Qatar - National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce

I N T E R V I E W
H.E. Ali bin Fahad Al-Hajri
Qatari Ambassador to the United States
In November 2010, Qatar was selected by
the International Federation of Association
Football (FIFA) to host the 2022 World Cup.
This was a major accomplishment for Qatar,
which now plans to invest more than $100
billion in major infrastructure projects in
preparation for the World Cup. What new
opportunities will this present to American
businesses?
The 2022 World Cup will undoubtedly accelerate
major infrastructure projects set forth
in Qatar’s National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030)
development plan, which will require huge
investments. Because Qatar is a free and open
market, this will be a very competitive process.
We have a transparent business system; according
to Transparency International, Qatar
has secured the highest ranking in the Middle
East in terms of transparency and is ranked
19th worldwide. As Ambassador of the State
of Qatar to the United States, I invite and
encourage American companies to enter the
competition for these projects. U.S. companies
should take advantage of the special relationship
Qatar enjoys with the United States and
is reflected between our two peoples.
“The 2022 World Cup will undoubtedly
accelerate major infrastructure projects
set forth in Qatar’s National Vision
2030 (QNV 2030) development plan,
which will require huge investments.
Because Qatar is a free and open
market, this will be a very competitive
process. We have a transparent
business system; according to
Transparency International, Qatar has
secured the highest ranking in the
Middle East in terms of transparency
and is ranked 19th worldwide. As
Ambassador of the State of Qatar
to the United States, I invite and
encourage American companies
to enter the competition for these
projects. U.S. companies should take
advantage of the special relationship
Qatar enjoys with the United States and
is reflected between our two peoples.”
H.E. Ali bin Fahad Al-Hajri
10 NUSACC • www.nusacc.org
The World Bank recently announced that Qatar
is the most economically competitive nation
in the Middle East, and the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts that Qatar’s
economy will grow by 20 percent in 2011.
What has led to such astonishing growth
under the leadership of the Emir of Qatar,
H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani?
It has been a priority of His Highness to restructure
the economy of Qatar to enhance
its competitiveness and serve the nation’s
long-term goals. In recent years, the Government
of Qatar has worked diligently to
promote the economy, to diversify its sources
of income, and to make the transition from a
hydrocarbon-based economy to a knowledgebased
economy. The results that we are seeing
today are the fruits of those efforts.
The United States continues to be Qatar’s largest
import partner, accounting for 14 percent of
the total import market. Last year, Qatar was
the fourth largest U.S. export destination in
the Arab world, making it a very important
market for American small and medium-sized
businesses (SMEs). What role do you play – as
Qatar’s Ambassador to the United States – in
exposing this market to American SMEs and
encouraging bi-lateral trade?
Since my appointment to the United States, I
have been working toward establishing strong
relationships with trade institutions and business
leaders. In my visits to a number of different
American cities and states, I had the pleasure
of meeting with many high-level officials. I
also invited them to visit and experience Qatar
in order to learn about the many business
opportunities available back home. Additionally,
I actively encourage many companies
and business representatives to participate in
conferences in Qatar or to visit the country
with economic or commercial delegations. In
fact, the Business and Investment in Qatar
Forum in New York from April 6-7th will
present those various trade opportunities
clearly and comprehensively.
The Emir of Qatar recently established a
QR 2 billion ($550 million) fund to promote
entrepreneurship and economic diversification
– both of which are critical pillars of a
knowledge-based economy. How close is Qatar
to achieving this goal?
One of Qatar’s major goals is to achieve economic
diversification. In order to accomplish
this, and to equip our younger generation for
the global marketplace, it is essential that we
establish a knowledge-based economy. The
State of Qatar is making concerted efforts to
reach these goals, including the decision by His
Highness to establish this fund to encourage
individuals and institutions to generate new
commercial projects. The fund comes in the
form of the Qatar Authority for Medium to
Small-Scale Enterprises, which is an institutional
mechanism to promote innovation.
We hope that this fund will also open up
new opportunities for economic partnerships
between Qatari and American businesses.
How large is Qatar’s private sector? Apart from
the recently established Qatar Authority for
Medium to Small-Scale Enterprises, what else
is the Government of Qatar doing to actively
encourage the role of the private sector in the
nation’s future economic development?
The size of Qatar’s private sector doubled in
recent years as a direct result of the economic
boom benefiting Qatar and the region. During
the recent economic downturn, Qatar was the
least affected – not only in the region, but on
a global level, according to the International
Monetary Fund – thanks to prudent measures
implemented by the Government. Today,
there are major infrastructure projects in the
works that provide new opportunities for
Qatar’s private sector, which is thriving like
never before.
What sectors offer the best opportunities for
American businesses interested in Qatar?
All sectors offer significant opportunities for
trade and investment in the State of Qatar.
However, from my perspective, the most
important fields are energy and infrastructure
– including power, water, health, education
and tourism. These opportunities are open
to all qualifying companies and institutions,
and we welcome U.S. participation.
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