Analysis

Qatar boosts local workforce development with new regulations
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In an effort to boost the contribution of Qatari nationals to the workforce, the Qatarisation Law No. 12 of 2024 was announced in September 2024 and came into effect in April 2025. The law stipulates that private businesses, with the exception of companies related to government firm Qatar Energy and hydrocarbons exploration and production, must prioritise Qataris in recruitment processes. Hiring foreign…

Analysis

Qatar advances towards environmental sustainability targets
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Qatar’s long and short-term socio-economic development plans are focused on achieving the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There are 17 SDGs covering social, environmental, ecological, economic and governance-related targets. Qatar’s significant natural gas reserves grant the country a prominent position in global hydrocarbons markets and value chains, giving Qatar a central role to…

Analysis

Qatar’s localisation policies drive sustainable employment growth
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GCC countries have been actively pursuing workforce nationalisation policies to reduce their reliance on expatriate workers and create sustainable employment opportunities for their growing local populations. Proactive Measures In Qatar, the workforce nationalisation rate stood at 19% in 2022, with a goal to increase this to 20%, as per the Qatarisation Policy of 2013. The country is currently accelerating…

Analysis

GCC countries adopt new taxes to diversify revenue streams
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Since gaining independence at various points during the 20th century, the GCC countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – have maintained a fiscal model built on oil revenue and a low- to no-tax environment. Historically, GCC governments did not impose taxes because they achieved independence without fiscal burdens such as reparations or colonial taxes, relying instead…

Analysis

Qatar expands investment in emerging markets to support sustainability goals
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Qatar has built an outsized global investment presence through its sovereign wealth fund, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). Established in 2005, QIA was valued at over $526bn as of November 2024 and has, in recent years, pursued a strategy to diversify beyond Western markets and energy exports. This shift has seen Qatar expand its international investment footprint, with a growing emphasis on emerging…

Analysis

Qatar’s banking sector modernises with regulatory focus on digital innovation
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With a robust digital infrastructure and a young, tech-savvy population, Qatar is well positioned to become a leading centre of financial innovation. The country’s financial authorities have taken decisive steps to modernise legislative and regulatory frameworks, aligning them with global best practices. At the same time, local banks, financial technology (fintech) start-ups and new market entrants…

Analysis

Qatar’s banks adopt new technologies to enhance financial services
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Open banking has rapidly emerged as a transformative force in global finance, redefining traditional banking models by enabling secure, application programming interface (API)-driven data sharing and third party service integration. Valued at approximately $25.1bn in 2023 and poised to surge to $29.6bn by 2025 – ultimately eclipsing $306.6bn by 2035 – the global market’s projected compound annual…

Analysis

Qatar's digital payment platforms expand across emerging markets
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Despite the ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds experienced by the global economy, one area of the international financial system that has shown steady progression is digital payments. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, they have been spurred by a jump in remittance flows, and the greater availability of digital infrastructure and services, as well as higher demand for fast and seamless non-physical…

Analysis

Islamic finance sees rising demand for sustainable debt to meet climate goals in Qatar
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Qatar’s financial development plans increasingly highlight the importance of innovation when it comes to deepening and widening the market. As part of this approach, the country is looking at new debt capital market instruments: green bonds and sukuk (Islamic bonds). Global demand for these products is growing, as corporations and governments look for effective ways to achieve their sustainable finance…

Analysis

Qatar emerging markets embrace sustainability initiatives
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Impact investment – which is purposely designed to generate tangible social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns – presents promising risk-adjusted prospects. This type of investment not only provides value for investors, but can also greatly advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals. According to the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), the impact investing market has…