DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has affirmed that under the leadership and wisdom of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, embodied in the Qatar National Vision 2030, Qatar has successfully navigated significant challenges, leading to the flexibility that characterizes its economy and positioning it competitively on the global stage, with efficient investment in natural resources and human energies.
Addressing the fourth edition of the Qatar Economic Forum under the theme 'A World Remade: Navigating the Year of Uncertainty', he said that the Qatari economy continues to achieve indicators reflecting its stability and prosperity, adding that the gross domestic product at constant prices until the third quarter of 2023 recorded growth of about 1.6 percent and this growth coincided with improvements in financial stability indicators, with the government adopting a flexible financial plan in response to fluctuations in energy prices.
He added that Qatar is on its way towards the final stages of Qatar National Vision 2030, with the government continuing to work on completing and enhancing Qatar's diverse economic infrastructure, driven by initiatives from both the local and foreign private sectors, supported by a series of regulatory reforms and investment incentives, qualifying it to occupy an advanced position among the top 10 countries in terms of business environment.
He further highlighted Qatar's transition towards comprehensive digital transformation through increased investment in technology, innovation, and artificial intelligence. To achieve this, Qatar has allocated a package of incentives worth QR9bn, and the country is hosting several sessions of the Web Summitconference for the first time in the Middle East and Africa to enhance partnerships with major investors and exchange expertise with technology leaders worldwide. Alongside this summit, the Startup Qatarproject was launched, with more than 250 startups registered.
The prime minister also announced the launch of the Al FanarArabic Artificial Intelligence project, which will primarily focus on collecting quality data in the Arabic language, contributing to enriching large linguistic models and preserving the Arab identity. He pointed out that the government will continue its investment in the energy sector, with Qatar expected to complete its expansion in natural gas production by 2030 through the North Field Expansion project, increasing total production to 142 million tonnes annually.
He expressed his pride that Qatar has become a beacon of economic opportunities for many, attracting investors from around the world, due to the foundations it provides for economic success that helps uplift the region, allowing everyone to enjoy this prosperity.
Regarding the current global challenges and crises, Sheikh Mohammedsaid that the world has barely recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic before finding itself facing wars casting heavy shadows on everyone's lives, unfolding in various parts of the world, particularly the Russian-Ukrainian war in Europe, the Sudanese crisis in Africa, and the latest challenges in the Gaza Strip, where the humanitarian crisis has worsened, claiming the lives of thousands of innocent children, women, and elderly individuals.
He emphasized that Qatar was among the first to warn against the danger of the Gaza war spreading to other regions in the region, yet the world as a whole failed to prevent this, leading to the expansion of confrontations to the Red Sea, threatening international navigation and exacerbating the difficulties of global trade already suffering.
He affirmed that the multiple challenges resulting from these successive crises compel countries to work on improving economic conditions, as this contributes to creating oases of stability.
The prime minister concluded his speech by expressing hope in the ability of nations to overcome challenges, stating that in Qatar, everyone is determined to bring about change to establish a better future, looking forward to seeing new investment opportunities through the platform of this forum.
