Interview: Sheikh Ali Alwaleed Al Thani, CEO, Investment Promotion Agency Qatar (Invest Qatar), on how infrastructure expansion enhances the country’s position on the global market
How has the moderation in hydrocarbons prices impacted Qatar’s ability to sustain its trade surplus?
SHEIKH ALI AL WALEED AL THANI: Qatar has maintained a strong trade surplus, recording $97bn in 2022, $66bn in 2023 and $40.4bn in 2024, despite fluctuations in hydrocarbons prices. As a leading exporter of natural gas, Qatar is well positioned to sustain this surplus, with the North Field expansion set to boost liquefied natural gas production capacity. To mitigate volatility risks and support investment inflows, Qatar is advancing economic diversification through the Third National Development Strategy ( NDS-3). This strategy targets an average annual economic growth of 4% until 2030 and aims to rank Qatar’s business environment among the world’s top 10.
In what ways has increased digitalisation enhanced Qatar’s competitiveness as an investment centre?
AL THANI: Investment in cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven technologies are strengthening the digital economy across multiple sectors. Recent developments include the launch of the first Google Cloud region in the GCC and North Africa, Microsoft’s first global data centre region in Qatar and a new Amazon CloudFront edge location. Under the Digital Agenda 2030, Qatar plans to create 26,000 jobs and rank among the top-10 countries in digital competitiveness. A $2.5bn commitment to AI and innovation underscores Qatar’s focus on building a sustainable, knowledge-based economy.
To what extent will the new incentives programme accelerate growth in key sectors?
AL THANI: Invest Qatar has launched a $1bn incentives programme to accelerate national development by targeting strategic sectors – advanced industries, logistics, technology and financial services. These areas are central to NDS-3 and the shift towards a knowledge-based economy. The programme offers tailored incentives covering up to 40% of eligible local investment costs over five years, including setup, infrastructure and talent development.
To qualify, investors must commit a minimum of QR25m ($6.9m) over five years, meet job creation targets and demonstrate relevant sector experience. Applications are streamlined through the Invest Qatar Gateway ensuring efficient evaluation. This initiative reinforces Qatar’s commitment to building a dynamic, inclusive and innovation-driven business environment that delivers long-term value for investors and the economy.
Where do you see key opportunities for partnerships to boost foreign direct investment (FDI)?
AL THANI: NDS-3 prioritises manufacturing, logistics and tourism growth alongside enabling sectors like education, financial services and ICT. In 2023 manufacturing became the third-largest non-hydrocarbons contributor to GDP, with a market size of $18bn. The Qatar National Manufacturing Strategy 2024-30 targets a value-added contribution of QR70.5bn ($19.4bn) and non-hydrocarbons exports of QR49bn ($13.4bn) by 2030. In logistics, a $10bn market in 2022 is projected to grow by 7.1% annually through 2027, supported by infrastructure at Hamad Port and Hamad International Airport. Meanwhile, Qatar’s tourism strategy aims to attract over 6m international visitors annually by 2030.
By what means does expanding logistics infrastructure support efforts to become a trade centre?
AL THANI: Investment in both Hamad Port and Hamad International Airport is central to Qatar’s target of becoming a regional trade destination. In 2024 Hamad Port handled over 1.5m twenty-foot equivalent units, a 9.6% increase over 2023, while airport expansion has boosted air cargo handling to 3.2m tonnes per year. The Qatar Free Zones Authority supports this expansion by hosting major logistics firms, with seven of the world’s top-10 logistics organisations operating in the country, four of which are present in the country’s free zones.
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