Qatar has responded strongly to the trade blockade that cut off many of the country’s supply routes for goods, ranging from construction materials to milk, and has swiftly realigned key trading routes. Meanwhile, many in the local business community are optimistic about the opportunities for in-country value creation that the blockade has afforded. Qatar’s economy has remained better insulated to the effects of oil price volatility than many of its neighbours in recent years thanks to its large financial buffers, as well as the unintended countercyclical effects of its infrastructure investment boom. A return of oil prices to above $50 a barrel is nevertheless welcome to an economy that had started to strain as a result of tightening liquidity conditions. Resurgent energy prices will also provide a strong platform from which the government can continue towards its 2022 FIFA World Cup commitments, and also launch its new six year strategic plan, which will further efforts towards the economic diversification objectives outlined in Qatar National Vision 2030.
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