Books – Muhammad Abdel Maqsoud:
The International Information Office confirmed that the State of Qatar is working to advance economic diversification efforts and accelerate the pace of growth by continuously creating new opportunities for businesses and investors through a variety of initiatives and incentives.
He said in a post on his official account on the “X” platform and his website that non-hydrocarbon activities constituted 65.5% of the real gross product, in line with Qatar Vision 2030.
He pointed out that the State of Qatar is working to drive growth across the logistics services sectors to transform Qatar into an emerging logistics center, as transshipment operations accounted for approximately 50% of the handling volume at Hamad Port during the year 2025.
He noted that the State of Qatar aims to develop the manufacturing sector, which made a record contribution of 69.3 billion riyals to the national economy last year.
He pointed out that the State of Qatar is strengthening the financial sector, as the Qatar Investment Authority has expanded its investment funds to $3 billion, which supports the venture capital system and emerging companies in Qatar.
He said that the Qatari economy is growing in non-hydrocarbon sectors, supported by long-term investments in innovation, infrastructure, connectivity, and communication.
The International Information Office confirmed that various international agencies praise the strength of the Qatari economy in recent years. Moody’s raised Qatar’s credit rating to Aa2, indicating the country’s ability to withstand economic shocks thanks to the strength of its sovereign budget.
Fitch Ratings also placed the State of Qatar with an AA rating in 2024 because LNG revenues are expected to lead to budget surpluses until the next decade, with increased investments to raise LNG production.
Over the past three decades, the Qatari economy has witnessed tremendous growth, recording 38-fold growth during that period. The gross domestic product of the State of Qatar achieved growth by 1.7% in 2024, with the non-hydrocarbon sector growing by 1.9%. Looking to the future, the World Bank expected that the real GDP of the State of Qatar would rise to 3.2% in 2025, with the non-hydrocarbon sector achieving an annual growth rate of 4% by 2030.
Strong Qatari investments in tourism and real estate
The International Information Office said that Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company, one of the Qatar Investment Authority companies, now has 50 investment projects under development in 20 countries around the world. The Qatar Investment Authority also supports the development of the competitive Qatari economy through its investments in local companies. Katara Hospitality continues to expand the scope of its global investments, which reinforces Qatar’s diversified strategy in the tourism and real estate sectors. Its group includes more than 50 luxury hotels around the world, which consolidates its role in developing the hospitality sector in the State of Qatar and enhancing its international presence in the field of luxury hospitality. Among its notable investments are the Peninsula Paris Hotel in France, the expensive Excelsior Hotel in Italy, The Savoy Hotel in the United Kingdom, and the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.
Strong incentives to attract foreign investment
The State of Qatar has an integrated set of elements that attract foreign investment and entrepreneurship, as it enjoys an attractive environment for investment, an integrated infrastructure, and a strategic location that provides access to global markets. The state provides a set of incentives to encourage foreign investments and facilitate procedures, namely the presence of a legal environment based on English common law and foreign ownership of up to 100%, in addition to the presence of financial transfers that can be made in any convertible currency. The International Information Office noted the major role played by international bodies concerned with stimulating the national economy and attracting investments, and the Investment Promotion Agency in the State of Qatar is the body responsible for the “Invest Qatar” brand, which promotes the country as an exceptional investment destination. The agency aims to pave the way for investors, facilitate their access to profitable business opportunities, and provide long-term support to ensure the success of their businesses in the State of Qatar. The Qatar Free Zones Authority also manages two free zones that provide many services and benefits to companies, including high-quality infrastructure, a skilled workforce, 100% foreign ownership, access to investment funds, tax exemptions, and partnership opportunities with Qatari entities. The Qatar Financial Center provides a unique legal, regulatory and tax environment that allows 100% foreign ownership, the repatriation of all profits abroad, and the imposition of a competitive rate of 10% and corporate tax on local profits. The Qatar Financial Center platform has attracted more than 1,500 local and international companies from various sectors. The Qatar Investment Authority is responsible for investing, diversifying, and growing the State of Qatar’s reserve funds and managing them to ensure a decent living for citizens, generation after generation. Qatar Investment Authority adopts a diversified approach to investment, both in terms of sectors and geographical regions, as it has investments around the world in various sectors such as technology, media, telecommunications, healthcare, retail, real estate, infrastructure, finance and industries.
