Economic update | Le Maroc cherche à se positionner comme passerelle financière vers l’Afrique
2013 saw the transition of power from the former Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, his fourth son and second son with Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, a move unprecedented elsewhere in the Gulf but not unexpected in Qatar.
Articles & Analysis | Sharia-compliant solutions: Finding short-term financial instruments for Islamic lenders from The Report: Qatar 2014
The effort to increase the range of liquidity management solutions available to Islamic banks is an international one, and one in which Qatar has historically played a prominent role. An announcement in 2013 by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) suggests that Qatar will soon take an even greater part in closing the liquidity gap that faces...
Articles & Analysis | Healthy beginnings: After a lengthy planning process, the mandatory health insurance scheme is now being rolled out in stages from The Report: Qatar 2014
In the summer of 2013 Qatar’s long-anticipated mandatory health insurance scheme became operational, representing for many an historic step in the country’s social development. The creation of the National Health Insurance Company in June with Al Khaleej Takaful Group appointed as the scheme’s third-party administrator, and the July...
Articles & Analysis | Leading role: The government continues efforts to make the country a centre for IFS from The Report: Qatar 2014
The Islamic finance services (IFS) sector in Qatar is one of the most vibrant in the region and incorporates a rapidly expanding sharia-compliant banking segment, an array of financing companies, an insurance market that is well positioned to capitalise on the potential of an underserved market, and an increasingly deep Islamic investment...
Articles & Analysis | Expecting expansion: All the signs point to substantial growth in the coming year from The Report: Qatar 2014
Benefitting from the nation’s rapid development and buoyant economy, Qatar’s insurance sector has become the third largest in the GCC region in terms of written premiums. The sector is home to a range of domestic giants and international players that enjoy a choice of regulatory frameworks, and insurers are now gearing up to capitalise on the...