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Backed by its six-year strategy and a growing network of global partnerships, Qatar Chamber is deepening its role as the backbone of the country’s private sector through an extensive agenda that spans entrepreneurship, trade, legislation, and international engagement, laying the groundwork for a robust economic trajectory.In the latest edition of Al Moltaqa, the chamber’s economic magazine, acting general manager Ali Saeed bu Sherbak al-Mansouri said: “Overall, the chamber’s achievements in 2025 reflect a comprehensive institutional journey grounded in strategic planning, robust partnerships with public and private sectors and global engagement, promoting a competitive business environment, supporting private sector growth, and laying the foundation for sustainable economic development in the years ahead.”The magazine also provided an extensive rundown of the chamber’s accomplishments during the year, marked by their diversity and comprehensiveness, encompassing a wide range of initiatives, events, and agreements that contributed to strengthening the Qatari economy and investment climate.The launching of the chamber’s 2025-2030 strategy, a comprehensive roadmap focused on resource sustainability and service development to keep pace with digital transformation and economic changes, positions Qatar Chamber as a global strategic hub for the private sector and to make the country “the preferred destination for doing business.”According to published data, the Chamber organised approximately 250 events, including meetings with more than 96 trade delegations, business forums, and high-level meetings with heads of state, ministers, and senior officials.These included meetings with the presidents of Indonesia, Egypt, Slovenia, and Syria, as well as the prime minister of Malaysia and the chief minister of the Indian state of Kerala, in addition to representatives of Arab, Gulf, and international chambers of commerce and institutions.The chamber also received trade delegations from more than 35 countries and participated in 39 external events, including the Qatari-Omani Investment Forum in Muscat, the Qatari-Indian Business Forum, and the 14th World Chambers Congress in Australia.To strengthen cooperation with key partners, the chamber signed 15 memoranda of understanding and cooperation agreements with counterpart chambers, institutions, and companies, including chambers from Cote d'Ivoire, Angola, Croatia, Hong Kong, Slovenia, Sweden, Tirana, and Bordeaux-Gironde, France.On the legislative front, Al Moltaqa magazine reported that ICC Qatar completed the first draft Qatari law aligned with the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR), advancing Qatar from stage two to stage six on the global MLETR adoption index.In terms of electronic transactions, the chamber issued 55,682 certificates of origin, around 99.5% of which were processed electronically, in addition to 67,862 attestation transactions, representing a 10% increase compared to the previous year.The total number of members registered with the chamber reached 93,429, including 25,319 new member companies registered during the year. On training, the total number of beneficiaries of training programmes, courses, and workshops exceeded 12,300 trainees, with specialised programmes covering customs clearance, food handling, and entrepreneurship benefiting more than 3,900 trainees. 

Under the patronage of His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, the Ministry of Labour (MoL) Tuesday unveiled the 2026 Qatar Nationalisation Award for the Private Sector, reaffirming national efforts to develop Qatari talent and strengthen local participation in the private workforce.The launch ceremony was attended by His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan al-Thani, along with several ministers, senior officials and business leaders.In his address, His Excellency Minister of Labour Dr Ali bin Samikh al-Marri said the award reflects the vision of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who regards human capital as the nation’s greatest wealth. He stressed that nationalisation in the private sector must be guided by efficiency, skill and merit, supported by education and training systems that prepare Qataris for the jobs of the future.Dr al-Marri described the 2024 Private Sector Nationalisation Law as a turning point, laying out a comprehensive legal framework and incentives to expand Qatari participation in private companies. He added that the National Strategy for an Effective and Highly Productive Workforce 2024–2030 aims to lift Qatari employment in the private sector from 17% to 20%, supported by around 15,400 workers.Since the Amiri Decree assigning the MoL’s current mandate, partnerships with private companies have already resulted in the employment of 7,861 Qataris and children of Qatari women across productive industries.“The establishment of the Qatar Nationalisation Award underscores the wise leadership’s vision to promote competition among private companies, recognise innovation, and honour exceptional Qatari talent,” Dr al-Marri said.The new award features two main categories — Institutions and Individuals. Institutional awards recognise excellence in areas such as recruitment, training, talent retention, and onboarding programmes for university and secondary school graduates. Individual awards celebrate Qatari professionals and children of Qatari women who demonstrate exceptional performance in advancing national workforce goals, spanning 27 winners across nine sectors at three levels: future national talent, outstanding competence, and leadership excellence.Dr al-Marri said the launch of the first edition marks a milestone in aligning labour market policies with the Qatar National Vision 2030, aiming to boost productivity, foster sustainable private-sector growth, and build a competitive national economy driven by skilled Qatari professionals. 

Qatar’s private sector is poised to expand globally, leveraging the legacy of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and a series of policy reforms designed to attract investment and diversify the economy, a panel of Qatari public and private sector experts agreed.Khalid Abdulla al-Mana, vice-president of Enterprise Development and executive director of Qatar Exports; Mohammed al-Mulla, head of Asia at Invest Qatar; Hamad Mohammed al-Nasr, director of Trade Development and Investment Promotion at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI); and Ashraf Abu Issa, chairman and CEO of Abu Issa Holding; discussed this central message during the ‘Unlock Potential and Accelerate Growth – Opportunities & Challenges’ panel, held recently on the sidelines of the ‘IBPC Annual Connect Event 2026’.Al-Mana highlighted how Qatari companies are increasingly taking their expertise abroad: “In 10 years, we have a world-class metro, airport, stadiums, and roads... with this came a lot of private sector growth. It is important that we take this private sector outside because we have a lot of things to be proud of.”He noted that Qatar Development Bank (QDB) has been financing and supporting companies to enter international markets, citing recent participation in the African Investment Forum as an example of Qatar’s growing footprint.Al-Mana also pointed to India as a priority market, noting that QDB is preparing trade missions to map opportunities between Qatari and Indian firms. “We want to do the research for the Indian market and conduct a trade mission, hopefully this year... this will help a lot in building trade relations,” he added.During the discussion, al-Mulla outlined Invest Qatar’s focus on knowledge-based industries. “In alignment with the Third National Development Strategy, we proactively target sectors such as emerging technologies, logistics, advanced manufacturing, game development, and mobility solutions,” he explained.He stressed that Invest Qatar provides facilitation and aftercare services to ensure companies have a “soft landing” in the country. “We keep a close alignment to these companies to ensure they have a safe journey within Qatar,” al-Mulla said.Addressing regional competition, he stated that competitiveness among Gulf economies “is ultimately beneficial”. “Competition in the region is a benefactor... it creates a wider supply chain, talent gets circulated, and this shows sustainability within the region,” he said.Emphasising Qatar’s regulatory transformation, al-Nasr said: “We are guided by our national development strategy... Qatar has put three main KPIs: to be among the top 10 business environments globally, attract $100bn in FDI, and increase non-hydrocarbon contribution to GDP by 2030.”He revealed that the ministry is implementing more than 188 projects to ease the business journey, alongside sector-specific roundtables to identify and address private sector challenges. “This year alone we have highlighted 128 business challenges from the private sector...we listen, validate, and move back to the private sector on an annual basis,” al-Nasr explained.Abu Issa reflected on the evolution of Qatar’s business ecosystem, saying the country witnessed “a big change” over the last two decades. He noted that challenges such as visas and land allocation have eased, while legislation for family businesses and startups has matured. He also offered advice to entrepreneurs, placing emphasis on patience and grassroots development. 

Qatar Chamber board member Mohamed bin Ahmed al-Obaidli has emphasised that business integrity has become a strategic pillar for strengthening trust, enhancing competitiveness, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the private sector.Speaking at the ‘Private Sector Forum 2025’ held Monday in Doha under the theme ‘Future-Proofing Business Integrity: AI, Innovation and Global Collaboration’, al-Obaidli emphasised that integrity is no longer limited to regulatory compliance, but is a national necessity and a core driver of responsible governance and sustainable economic development.He pointed out that business integrity is built on ethical values, transparency, responsible decision-making, and effective governance frameworks, including adherence to laws and international standards, anti-corruption measures, transparent reporting, and fair dealings with partners and suppliers.Al-Obaidli also highlighted Qatar’s leading role in promoting transparency and combating corruption in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, noting that the country has established a strong legislative and institutional framework following its ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2007.He also commended the pivotal role of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority (ACTA) in leading national initiatives that promote ethical conduct and accountability.Al-Obaidli further pointed to the launch of the National Strategy to Promote Integrity, Transparency, and Combat Corruption 2025–2030, which introduced more than 78 national projects implemented in partnership with government entities, the private sector, and civil society organisations.Addressing future challenges, al-Obaidli noted that while artificial intelligence (AI) offers significant opportunities to enhance business performance, compliance, and transparency, it also raises ethical and governance considerations that require clear regulatory frameworks. With proper oversight, AI can serve as an effective tool for risk detection, financial monitoring, and transparency across supply chains, particularly benefiting small and medium-sized enterprises.He also highlighted Qatar’s progress in innovation and AI, positioning the country as a regional hub for emerging technologies through continued investment in research, talent development, and digital infrastructure across sectors such as healthcare, education, transportation, and cybersecurity.Al-Obaidli reaffirmed Qatar Chamber’s commitment to supporting innovation, digital transformation, and the responsible adoption of AI across industries. He noted that Qatar Chamber joined the UN Global Compact in 2020, underscoring its dedication to responsible business practices, sustainability, and anti-corruption principles. 

Qatar Chamber recently participated in the ‘First Gulf Forum for Building the Capacities and Skills of Home-Based Business Owners’, hosted by Kuwait.The two-day forum was organised by the Executive Office of the Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs of the GCC States, in partnership with the Federation of GCC Chambers. The event brought together representatives of government entities, the private sector, and entrepreneurs from across the Gulf region.Fatima Issa al-Kuwari, Training Department head, represented the chamber at the forum and participated in a panel discussion on the role of GCC federations and chambers of commerce in supporting emerging projects.In her remarks, she emphasised the importance of home-based and emerging projects, which are among the promising engines of economic and social growth in GCC countries, calling for a supportive ecosystem that enables training, development, and access to opportunities for this category.She also highlighted the pivotal role played by Qatar Chamber in empowering home-business owners by designing high-quality training programmes, organising specialised events, and connecting them with numerous supporting entities through the training workshops it hosts.These workshops, she noted, focus on developing entrepreneurship skills and presenting inspiring success stories, contributing to enhancing the capabilities of project owners and improving their readiness to enter the market and transition toward sustainable business models.Al-Kuwari said the chamber also enables home-based projects to promote their products, and adopts initiatives that raise awareness about commercial transformation, while offering opportunities that strengthen the role of entrepreneurs in the national economy.She added that the shared vision of GCC chambers today is to build an integrated Gulf environment that supports innovation and enables home-based and emerging projects to evolve from simple initiatives into commercial ventures capable of competing and generating significant economic and social value. 

Qatar’s PMI climbing to 51.9 in August indicates accelerating non-oil private sector activity in the country, according to Oxford Economics.Last month, the PMI climbed to 51.9, which Oxford Economics noted is “fuelled by the fastest job creation and employment growth in the region”.Business activity in the GCC’s non-oil private sector continued to strengthen in August, Oxford Economics said.The UAE’s PMI rose to 53.3 from July’s four-year low of 52.9, driven by faster output growth. Saudi Arabia’s PMI edged up slightly to 56.4, supported by stronger client demand and infrastructure projects.“Overall, the GCC's non-oil private sector has seen sustained expansion this year, and we expect 4% growth in the region's non-oil output this year,” Oxford Economics said.In Saudi Arabia, credit growth slowed to 15.2% y/y in August but remained well above deposit growth of 8.4%. A sharper drop in mortgage lending suggests softer real estate activity, although consumer credit stayed strong.“We expect early interest rate cuts to support credit demand, likely pushing the average loan-to-deposit ratio to a new high. This could raise liquidity concerns in the coming months, especially if deposit growth continues to lag,” Oxford Economics noted.In a recent report the researcher noted Qatar's fiscal balance is estimated to scale up to 5.4% (of country’s GDP) in 2026 from 1.8% this year.A growing fiscal balance signals improved macroeconomic stability and a stronger ability to manage government debt in the country, an analyst noted.In an indication of the country’s level of international competitiveness, Qatar’s current account will improve further reaching 18.3% of the country’s GDP in 2026, from 17.5% this year.Qatar’s real GDP growth has been forecast at 2.7% year-on-year (y-o-y) this year, rising to 4.8% in 2026.Inflation has been forecast at 0.4% this year and 2.8% in 2026.In its last country report, Oxford Economics noted Qatar’s GDP growth “will more than double” in 2026-2027, with both the energy and non-energy sectors contributing positively this year and beyond, according to Oxford Economics.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued on Monday Amiri Decision No. 27 of 2025 establishing the Qatar Award for Localisation in the Private Sector.The decision states that the award aims to foster healthy competition among private sector entities in the area of job localisation, by recognising establishments that have met nationalisation targets and contributed to realising Qatar's national vision. Additionally, it seeks to honor distinguished citizens working in the private sector, along with exceptional talents, visionary leaders, and innovative pioneers.Under the decision, a Board of Trustees will be formed within the Ministry of Labor to oversee the award's management, determine its criteria, define its categories and levels, and set the necessary procedures.The law is effective starting from its date of issue and is to be published in the official gazette.