QNA
DOHA
Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al-Thani affirmed that the National Day represents a cherished memory for Qataris since it celebrates the founding of the State of Qatar by Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani and represents national pride and the connection and loyalty citizens feel toward their leaders.
In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), the minister said that the occasion is a great national event, providing an opportunity to recall Qatar’s rich history and the glories of the Qatari people while celebrating the achievements laid down by the founder and strengthened by the forefathers.
He congratulated HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, HH the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Qatari people and all residents of this blessed land.
He explained that the celebration of National Day carried profound significance, reflecting citizens’ commitment to recalling their glorious history and bright present, while looking forward to a promising future, thanks to the strategic vision of the wise leadership and its emphasis on ensuring that the State of Qatar remains at the forefront on all levels.
He pointed out that celebrating this occasion represents an opportunity to reinforce the values of patriotism and national pride and raise awareness among the emerging generations about the meanings of unity, solidarity, and loyalty, which are values that represent the national struggle to build the state. It is also an occasion to inspire determination, mobilize energies, and sacrifice for the nation’s advancement and development.
Regarding the achievements of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Faisal said that 2024 witnessed the realization of many distinguished achievements, within the framework of implementing the Third National Development Strategy (2024-2030), which represents a new phase of development and growth as part of Qatar National Vision 2030. The Ministry focused on enhancing economic diversification and developing priority sectors, which support sustainable growth and strengthen Qatar’s position as a regional and global hub for investment and innovation, His Excellency added.
The Ministry’s efforts this year included working on a range of vital projects and initiatives that led to an annual growth rate of 4 percent for the GDP of non-oil sectors until 2030. It also focused on providing an attractive investment environment that supports small and medium enterprises, encouraging public-private partnerships, strengthening intellectual property protection, contributing to achieving national self-sufficiency, and attracting foreign direct investment to Qatar to reach a total value of USD 100 billion (cumulative) by 2030.
As part of its leading role in enhancing the national economy, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has given significant attention to the industrial sector, developing the 2024-2030 Manufacturing Strategy, which aims to strengthen the sector’s capabilities and increase its contribution to GDP, enhance the growth potential and competitiveness of the industrial sector in the country, and increase the added value in the manufacturing industry to approximately 70.5 billion Qatari riyals by 2030, with an annual growth rate of 3.4 percent.
The strategy also aims to increase hydrocarbon exports to more than 49 billion riyals, as well as boost investments to exceed 326 billion riyals by 2030, increase the private sector’s contribution to added value to about 35.6 billion riyals, raise Qatar’s ranking to be among the top 40 countries in the Competitive Industrial Performance Index and accelerate the transition to smart manufacturing industries, and knowledge-based industries.
Among the Ministry’s notable achievements in 2024 is the offering of investment opportunities worth 2.3 billion riyals in vital sectors such as plastics and aluminum, as part of its participation in the Government Procurement Forum, which contributed to supporting economic diversification, enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy and diversifying sources of income.
The Ministry also collaborated with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to support the signing of the second package of the Qatar Schools Development Programme within the Public-Private Sectors Partnership. This project aims to build 14 modern schools capable of providing high-quality education to over 10,000 students by the 2025-2026 academic year. The land has been allocated for the construction and operation of private schools in the Al Wukair area in cooperation with the relevant authorities.
The Ministry continued its efforts to support the private sector throughout 2024, launching several initiatives, including the Public-Private Sectors Partnership.