Interview: Mubarak bin Abdullah Al Sulaiti
How will new legislation improve the current investment climate in Qatar?
MUBARAK BIN ABDULLAH AL SULAITI: Recent legislative changes, ranging from foreign property ownership to the residency law, offer good perspective and have contributed to a broad movement of attractively positioning the country for the future, which is spearheaded by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of Qatar. A business-friendly climate is already in place, ahead of other countries of the Gulf in this regard. Yet, the pace of business practices means Qatar must adapt its legislation to remain in line with the rest of the world. More changes will be expected within the coming years.
What major regulatory changes are anticipated for international sporting events, especially in light of the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup?
AL SULAITI: FIFA announced that Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup after the FIFA Executive Committee voted in a secret ballot. Since then, Qatar has been working hard to issue legislation concerning the organisation of major sporting events and to cover the requirements of international sports associations. For example, while it is prohibited in Qatar to drink alcohol or be drunk in public, the legislation may allow visitors during the 2022 FIFA World Cup and other major sporting events to drink alcohol publicly. Additionally, gambling in all forms, whether it is land-based, online or even the advertising of gambling activities, is prohibited in Qatar. This will continue during the 2022 FIFA World Cup as well as other major sporting events. Accordingly, any gambling activity will be subject to the confiscation of all devices, software or equipment used in the commission of the offence, in addition to the confiscation of any funds obtained from such an offence.
The intention of the Qatari authorities is to set up special investigative units and courts specifically to deal with cases of counterfeit merchandise and ambush marketing. This would involve enabling authorised officials to monitor and stop infringements by conducting local investigations and court hearings, and issuing immediate fines to perpetrators.
How will a revised labour law affect workers as well as general business activity?
AL SULAITI: The employment relationship in Qatar is generally regulated by Labour Law No. 14 of the year 2004. Recent labour law reforms in Qatar include the establishment of a temporary minimum wage, the creation of five worker dispute settlement committees and the adoption of two new laws suppressing the requirement of exit permits for most workers in the country in 2018. These reforms will ensure the protection of workers while also benefitting the local economy and businesses. The government cooperates with employers in developing, raising awareness and implementing new legislation, as well as establishing workers’ support and insurance funds. These proposed reforms have been accompanied with adequate implementation and enforcement to ensure that businesses seeking to operate responsibly in the region do so with the greatest respect for human rights.
What do international companies need to understand about the legal context of the regional blockade in regard to doing business?
AL SULAITI: The illegal blockade imposed against Qatar and its inhabitants has certainly impacted how business is being carried out. In general, doing business with blockading countries has become almost impossible. The most noticeable consequence is that companies in Qatar which used to manage their operations from one of the blockading countries have had to either relocate or incorporate a new entity within Qatar. It must be noted that business relationships between companies incorporated in the blockading countries are still theoretically possible, but the circulation of goods and persons remains to be extremely restricted.
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