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Tribune News Network
Doha
When the illegal blockade was imposed on Qatar by the Saudi-led bloc, there were many questions and doubts surrounding the future of our country; however, four months into the blockade, our economy is still the fastest growing in the region, with a growth rate of 2.5 percent, Minisiter of Finance HE Ali Shareef al Emadi has said.
He was speaking at a private reception hosted jointly by Embassy of Qatar in the US and the US-Qatar Business Council in Washington, a press release said on Tuesday.
"Despite the blockade, Qatar's existing economic relationships around the world have continued to flourish, while new markets and opportunities are constantly being identified.
"The most important thing that this blockade has shown the world is that Qatar is a reliable trading partner," he pointed out.
"We have not missed a single shipment, and we also continue to provide natural gas to the UAE as per existing contracts, regardless of our current differences, proving yet again that Qatar does not use its economic power for political leverage," Emadi said.
The minister continued,"The blockade has had a beneficial impact on many sectors, such as tourism and hospitality. Our newly announced measures now allow citizens of 80 countries to visit Qatar visa-free.
"The blockade has reiterated our commitment to providing an open and competitive market to international investors. We have been welcoming businesses from around the world for decades."
"For the past five years, we have been supporting the private sector and implementing measures to make it more competitive and attractive to local and international investors," Emadi added.
The event was attended by many guests including key executives of American businesses in Qatar, Qatar Airways and Dana Shell-Smith, and former US ambassador to Qatar, the statement added.
