The Middle East Economy

The Qatari government has increasingly shifted its focus to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups as it moves to expand economic diversification and non-oil growth in the state. Start-ups and entrepreneurs will benefit as a result, with the state launching new support mechanisms for the sector, including the recently...

Qatar, like many Gulf nations, has seen its labour requirements soar in the wake of rapid economic development and a spate of construction and infrastructure projects. With less than 300,000 Qataris living in a country of some 2.22m people, the nation’s labour force is dominated by expatriate workers, the majority of whom are from Asia....

Reporting double-digit average GDP growth since 2004, the Qatari economy boasts a decade-long track record of extremely strong expansion. The state has risen to become one of the world’s richest countries on a per capita basis. Hydrocarbons production and exports support the state’s economy; Qatar is the world’s largest exporter of liquefied...

In keeping with the IMF’s recommendations, Qatar has moved to introduce a medium-term focus to its budget process, which is expected to help protect government spending from revenue volatility. These reforms have become especially pertinent, as oil prices plunged by 50% between June 2014 and early 2015. With the state now moving to plan its...