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Tribune News Network
Doha
The industrial sector in Qatar was able to pushback against the debilitating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and emerged victorious in the face of some extreme odds, according to Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari.
Addressing a lecture on national economy and its role in supporting defence efforts at the Joaan bin Jassim Joint Command and Staff College, Kuwari laid out several figures that highlighted the commendable performance of the country’s industrial sector.
When factories around the world struggled to continue, last year saw the number of factories expand by 6 percent to 927. The total volume of investments in the industrial sector in 2020 amounted to approximately QR263 billion, notching a growth rate of 0.4 percent compared to 2019.
Electronic procedures made through the Single Window platform witnessed a 56 percent growth in 2020, compared to 2019, and the percentage of digital transformation amounted to 62 percebt, an increase of 22% compared to 2019.
The lecture was attended by His Excellency Lt General (Pilot) Ghanem bin Shaheen al-Ghanim, the Chief of Staff of the Qatari Armed Forces, and a number of Qatar Armed Forces officers and senior employees from various Ministries and institutions taking part in the National Defense Course.
At the beginning of his lecture, the minister affirmed that the directives of the wise leadership contributed to laying down the main pillars that define the priorities and future prospects supporting the national economy, indicating that Qatar has succeeded in continuing to implement its economic policies despite the geopolitical changes.
Kuwari touched on several topics, including the challenges that the country has witnessed during the past years, for example the repercussions of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and the efforts made to achieve a comprehensive revival. H.E. referred in this regard to steps taken by the State, such as adopting an economic diversification policy, stimulating the participation and role of the private sector, developing national industries and exports, and attracting investment in non-oil sectors, which represented more than 62% of gross product at constant prices for the second quarter of 2020.
Regarding the measures that have been taken to confront the repercussions of the pandemic, H.E. stated that Qatar had succeeded, in light of the current exceptional circumstances, in dealing with the consequences of the crisis and taking effective and efficient measures that have contributed to reducing its negative impact on the social and economic levels. Qatar has worked to enhance the flow of commodities and support maintaining regular supply operations, by strengthening its cooperation with countries and trade partners, providing raw materials for various industrial sectors, as well as adopting a series of economic measures and incentives, which have contributed to protecting the private sector and enhancing companies’ ability to adapt to the current economic situation and to pay their employees.
H.E. shed light on the legislation put in place by Qatar to attract and encourage investment, including the law regulating the Public-Private Partnership, which contributed to enhancing investment prospects in the country and providing the appropriate legislative framework to improve governance, risk management, and enhance competition and innovation, H.E. said.
H.E. further stated that this law provided investors with the opportunity to finance, develop, and operate projects in a variety of priority sectors, including food security, sports, tourism, health, education, and logistics. In this regard, H.E. spoke of signing the government schools package contract (establishing eight schools), and launching the tourist resorts project, spanning an area exceeding 450,000 square meters.
H.E. touched on the most prominent features of the law regulating the investment of non-Qatari capital in economic activity, and the initiative to establish the Investment Promotion Agency.
In the field of developing the business environment, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has been keen to complete the digital transformation process and improve government services provided to speed up procedures, H.E. said.
In this regard, electronic services provided by the Ministry have been developed through its website, mobile application, and the Single Window platform, which in turn provides a number of vital services, such as establishing businesses and factories, issuing tax cards, as well as the electronic signature system.
Electronic procedures made through the Single Window platform witnessed a 56% growth in 2020, compared to 2019, and the percentage of digital transformation amounted to 62%, an increase of 22% compared to 2019.
On the initiatives aimed at establishing integrated mechanisms to enhance and increase Qatar’s strategic stock, H.E. referred to Law No. (24) of 2019 on Regulating and Managing the Strategic Stock of Food and Consumer Goods, aimed at regulating dealing in basic commodities, and establishing a system for managing and monitoring production, import, supply, circulation, and storage.
At the level of industrial development, H.E. pointed out that the industrial sector had witnessed remarkable growth in conjunction with the progress made in the projects of developing the SMEs industrial zone. The total number of factories in 2020 amounted to 927, recording a 6% increase compared to 2019. Additionally, the total volume of investments in the industrial sector in 2020 amounted to approximately QR263 billion, a growth rate of 0.4% compared to 2019.
At the end of the lecture, H.E. Major General Fahd bin Mubarak Al Khayarin, Commander of Joaan bin Jassim Joint Command and Staff College, presented H.E. Mr. Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Commerce and Industry with the College’s memorial shield.
The lecture delivered by H.E. the Minister of Commerce and Industry comes within the framework of the program of the National Defense Course at the Joaan bin Jassim College, aimed at buttressing cooperation and coordination between the Joaan bin Jassim Joint Command and Staff College and the State’s various Ministries and government institutions.
