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More than 14,500 non-Qatari companies registered in Qatar in 2025 — a roughly 600% jump on the previous year, and a figure that captures, in a single statistic, why the country has emerged as one of the most attractive business destinations in the Middle East and beyond. The surge is no accident. A sweep of legal reforms over recent years has dismantled long-standing barriers to foreign investment, opening the door to 100% foreign ownership across most sectors, generous tax holidays, and freehold property rights for overseas investors. Layered on top is what investors have come to take for granted in Qatar: political stability, world-class infrastructure, and a digital government that has cut red tape to a fraction of what it once was. The numbers bear this out. In 2026, Qatar ranks among the top private-investment destinations in the Middle East and globally, with the country placed third in the MENA region on the Global Financial Centres Index. Non-oil sector growth has been brisk, the investment market is projected at $74.37bn this year, and Qatar sits within the top 20 globally for digital competitiveness. At the heart of the transformation is Law No 1 of 2019, regulating non-Qatari capital investment, which allows foreign investors to own up to 100% of companies in most economic sectors. The reform removed the previous requirement for a 51% Qatari partner — a threshold that had long discouraged investors unwilling to enter into local partnerships and the legal complications that could come with them. Foreign businesses can also tap into a generous menu of tax incentives designed to encourage them to expand and stay the course. Chief among these are 20-year corporate tax holidays, renewable, in Qatar's free zones — effectively a 0% corporate tax rate for two decades. The zones, located primarily at Ras Bufontas and Umm Al Houl, focus on logistics, manufacturing and technology, and offer 100% foreign ownership alongside zero customs duties. Outside the free zones, foreign companies still benefit from a low 10% standard corporate tax rate. Other headline incentives include full capital repatriation and exemption from personal income tax. Complementing this is Law No 3 of 2023 on combating the concealment of non-Qataris practising commercial, economic and professional activities in violation of the law. The legislation introduced stricter penalties for illegal practices while reinforcing transparency — a balance made possible because foreign investors now have multiple legitimate routes to run their businesses without needing a local partner. Real estate has been opened up in parallel. Law No 16 of 2018, regulating non-Qatari ownership and use of property, allows foreign individuals, companies and developers to own freehold property in designated areas, and provides usufruct rights of up to 99 years elsewhere. Industrial projects, meanwhile, can receive exemptions from customs duties on imported machinery, equipment, spare parts, semi-finished goods, packaging materials and raw materials used in production. The exemptions are designed to lower the cost of manufacturing, with the condition that the materials cannot be diverted from their originally designated purpose. The sectors drawing the strongest foreign interest reflect the breadth of Qatar's ambitions: technology, finance, artificial intelligence, gaming, energy, services, retail, logistics, tourism, real estate and construction, and manufacturing. With the incentives in place, the legal environment now firmly tilted in favour of investors, and the broader economy on solid footing, the expectation in policy circles is that the 2025 surge in foreign company registrations is a beginning rather than a peak. 

The “HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award” (ACE Award) earns global significance as a first-of-its-kind initiative in this field. It aims to honour individuals and institutions that dedicate their efforts to combating corruption and promoting transparency and integrity on the global stage. The award is backed by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani for the UN’s message in fighting corruption and organised crime, in addition to enhancing the realisation of Goal 16 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in terms of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels. The global initiative also strives to shore up good governance and transparency and aid in the fight to uproot the scourge of corruption, which poses a profound threat to nations’ future, progress, and their peoples’ welfare. The award broadly stems from Qatar’s belief in the values of transparency, integrity, and accountability: it reflects an annual appreciation from His Highness the Amir for the pioneers in combating corruption and crime at the international level. The award is not restricted to those who combat corruption but also honours individuals globally and motivates governments, academic institutions, media, and civil society to pursue the tenets of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, in addition to understanding these tenets and collaborating to implement them. The award highlights the best global practices in combating corruption and recognises leading models from around the world while working to strengthen, collect, and disseminate them.It also aims to raise public awareness, enhance support and solidarity, and encourage global initiatives aimed at building corruption-free societies. Thanks to this global role, the award has witnessed a significant uptick in participation from one edition to another by states, governmental and civil bodies, and relevant institutions worldwide. The award is presented in collaboration with the UN and encompasses five categories: the Lifetime Achievement or Outstanding Contribution in Combating Corruption, the Academic Research and Educational Materials in Combating Corruption, the Youth Creativity and Engagement in Combating Corruption, the Innovation or Investigative Journalism in Combating Corruption, and the Protection of Sports from Corruption. The Lifetime Achievement or Outstanding Contribution category focuses on honouring individuals who have devoted their professional lives to combating corruption or have made significant contributions domestically and internationally in this field. The Academic Research and Educational Materials category targets individuals and entities with research, studies, publications, and works related to understanding the causes of corruption, prevention methods, and promoting knowledge and academic awareness regarding transparency and integrity practices. In the Youth Creativity and Engagement category, the award emphasises the importance of involving younger generations, including university students and new employees, in global efforts to combat corruption. In the Innovation or Investigative Journalism category, the award honours innovators who have developed effective tools contributing to the fight against corruption, with a focus on celebrating those who highlight forms of corruption and their negative impact on communities worldwide. In the Protection of Sports from Corruption category, the award aims to honour individuals and entities that have made effective contributions in safeguarding the sports sector from corrupt practices at both local and regional levels, and who have had a tangible impact in reducing corruption risks in sports. The award was launched in 2016, with its first ceremony held in Vienna. The second iteration took place at the UN headquarters in Geneva in 2017, the third in Malaysia in 2018, the fourth in Rwanda in 2019, the fifth in Tunisia in 2020, the sixth in Qatar in 2022, the seventh in Uzbekistan in 2023, and the eighth in Costa Rica in 2024. The total number of awardees so far is 58. In 2016, seven winners received the award; in 2017, it was six; in 2018, eight; in 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2024, the award went to seven winners each year; and in 2023, nine were honoured. 

Under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority (ACTA) on Wednesday launched the National Strategy to Promote Integrity, Transparency, and Prevent Corruption (2025-2030).The strategy was unveiled during a ceremony attended by senior officials and dignitaries. It aims to strengthen anti-corruption frameworks and aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy (2024-2030).Speaking at the event, HE President of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority, Hamad bin Nasser al- Misnad,​​ described the new strategy as an advanced strategic step. He noted that it is a practical extension of the state's approach to promoting efficiency and accountability.The strategy is fully consistent with the Third National Development Strategy, specifically the 'Distinguished Government Institutions' pillar, HE al-Misnad said. This pillar, he explained, emphasizes raising the efficiency of the government sector, ensuring quality services, and building institutions capable of effectively responding to sustainable development challenges.Al-Misnad clarified that the National Strategy to Promote Integrity will help activate this pillar by establishing principles of transparency and accountability, linking institutional performance to standards of integrity, and promoting a culture of corruption prevention as a foundation for government excellence, adding that this will ultimately support the state's efforts to build an efficient administrative apparatus capable of supporting the national economy and serving the community with competence and transparency.He stressed that the strategy stems from the insightful vision of the wise leadership and a firm belief that integrity is not an administrative luxury, but a national necessity, a developmental requirement, and a moral basis that strengthens the trust of citizens and residents in state institutions and reinforces a culture of responsible work.He stated that this framework completes continuous national efforts in the field of anti-corruption, noting that in recent years, the state has developed an effective legislative and institutional system, strengthened the role of supervisory bodies, and adopted administrative practices that enshrine transparency and accountability in government work.He pointed out that the strategy was developed using a precise scientific methodology and according to international best practices. It covers key sectors, including the public sector, the private sector, the legislative framework, and society, with the goal of achieving realistic, measurable results that will improve the quality of public services, raise the efficiency of institutional performance, and strengthen the local and international community's trust in Qatar's work and investment environment.Al-Misnad emphasized that the project could not have materialized without the sincere political will, which was repeatedly expressed by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who stressed that public office is a responsibility, not merely an entitlement, and that combating corruption requires strict standards, in addition to linking promotion and wages with productivity and merit.The ACTA president outlined that the strategy prioritizes a comprehensive national partnership, giving great importance to the integration of roles among state institutions, the legislative authority, supervisory bodies, the private sector, and civil society. This approach is based on the conviction that anti-corruption is a collective responsibility that requires awareness and institutional and ethical practice on the ground, not just decisions.He stated that the strategy is built upon five principal pillars: Enhancing Integrity in the Public Sector through good governance; Raising the Level of Transparency in the Private Sector; Developing the Legislative Framework that supports prevention and accountability; Promoting Community Awareness of the culture of integrity; Entrenching Governance, Transparency, and Corruption Prevention Practices at the level of public policies.He added that these pillars integrate to form a comprehensive national framework that boosts institutional effectiveness, establishes the principles of justice and equal opportunity, and contributes to building a resilient national environment that is resistant to corruption risks and compliant with international standards and national development priorities.HE al-Misnad​​ noted that the strategy takes contemporary challenges into account, including economic openness, digital transformation, the necessity of enhancing cybersecurity, and confronting transnational economic crimes, stressing that this focus will boost the state's readiness to keep pace with global developments and solidify Qatar's position in international transparency indices by building a developmental model based on justice, equality, and equal opportunity.The launch event included a documentary film about the strategy's pillars, as well as panel discussions highlighting its key components and best national and international practices in the field.The strategy represents a pivotal national stage in promoting integrity and establishing the principles of transparency and corruption prevention, thereby contributing to sustainable development and reinforcing Qatar's regional and international standing.