Satyendra Pathak
Doha
As many as 325 exhibitors from 25 countries are all set to take part in the 19th edition of Project Qatar slated to begin on May 29 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.
To be held under the patronage of the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and with the support of The Ministry of Commerce and Industry and in partnership with Public Works Authority (Ashghal), the four-day event is the nation’s largest and most prominent construction exhibition.
IFP Qatar, the leading trade fair and conferences organiser in Qatar, announced details of the event during a press conference that was attended by a number of representatives of sponsors from the public and private sectors.
Addressing a press conference to provide details about the upcoming edition of Project Qatar, IFP Qatar General Manager Haidar Mshaimesh said, “This year’s edition of Project Qatar will host over 325 exhibitors from 25 different countries. Out of the 325 exhibitors, around 125 are local exhibitors including some of the big Qatari brands.”
He said, “Qatar’s construction industry presents enormous prospects, particularly under the Qatar National Vision (QNV) 2030, the government’s strategic growth plan. The framework intends to transform Qatar into a self-sustaining diverse economy that is less dependent on oil. The 19th edition of Project Qatar is expected to play a significant role in achieving the goals of QNV 2030 by highlighting regional products and the importance of the Qatari industry to the national economy. With the assistance of the government, the event presents several opportunities for local and foreign contractors to expand across Qatar.”
In addition, he said, “There will be great possibilities for Qatar to attract foreign direct investments. We are excited to meet top exhibitors and visitors from around the world who will be offering cutting-edge solutions for the industry.”
Furthermore, he said, “The event will bring together participants from 200 international exhibitors from 25 countries, including eight official country pavilions and 125 local companies, led by major governmental and semi-governmental companies and the most prominent private sector companies, as the Public Works Authority, as the strategic partner, Qatar Tourism, the Hosted Buyers Sponsor, Qatari Diar Company, the Property Development Sponsor, Qatar Development Bank (QDB), the Leading Sponsor, Qatar Free Zones Authority as the free zones partner, Suhail Industrial Holding Group as the industrial partner, Al Sraiya Holding Group as the platinum sponsor, Midea as the diamond sponsor, Milaha, QTerminals, Hamad Bin Khaled (HBK) Contracting, Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros, as silver sponsors, Modern Home Company the official distributors of Hisense as the HVAC sponsor, Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) as the industrial consulting sponsor, Vodafone Qatar as the exclusive telecom sponsor, Gulfcrafts, innovative branding sponsor, as well as a large number of media partners from the print and digital fields.”
Speaking on the occasion, Director of the Building Projects Department at Ashghal Engineer Jarallah Mohammed Al Marri said, “The Public Works Authority is participating in the Project Qatar exhibition with a special pavilion for the seventh year in a row, through which it is displaying the achievements of the authority in infrastructure projects.”
He said, “The strategic partnership of the authority with Project Qatar comes within the authority’s vision to enhance communications and partnerships with various private sector companies that contribute to the implementation of projects in the country, we look forward to the exhibition being an opportunity to meet a wide group of consultants, contractors and suppliers with whom the authority can cooperate in the future.”
Director of the Office of the Chief Executive Officer and Public Relations Department at the Qatari Diar Company Ahmed Mohammed Al Sada said, “Qatari Diar is participating for the second year in a row as a sponsor of real estate development in the exhibition. This participation is based on the successful participation last year, as we hope that this session will be an opportunity for us to present our latest and most prominent projects around the world to the audience, especially regional and international visitors, many of whom we had the opportunity to meet in last year’s session.”
Out of the 25 countries participating in this year’s session, eight are represented by official national pavilions led by Kuwait’s Public Authority for Industry, Italy’s Italian Trade Agency (ITA), Turkey’s Ministry of Commerce, and Iran’s Trade Development Organisation (TPO), along with China, Russia, India, and Pakistan.
The exhibition will also welcome international delegations from several countries, including the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Turkey, Iran, India, China, and others.
On a local level, this year also highlights the participation of Suhail Industrial Holding Group, the largest industrial company in the Qatari private sector, as an industrial partner for the second year in a row.
Suhail Industrial Holding Group Chief Development Officer Shadi Afif said, “The company is moving at an accelerated pace and confidence derived from the state’s support for the industrial sector towards self-sufficiency to meet all the requirements of government agencies and the Qatari market on its own, and Suhail Holding Group is moving towards new horizons of existing industrial production. We recycle metals, revive wasted wealth resulting from the boom in construction and infrastructure projects in the country, and make perfect use of the waste of mineral projects, to produce and supply the market with all its needs of metal and plastic products that were imported from abroad and some of which were not manufactured in Qatar, but now, are 100 percent per ent manufactured in Qatar.”
This year’s Project Qatar will present Qatar’s industrial manufacturing sector to the event’s international audience in accordance with QNV 2030 as part of the effort to broaden the audience and promote the products of local manufacturers. Since the industrial manufacturing sector has seen considerable local expansion over the years. The exhibition also addresses the future of the construction sector in Qatar, by highlighting technological innovations that play an important role in the future within the ‘Smart District pavilion, which includes a number of advanced technology providers with multiple uses in construction projects.
Commenting on their first participation as a diamond sponsor of the exhibition, Midea Managing Director Emad Chen said, “Midea is a global leader in consumer electronics and home electrical equipment. We always look for partnerships at the highest levels, and that is why our global partnership with Manchester City FC was one of the best. As we decided to be partners for a trade fair in Qatar, it was natural that the choice would be Project Qatar, given the long-standing reputation that this exhibition holds, not only in Qatar but also at a regional level. It provides a unique platform for Midea International to showcase its advanced technologies and comprehensive solutions.”
Darwish Group Director Ziad Asmar said, “After Hisense’s sponsorship of the 2022 World Cup, our sponsoring of Project Qatar exhibition comes as confirmation of the advanced position occupied by this leading brand in the Qatari market through its presence in the most prominent events taking place in the country.”
Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros Company Chief Operating Officer - Commercial and Industrial Division Yazan Mustafa said, “We are participating in Project Qatar this year to highlight a group of products we provide to construction sites from the finest international brands, and we look forward to meeting a wide segment of visitors at the exhibition.”
In addition to the exhibition, the concurrent conference, which will be held over four days, will cover the most important topics of concern in the construction sector in Qatar, as each day will be dedicated to one of these topics. The first day, titled Q Invest, will cover the most prominent investment opportunities available in the sector in Qatar.
The second day, titled Q Industry, will cover topics related to the development of industry and local production. The third day, titled Q Tech, will be dedicated to discussing the role of smart technology in the construction sector. The fourth day, titled Q Green, will address environmental challenges and the topics of sustainability and construction.
