Construction

A quick look at the Doha skyline reveals just how much activity there is in Qatar’s construction sector currently. Activity in the capital is just one aspect of the work being done, however, with highways, housing estates and hypermarkets now also being built around the country. A huge amount of investment is going into Qatar’s infrastructure, along with its real estate, providing some of the largest contracts of recent decades for construction companies. Despite this flurry of activity, there are still challenges as the sector faces an economic slowdown. Falling oil and gas revenues have affected government spending, with many of the mega-projects currently under construction seeing reprioritisation, while new contracts have become scarcer. The blockade imposed on Qatar in June 2017 by some of its regional neighbours has also had notable effects on the economy. Nonetheless, Qatar remains a global centre for the industry as it gears up for 2022 FIFA World Cup. Indeed, sector players now expect a flurry of smaller contracts in the second half of 2018 and beyond, as the country’s plans for the tournament are realised and major projects are speeding up to meet pre-2022 deadlines This chapter contains an interview with Saad bin Ahmad Al Muhannadi, President, Public Works Authority (Ashghal); and Eisa Al Hammadi, CEO, Qatar Primary Materials Company (QPMC).