Country Profile
From The Report: Qatar 2014
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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. Qatari investments straddle the globe, and the world’s top financial, construction, energy, retail and real estate businesses are vying for a spot in this rapidly evolving marketplace. The country has set major goals along the path towards development, including making Qatar a leading sports capital, constructing a new city at Lusail and creating a knowledge-based economy, among others.
This chapter contains a viewpoint from Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar; and interviews from Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah, Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Abdul Latif bin Rashed Al Zayani, Secretary-General, GCC.
Articles from this Chapter
Steady progress: With plentiful resources the government is working to make the most of the country’s potential
Striving for excellence: Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, on the future vision for the stateOBGplus
We could summarise our development goals, including Qatar National Vision 2030, in these words: building the homeland and the citizen, from which major tasks assigned to the leadership of the state are derived. We consider the building of institutions that are based on rational management of resources, professional standards and benchmarks of productivity and efficiency, and serving the public interest on the one hand, and keenness on the welfare of the citizen, qualifying him for useful productive…
OBG talks to Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, Minister of Foreign AffairsOBGplus
Interview:Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah What changes are to be expected in Qatar’s foreign policy agenda under the state’s new leadership? KHALID BIN MOHAMMED AL ATTIYAH: Qatar’s foreign policy is based on the core principles and beliefs that are driven by the clear vision outlined under the guidance of the Father Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the current Emir, Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani. Today, the next generation of Qataris have taken up the baton and will continue building the country in line with the founding values of our nation. Strengthening international security by supporting the peaceful resolution…
A new beginning: The Cabinet has seen promising changesOBGplus
One of the most significant – and well documented – events of 2013 was 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. To the outside world, the June announcement was seen as an unprecedented move, as it is the first time a monarch in the Gulf had peacefully handed over power to an heir while still alive. However, inside Qatar, it was well known that the former Emir…
On the table: Increasing local production is key to meeting growing demandOBGplus
As one of the only nations on the planet that is a desert ecosystem from border to border, Qatar faces the challenge of carefully balancing the food and water needs of a relatively small community in the global marketplace with the strictures of limited import routes and a harsh environment. However, as Qatar’s population broke through the 2m mark in 2013, ensuring a supply of good-quality food and water for a large and sophisticated populace has become an issue of concern. Depletion of natural…
Trading up: Both internal and external GCC imports and exports have increased considerablyOBGplus
Boosting economic integration among the countries of the Gulf has been a key component of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf – commonly called the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – since the organisation was established in late May 1981. Indeed, while the six countries that make up the GCC – namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – have implemented joint projects in a wide variety of sectors thus far, economic cooperation remains a core concern moving…
Trading up: Both internal and external GCC imports and exports have increased considerablyOBGplus
Boosting economic integration among the countries of the Gulf has been a key component of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf – commonly called the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – since the organisation was established in late May 1981. Indeed, while the six countries that make up the GCC – namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – have implemented joint projects in a wide variety of sectors thus far, economic cooperation remains a core concern moving…
At the forefront: OBG talks to Abdul Latif bin Rashed Al Zayani, Secretary-General, GCCOBGplus
Interview:Abdul Latif bin Rashed Al Zayani In what way is Qatar involved in fostering more economic integration among GCC member states? ABDUL LATIF BIN RASHED AL ZAYANI: Establishing joint ventures and linking infrastructure between GCC states has involved all nations and is facilitating economic integration and the idea of a GCC common market. All member states recognise the importance of setting up such projects for the sustainability of individual economies and for the benefit of the…
One from many: The GCC has become a catalyst for collaboration and mutually beneficial developmentOBGplus
In a speech delivered at a conference in Riyadh in early May 2012, Abdul Latif bin Rashed Al Zayani, the secretary-general of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf – otherwise known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – addressed the numerous changes that have taken place in the region in recent years. “The new political, security and military challenges, at the regional and international levels, as well as the insecurity in the Arab region and the changes in the regional…
One from many: The GCC has become a catalyst for collaboration and mutually beneficial developmentOBGplus
In a speech delivered at a conference in Riyadh in early May 2012, Abdul Latif bin Rashed Al Zayani, the secretary-general of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf – otherwise known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – addressed the numerous changes that have taken place in the region in recent years. “The new political, security and military challenges, at the regional and international levels, as well as the insecurity in the Arab region and the changes in the regional…
