All Countries and All Sectors

The role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is crucial in any economy. According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), formal SMEs account for up to 45% of employment and up to 33% of GDP in emerging economies, while in high-income countries they account for 62% of employment and nearly 64% of GDP. Given the significant role...

While the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) continues to formulate instruments aimed at deepening the emirate’s markets, 2013 brought a fresh development that has the potential to radically transform the financial sector. At the end of April 2013, after months of speculation in the local press, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president...

The Foreign Investment Law regulates the investment of foreign capital in economic activities. It applies to non-Qatari nationals who wish to undertake business in the country. In most sectors of the Qatari economy, foreign investors are allowed to carry out businesses provided that they have a Qatari partner with a share of at least 51% of the...

Al Zubarah is one of the largest and best-preserved examples of an 18th-century traditional pearling and trading settlement in the Gulf region. It is considered the most important archaeological site in Qatar. Long ago it was a hive of activity, maintaining trade links throughout the Arabian Peninsula, Asia, Africa and Europe. Although it now lies empty, in the past the city was bustling and...

Despite its small size, Qatar has become a magnet for regional investment over the past decade. Foreign investment in Qatar is governed by Law No. 13 of 2000 (the Foreign Investment Law), which is applied to non-Qatari nationals who wish to undertake business in Qatar. In addition to the flexibility offered by this law, foreign investors may...