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Qatar Economic Research Highlights

Driving innovation and sustainability in Qatar's banking sector

Shahnawaz Rashid, Executive General Manager and Head of Retail Banking, Commercial Bank of Qatar (CBQ)

In this Global Platform video, Shahnawaz Rashid talks about the strategies for driving innovation and sustainability in Qatar's banking sector. Qatar has developed strong infrastructure, including roads...

Ensuring business continuity and supporting private sector development in Qatar

Key leaders of Al Faisal Holding

In this Global Platform video, Oxford Business Group speaks with Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, Founder and Chairman, Al Faisal Holding, and key leaders of the privately held diversified group.

The Report: Qatar 2024
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Qatar has been working to position itself as a powerful economy and influential sovereign entity that is well prepared to address future challenges. With a relatively small population and the third-largest...

Qatar Economic Analysis & Insights
Overview

Social, economic, environmental changes and diversification in Qatar
OBG
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Propelled by a major infrastructure development drive in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and a broad-based loosening of investment and business regulations, Qatar’s economy has undergone...
Viewpoint

HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar
OBG
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On the necessity of global unity
Analysis

Qatar energy sector benefits from liquefied natural gas reserves discovery
OBG
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The global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market is projected to grow significantly, reaching 580m-600m tonnes per annum (tpa) by 2030, up from 400m tpa in February 2024. Forecasts suggest that global...
Interview

Yousuf Al Jaida, CEO, Qatar Financial Centre (QFC)
OBG
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On new regulations and emerging technologies driving expansion
Analysis

Qatar's development blueprint focus on technological advancement
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Qatar is in the initial phases of its National Development Strategy 2024-30 (NDS-3) to transform the country into an advanced economy capable of sustainable development...
Interview

Abdulla bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, Managing Director and CEO, Qatar Rail; and Minister of Environment and Climate Change
OBG
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On the role railways play in sustainable development
Overview

How Qatar is pursuing economic diversification
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The political leadership of Qatar has been working over recent decades to position the country as a powerful economy and influential sovereign entity, well prepared to address future challenges...

Social, economic, environmental changes and diversification in Qatar
Social, economic, environmental changes and diversification in Qatar
Forward progress: HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, on the necessity of global unity
HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar
Qatar energy sector benefits from liquefied natural gas reserves discovery
Yousuf Al Jaida, CEO, Qatar Financial Centre (QFC)
Qatar's development blueprint focus on technological advancement
Qatar's development blueprint focus on technological advancement
Abdulla bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, Managing Director and CEO, Qatar Rail; and Minister of Environment and Climate Change
How Qatar is pursuing economic diversification
How Qatar is pursuing economic diversification
 

Report: How Qatar is confronting environmental and social challenges

With the publication of its National Environment and Climate Change Strategy in 2021, Qatar has recognised that a proactive and holistic approach is needed to meet the challenge of global warming...

Economic Reports & Interviews in the Middle East
OBG Talks

Is the Gulf ready for electric and autonomous vehicles?

As the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) work towards economic diversification objectives and net-zero goals, opportunities are opening up for automotive manufacturers to roll out innovations...
Vidcast

Video: Balancing hydrocarbon goals with emission reduction targets

In an interview with BBC World News on Thursday, December 13, Oliver Cornock, OBG’s Global Editor-in-Chief, analysed and shared his insights on the agreement that was reached at the 2023...
Media Video

How will e-learning trends shape the future of education?

With an e-learning revolution under way across the world, policymakers and stakeholders in emerging economies are discussing how best to harness technological solutions to meet long-term...
OBG Talks

ESG transition in the petrochemicals trade

Among the sustainability challenges facing the global petrochemicals industry is the difficulty measuring Scope 3 carbon emissions along the supply chain. This challenge is particularly pressing for...
OBG Talks

ESG in Saudi Arabia's digital economy

As Saudi Arabia pursues a path of national digital transformation, stakeholders must take care to ensure the benefits of the digital economy are shared by the whole of society. In this latest vidcast...

Is the Gulf ready for electric and autonomous vehicles?
Video: Balancing hydrocarbon goals with emission reduction targets
How will e-learning trends shape the future of education?
ESG transition in the petrochemicals trade
ESG in Saudi Arabia's digital economy
 

Report: What are the post-pandemic prospects for Qatar’s start-ups and SMEs?

The disruption to daily life created by the pandemic has precipitated an acceleration of the digital transformation process already under way in the corporate sector in Qatar, with private firms waking up to the...

Qatar: Economic Research & Views
Economic View

Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman, Al Faisal Holding

On the importance of private sector engagement in key sectors such as education and tourism
Interview

Georgy Georgiev, President, Honeywell Qatar, Kuwait & Pakistan

On how emerging technologies can provide efficient solutions to key challenges

Economic View

Michael Michael, CEO, Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC) and Qatar Business Events Corporation

On catering to local and global audiences with new technologies and safety measures
Economic News

Gulf countries look to space to harness scientific and commercial opportunities
OBG
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In the push to embrace emerging technologies and harness their potential commercial opportunities, Gulf countries are launching new initiatives to bolster their domestic space industries...
Economic News

Emerging markets invest in film media to extend their global reach
OBG
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As audiences return to entertainment in physical venues following the Covid-19 pandemic, several emerging markets are looking to film and media to diversify economic revenue streams and extend...
Economic News

Gulf countries developing regulatory frameworks for decentralised finance
OBG
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As GCC countries look to harness new forms of financial technology (fintech) such as blockchain, deepen their financial services and expand financial inclusion, governments are embracing...
Economic News

How generative AI could transform education in the GCC
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As public and private entities across the world weigh how to utilise generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology, GCC countries are embracing the new tool as a way to transform their education sectors.
Economic News

Gulf countries explore e-sports as part of diversification plans
OBG
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As Gulf countries implement plans to diversify their economies and create jobs, they are increasingly investing in the growing industry around competitive video games known as electronic sports (e-sports).,,
Economic News

The GCC’s latest efforts to bolster cybersecurity
OBG
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With global geopolitical instability elevating the threat of cyberattacks against businesses and government agencies, the six countries of the GCC are rapidly building more robust and comprehensive...

Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman, Al Faisal Holding
Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman, Al Faisal Holding
Georgy Georgiev, President, Honeywell Qatar, Kuwait & Pakistan, on how emerging technologies can provide efficient solutions to key challenges
Georgy Georgiev, President, Honeywell Qatar, Kuwait & Pakistan
Michael Michael, CEO, Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC) and Qatar Business Events Corporation
Gulf countries look to space to harness scientific and commercial opportunities
Emerging markets invest in film media to extend their global reach
Gulf countries developing regulatory frameworks for decentralised finance
How generative AI could transform education in the GCC
Gulf countries explore e-sports as part of diversification plans
The GCC’s latest efforts to bolster cybersecurity
 

ESG in Qatar & the GCC

Economic View

Ahmed Al Shamsi, Managing Director and CEO, Abu Dhabi Sustainable Water Solutions Company (SWS)

On innovative approaches in water conservation and reuse

Economic News

How emerging markets are navigating the rising cost of solar power
OBG
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With high energy prices and supply chain disruptions creating shortages of key renewable energy components and materials, emerging markets are reassessing how to build out utility-scale solar power to accelerate their energy transitions. After more than a decade of decline, the cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels has risen around the world, due primarily to the increasing cost of solar-grade polysilicon in China. A key component in PV panels, polysilicon spot market prices rose from less than $7 per kg in July 2020 to $39 in August...

Analysis

Islamic finance in Qatar adopting sustainability criteria
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Qatar’s Islamic financial services sector is engaged in a shift towards sustainability to take advantage of robust global growth in demand for sharia-compliant investments and rising interest in green finance. Globally, Islamic financial services continue to exhibit strong momentum, with loans expanding at an average compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5% in 2020 and 2021, according to a 2022 report from credit ratings agency Moody’s. This compares favourably with conventional financing’s CAGR of 3.4% over the same...

Economic News

What impact will the rise in oil prices have on the energy transition?
OBG
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Amid an increase in global demand and concerns over key supplies, global oil prices are approaching $100 per barrel for the first time since 2014. But, with prices rising, what does this mean for the renewable energy transition, especially in Gulf countries? After opening the year at around $78 per barrel, Brent crude prices rose sharply over the first six weeks of 2022 to surpass $94 as of February 14, the highest price in more than seven years. Driven primarily by a lack of supply and a recent post-lockdown spike in global demand...

ESG Intelligence Report

Report: The road to a zero-emission automotive industry in the Middle East and Africa

Automotive stakeholders are increasingly aware that the business-as-usual scenario that has sustained the industry for more than 100 years is no longer tenable. Regulatory changes and emissions-reduction targets at the national and global level are spurring a pivot to low-carbon and zero-emissions vehicles. This transition requires a period of intense innovation to develop new technologies that make electric vehicles (EVs) appealing, safe, reliable and affordable...

Economic News

Urban areas experiment with cooling technologies to combat climate change
OBG
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With temperatures in cities set to rise in the coming decades, many public and private players in emerging markets are looking to tackle the challenge of extreme heat through technology, sustainable building techniques and the expansion of urban green spaces. Cities cover just 3% of the Earth’s surface but currently house over half of the world’s population – a figure set to reach 70% by 2050. Urban population growth is predicted to be highest in emerging markets, with 90% of the shift to cities occurring in Asia and...

ESG Intelligence Report

Report: The future of sustainable finance in Kuwait’s banking sector

The regulatory landscape for Gulf financial service providers is changing, with growing awareness of the need for banking institutions to adopt sustainable finance frameworks and responsible lending and operational practices in order to manage risk and attract international investment. By establishing sustainable finance frameworks, banking institutions are able to structure their sustainable lending practices and strengthen systemic safeguards against social and environmental risks, while also diversifying their funding sources...

Economic News

Why are global food prices rising, and what does it mean for emerging markets?
OBG
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Despite an increase in crop production and international trade following a pandemic-disrupted 2020, global food prices have risen to 10-year highs, increasing pressure on many emerging markets. Following a two-month respite from month-on-month (m-o-m) declines, the UN’s World Food Price Index averaged 130 points in September, representing a rise of 1.2% m-o-m and 32.8% year-on-year. The index is now sitting at highs not seen since 2011. While food prices are high across the board, cereal prices are seeing a notable spike...

Covid-19 Response & Recovery - Qatar
Covid-19 Response Report

Report: What role will the sharia banking segment play in Qatar’s recovery?

Amid the global economic downturn linked to the pandemic, Qatar was able to draw on its strong track record of fiscal surpluses and its robust sovereign credit rating to fund an integrated and effective...
Covid-19 Response Report

Report: Covid-19's long-term implications for Qatar’s external trade and maritime logistics

Backed by a high credit rating, advanced oil and gas production and storage capacity, and a deep sovereign wealth fund, Qatar was able to tap international debt markets to fund an effective economic response...
Covid-19 Response Report

Report: How has the Covid-19 pandemic impacted Qatar’s food security?

The trade dispute between Qatar and some of its neighbours in 2017-20 served to strengthen the country’s food security, spurring it to ramp up domestic production capacity and diversify...
Covid-19 Response Report

Report: What does the post-pandemic future hold for Qatar’s construction industry?

As one of the world’s richest countries per capita, Qatar entered the Covid-19 pandemic from a position of relative strength. Backed by deep and accessible gas deposits, a positive fiscal balance and a high...
Covid-19 Response Report

Report: What impact has the Covid-19 pandemic had on Qatar’s start-up ecosystem?

Qatar acted swiftly to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the early stages of the pandemic, harnessing the power of digital technology to implement effective test, trace and treatment strategies...
Covid-19 Recovery Roadmap

Report: What is the post-Covid-19 outlook for GCC chemicals and petrochemicals?

The GCC chemicals and petrochemicals industry demonstrated considerable resilience in the face of Covid-19 and oil price fluctuations. With economic diversification a leading concern for GCC...
Covid-19 Response Report

Report: Can agri-tech offer sustainable solutions to GCC food security challenges?

Food production in the GCC has long faced obstacles ranging from water scarcity to a lack of arable soil – factors that are being exacerbated by climate change. Prior to Covid-19, imports accounted for 85%...

Report: What role will the sharia banking segment play in Qatar’s recovery?
Report: Covid-19's long-term implications for Qatar’s external trade and maritime logistics
Report: How has the Covid-19 pandemic impacted Qatar’s food security?
Report: What does the post-pandemic future hold for Qatar’s construction industry?
Report: What impact has the Covid-19 pandemic had on Qatar’s start-up ecosystem?
Report: What is the post-Covid-19 outlook for GCC chemicals and petrochemicals?
Report: Can agri-tech offer sustainable solutions to GCC food security challenges?
 

Education: Shaping Qatar's Future

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 all. Education, research and training are key components of Qatar National Vision 2030, the country’s long-term framework to...

Economic View

Ahmad Hasnah, President, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU)

On the post-pandemic environment for higher education

Analysis

How institutions of higher learning are embracing the metaverse
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In a bid to expand access and widen their reach, educational institutions are increasingly exploring the possibilities of the metaverse and associated extended-reality (XR) approaches. The metaverse comprises a range of technologies which immerse users in a virtual environment. It denotes a 3D medium that combines virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into a new digital realm, sometimes known as XR. These environments are accessed through VR headsets and are typically immersive, interactive...

Economic News

How has the pandemic changed university course offerings in the Gulf?
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With the current semester winding up, many higher education institutions in the Gulf are already planning an expanded offering of courses for the next academic year – with a focus on supporting the needs of the region’s post-pandemic economy. As OBG detailed earlier this year, the economic fallout of Covid-19 has encouraged higher education institutions in the Gulf to adapt their course offerings to help drive their respective countries’ economic recoveries. The coronavirus pandemic both highlighted and heightened the importance...

Economic News

Covid-19 and Gulf higher education: are e-learning solutions here to stay?
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After rising to the challenge of the pandemic early last year, educational institutions in the Gulf have continued to develop their digital strategies as part of broader plans for the future. Following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, many universities, schools and technical colleges – who were midway through the academic year – quickly adapted to the new situation by adopting digital learning platforms and making learning materials available online. One of those leading the transition was the UAE’s Higher Colleges of...

Covid-19 Response Report

Report: Will digitalisation in UAE higher education spur longer-term economic growth?

The UAE’s robust current account balance cushioned the economy against the twin global challenges of Covid-19 and the oil price drop in 2020. Lockdowns were implemented to protect public health, and Emiratis migrated online. UAE residents were ranked as the best ICT users globally in an October 2020 study from the Portulans Institute, due in part to a number-one ranking for school internet access, underlining the agility of UAE education stakeholders...

Featured Sectors in Qatar
Featured Reports in Qatar