Satyendra Pathak
Doha
Qatar is fully committed to completing all projects related to the 2022 FIFA World Cup at least a year ahead of schedule, Minister of Finance HE Ali Shareef al Emadi has said.
"The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be held in Qatar and the country is fully prepared to host the mega sporting event," Emadi told the Euromoney Qatar Conference 2017, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al Thani, on Tuesday.
He said more than 65 percent of the projects related to the 2022 World Cup have already been completed.
Despite the unjust siege imposed on Qatar, Emadi said, all the projects related to the mega event are going on as per the schedule.
"In fact, we launched more projects after the siege than in the preceding months. We have also allocated enough funds in the budget for 2018 to ensure that all World Cup projects are completed on time," the minister said.
"Our preparedness can be seen from the fact that Qatar completed and opened the first World Cup stadium in 2017, five years ahead of the tournament. We will open two more stadiums in 2018," he added.
Most of the roads under construction currently will be completed by 2019, he said, adding that Doha Metro will be fully operational by 2020."We will give ourselves at least a year to ensure that all the preparations for the mega event are perfect and of highest quality," the minister said.
He also assured that enough hotel rooms and other related facilities will be ready to accommodate visitors during the World Cup.