowering them to effectively utilise data and statistics to impact public policies.The programme focused on developing skills for using data efficiently as a fundamental element in improving institutional performance and enhancing decision-making effectiveness.It is also a significant step towards qualifying national cadres and developing their capabilities in statistical leadership, as well as building integrated, collaborative systems for data exchange among various entities. The programme emphasised the importance of building trust in government data as a cornerstone for ensuring effective governance.It highlighted the pivotal role of integration and data exchange between institutions, and encouraged the adoption of modern tools and techniques in future planning.This reinforces the concept of leadership empowerment in the field of data, which enables leaders to support national decisions with accurate and reliable information. The intensive six-day programme covered several key themes, including: fundamentals of data and statistics, national statistical system, statistical literacy for executive leaders, data integration and ethics, statistical data management, strategic leadership, and roadmap design.Hessa Ali al-Malki, director of the Statistical and Data Training Centre at NPC, said: “Organising the programme with Qatar Foundation strengthens our partnerships with the country’s leading academic institutions.”QF’s talent management director Sheikha Ghalia al-Thani, said: “This initiative is part of our strategic co-operation with national institutions, reflecting QF’s steadfast commitment to enhancing national capabilities through knowledge exchange and leadership development across various sectors.”

The National Planning Council (NPC) has concluded the "Data Summer Camp 2025" organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and Youth (MSY), represented by the Qatar Scientific Club (QSC).The camp was held over five days at the Club’s headquarters in Doha.The camp welcomed 125 participants who had the opportunity to explore Qatar’s Open Data Portal, which hosts more than 1,100 datasets covering various economic, social, and service sectors.They also worked on developing innovative solutions, including interactive dashboards using Microsoft Power BI, smart applications, and predictive models based on artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms.These efforts strengthened their ability to link real-world challenges with modern digital tools and implement projects that contribute to the Qatar National Vision 2030.The programme featured specialised workshops, practical exercises, and applied projects inspired by the needs and development aspirations of Qatari society.This enriched the participants’ experience and enhanced their skills in deriving analytical insights and effectively utilising data.During the closing ceremony, the top three winning teams in both categories, high school and university students aged 15-22, were honoured.The ceremony included final presentations by the shortlisted teams, where participants presented their projects designed to provide practical solutions aligned with the pillars of the Qatar National Vision 2030.In the high school category, Team Mesaieed won first place for a project on using solar energy in households to reduce natural gas consumption and contribute to the transition toward renewable energy and sustainable development.Team Smaisma secured second place for a project proposing solutions to prevent water waste and showcasing datasets that could help raise awareness of this critical issue.Team Al Sadd came third with a project analysing the number of students with disabilities and the dedicated staff supporting them.In the university category, Team Tamkeen claimed first place for a project creating a platform for persons with disabilities aimed at reducing employment gaps compared to their peers.Team Al Khor came second for a project analysing national databases to identify the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions and electricity consumption, providing insights to integrate renewable energy sources and implement measures to reduce Qatar’s carbon footprint.Team Reginald won third place for a project analysing Qatar’s import and export activities using Harmoniszed System (HS) codes and linking them to a *CO₂ emissions database, enabling precise and targeted environmental analysis.The director of the NPC’s National Data Affairs Department, Maha Rashid al-Mattwi, emphasised the importance of this camp as part of a series of regular initiatives and activities organised by the Council to promote innovation, encourage youth to develop skills in statistical analysis and AI, and harness the power of data to support Qatar’s economy."The Data Summer Camp is an important step toward preparing a new generation capable of understanding the language of numbers, analysing data, and transforming information into tools for development and innovation,” she said."We believe Qatar’s future depends on nurturing young minds and equipping them with the tools of digital transformation so they can play an active role in nation-building and in realising its ambitious vision," al-Mattwi added.