Overview

How Qatar focuses on sustainability and identity in reforms
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Since gaining independence in 1971 Qatar has developed into an economic, political and cultural powerhouse in the Middle East. With a relatively small population and substantial revenue generated from having the third-largest proven natural gas reserves globally, Qatar has one of the world’s highest GDP per capita, at nearly $84,500 at current prices and $112,800 in purchasing power parity in 2022,…

Overview

What will drive the post-pandemic recovery for tourism in Qatar?
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Travel and tourism was one of the hardest-hit sectors globally in 2020 and early 2021 as the Covid-19 pandemic swept around the world, and the situation in Qatar was no different. However, reflecting the gains made in the tourism industry in the years leading up to the health crisis, the opening months of 2020 saw a strong performance in terms of arrivals – so much so that when travel began to normalise…

Overview

Qatar’s banking sector fuelled by supportive regulations
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Well capitalised and supported by one of the world’s wealthiest economies per capita, Qatar’s banking sector has successfully navigated a range of external challenges in recent years. It has emerged strong and resilient, in an advantageous position to leverage the resurgence in local and international demand for a wide variety of financing options. Consisting of commercial, Islamic, investment…

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Qatar’s Islamic finance sector set for growth
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Qatar’s Islamic banking industry is one of the world’s largest and most experienced, given than its first entity – Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) – was established in 1982. Four decades later, as business confidence and economic growth is returning after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Islamic finance sector stands ready for renewed expansion. It can build on the important role it played…

Overview

New mandatory lines support growth in Qatar’s insurance sector
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Faced with the changes associated with technological innovation, the global transition towards renewable energy and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, the dynamics of the global insurance industry are shifting. While Qatar’s insurance market is growing, certain segments remain underdeveloped. The sector has traditionally been hindered by low insurance penetration and therefore has significant…

Overview

How Qatar’s education sector is equipping students for the future
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Decades of concerted investment in education have helped Qatar create a qualified workforce equipped with the skills needed to succeed in growing professions. The country’s literacy rate in 2019 was 99.2% of individuals 15 years old and above, while the gross enrolment rates for primary, preparatory and secondary education are all around 100% – a reflection of the mission to provide education for…

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How is Qatar boosting transport capacity and connectivity
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Qatar’s air and sea ports have long been central to the country’s economic expansion. The 2010 announcement that the country would host the 2022 FIFA World Cup accelerated the government’s drive to upgrade transport infrastructure, prompting significant increases in public financing. There is also a renewed emphasis on sustainability in the sector, as the development of environmentally friendly…

Overview

Slate of projects underpins construction activity in Qatar
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Qatar’s construction sector is nearing the end of a decade of building to prepare for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as developing infrastructure directly and indirectly related to the event took centre stage since 2011. Focus is now shifting to legacy plans for stadia sites, as well as non-tournament projects that facilitate the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030, the country’s long-term development…

Overview

Qatar targets lifestyle diseases after successful Covid-19 vaccine campaign
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A concerted effort to improve health care delivery in Qatar has created a system characterised by strong public and private investment, innovative technologies and a high standard of care. In the 2021 Legatum Prosperity Index, published by the UK think tank Legatum Institute, Qatar ranked 39th out of 167 countries and second in the MENA region in terms of health. The ranking was an improvement on 48th…

Overview

Qatar’s real estate sector supported by favourable regulations
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A steady decline in sale and rent prices since 2016 was accelerated in 2020 with the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to strong activity in property transactions. The lower prices – reflected in various indices – was not seen as cause for alarm in the sector, however, but a welcome market correction that is allowing Qatari properties to compete with other GCC markets on value. Healthy…