As the National Programme for Conservation and Energy Efficiency (Tarsheed) moves into its eighth year, the Qatari government continues to pursue a variety of initiatives to support its drive towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly rates of water and electricity consumption. With earth-conscious technologies drawing increased global investment and coming down in price as a result,…
In July 2019 Qatargas announced it delivered its 3000th liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment to Japan since Qatar’s first delivery of the resource in early 1997. In the interim years, Qatar has become the world’s largest LNG producer in the world, producing 77m tonnes a year. According to BP’s “Statistical Review of World Energy 2019”, Qatar was the largest exporter of LNG in 2018,…
Citizens, residents and visitors to Qatar have seen the impact of the recent investment made in public transport, with the full operation of the Doha Metro offering convenient travel options. In 2019 driverless trains also commenced operations, providing a cheap alternative way of moving around the capital. The Lusail Tram, meanwhile, is expected to open in two phases in 2020, further expanding…
In 2017 the newly established Hamad Port found itself centre stage in the country’s response to the economic blockade imposed by some neighbouring countries. Existing maritime trade routes to the blockading countries were closed and quickly replaced with new partnerships in Oman, Kuwait and further afield. “The blockade set the pace for rapid development in Qatar,” Mohammed Khalifa Al…
Following several years of global economic uncertainty, budget deficits and unpredictable oil prices, in April 2019 the Council of Ministers approved a long-discussed public-private partnership (PPP) law, expected to be formally enacted in 2020. The new law is intended to clarify and regulate the framework for projects involving both the government and private firms. Also in early 2019, Sheikh…
As the latest policy piece in the government’s drive to create a knowledge-based economy built on leveraging the newest technologies, the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy was launched in October 2019. The strategy, developed by the Qatar Computing Research Institute at Hamad bin Khalifa University, is designed to identify economic opportunities and research potential in the…
While much public focus is on preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a number of government and private sector initiatives are laying a foundation for Qatar to become a global centre for sporting. Under the guidance of Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030), the country is building a sports event management and research centre as part of its economic diversification plans. Leveraging this…
As Qatar’s tertiary education sector grows, so do the connections between universities and employers in the country. A number of universities are offering executive education or continuing professional development courses for those already in employment, while researchers are keen to work alongside potential end-users of their innovations. However, as with any education system, gaps remain…
Qatar is pushing forwards with its goal of becoming a centre for research and development, after establishing a new government agency aimed at encouraging and nurturing innovation. The Qatar Research Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council is chaired by Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, the deputy prime minister and minister of state for defence affairs, with Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani,…
Qatar is fast-tracking the construction of a number of new hospitals and clinics as part of efforts to keep up with demand and establish the country as a regional and global leader in health care. Under the Qatar Healthcare Facilities Master Plan (QHFMP), an ambitious 20-year policy blueprint launched in 2013, the government set itself the target of completing 48 new projects by the end of…
