Economy

The Qatari economy boasts a decade-long track record of extremely strong expansion, with the state’s GDP per capita having risen to become one of the highest in the world. While Qatar is the world’s highest exporter of liquefied natural gas, and the country’s income remains largely dependent on hydrocarbons activity, Qatar has, in recent times, pursued a vigorous plan of economic diversification in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. Leading non-hydrocarbons growth are the finance and construction sectors. The banking sector’s macro-indicators are favourable, with sound capital and strong liquid assets, which will allow banks to capitalise on the state’s construction drive. Meanwhile, and as a result of the state’s infrastructure investment programme, the construction sector expanded by 22% year-on-year between Q2 2013 and Q2 2014.

This chapter contains interviews with Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al Thani, Minister of Economy and Commerce; Abdullah Saleh Mubarak Al Khulaifi, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs; Eisa bin Saad Al Naimi, Minister of Administrative Development; Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary-General, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy; and Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al Khalifa, CEO, Qatar Development Bank.