Construction

The construction sector grew by 13% y-o-y in third-quarter 2013, driven primarily by spending on transport infrastructure. With more than $222bn of projects in the pipeline, sector growth has been forecast at 15% for 2014, while spending on infrastructure is set to reach $150bn in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The scale of construction activity in the region has created some challenges that Qatar, in particular, will have to address to meet its targets. The demand for building materials and bottlenecks in transport and logistics, for instance, are driving up the cost of construction. This chapter contains interviews with Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of Municipality & Urban Planning; Essa Mohammed Ali Kaldari, CEO, Lusail Real Estate Development Company; and Khalid Al Rabban, Chairman, Qatar Primary Materials Company.