Qatar Business

Doha, Qatar: As governments and global institutions race to harness artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation, and innovation-driven investment, last week’s Doha Forum offered a pointed reminder that technology alone cannot close widening gaps in peace, climate resilience, and economic opportunity. The event, held under the theme ‘Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress,’ brought together leaders shaping the future of development finance, digital governance, and conflict-resolution strategies, an agenda strongly reinforced by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Alexander De Croo, who spoke during a high-level panel. He called for leveraging private-sector innovation and capital, particularly in fields such as digital infrastructure, AI-enabled public services, and green technology, by outlining two top priorities for the Qatar–UNDP collaboration. Read Also Qatar’s growing artificial intelligence landscape creates new opportunities Aviation activity rises sharply in Nov reflecting resilient travel demand Eight Arab, Islamic nations condemn storming of UNRWA headquarters “First, we want to deepen our joint work on innovation and systems transformation,” De Croo told The Peninsula. “Qatar’s visionary angel investment in UNDP’s Accelerator Labs Network was a game-changer in surfacing over 6,500 grassroots development solutions across the world, everything from climate action and clean energy to opening up new livelihood opportunities.” The official noted that renewed funding is powering the transition into UNDP’s Digital, AI and Innovation Hub and the soon-to-launch Transformation Accelerator Network platforms designed to test, scale and fund breakthrough solutions to challenges like extremism, displacement and poverty. His second priority centres on demonstrating that development is the most effective security investment, especially in active or post-conflict environments. “Through our collaboration with the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and other national partners, UNDP aims to expand support for the Gaza Ceasefire Response Plan as conditions on the ground allow,” he said. De Croo mentioned that this involves moving beyond the 60-day phase of debris clearance and emergency service delivery toward restoring livelihoods and deploying blended-finance mechanisms to stabilise the financial sector, revive credit for micro, small and medium enterprises, and leverage private-sector capital. He noted, “This is about enabling a wider economic recovery and reconstruction.” On the other hand, the Administrator stressed that support for basic services in Syria, including the civil service payroll, continues. “More broadly, our goal is a more strategic Qatar–UNDP portfolio that links immediate relief to systems transformation, innovation, and digital transformation, and economic empowerment, particularly for women and young people,” De Croo said. “It’s about turning vital daily assistance into long-term, systemic change.” He reinforced UNDP’s operational philosophy by stating, “I want to be very clear about how UNDP works. We listen, we partner, and we deliver. We listen closely to countries and communities. We partner boldly with a wide range of partners, including governments, the private sector, and key partners like Qatar. And we deliver real results, from helping countries expand jobs and clean energy, to unlocking billions in sustainable finance that turns plans into projects people can see and touch.” De Croo said that the recently-concluded Forum underscored a defining message and reminded of a simple truth. “Global commitments to peace, climate, and inclusive growth in isolation are not enough on their own. People around the world are not asking for more declarations. They want to see action and results,” he said. “Mediation is a core pillar of Qatari foreign policy, and the Forum once again positioned Doha as a platform for open, constructive dialogue, whether on Gaza, Syria, Ukraine, and beyond, with a strong focus on de-escalation and practical problem-solving,” he remarked. “For the UNDP, this sends a clear message. Qatar is a strategic partner in advancing global conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and helping countries to transition from crisis to recovery.” De Croo also used the platform to outline his broader agenda and topmost priority as the newly appointed UNDP Administrator. “I want to put development back at the heart of geopolitics,” he said. “The world must recognise that investing in sustainable development is the smartest way to address the root causes of instability, extremism, and forced migration rather than responding to crises after they happen.” He further added, “Development is not an abstract ambition. It is electricity in a clinic, a safer home, a job that lifts a family. That is what UNDP is here to deliver, every day, in every place where people are counting on us.”

Qatar Business

Doha, Qatar: Buenos Aires will open an InvestBA office in Doha in 2026, marking the city’s first official representation in the Gulf region and establishing a permanent platform for trade and investment promotion, H E Hernán Lombardi, Minister of Economic Development for the City of Buenos Aires has revealed. The Year of Culture partnership has laid the foundation for a deeper economic relationship between Qatar and Argentina. This year three major commercial announcements were delivered during a high-level delegation visit by Minister Lombardi and Augusto Ardiles, Undersecretary of Investments at Ministry of Economic Development of the City of Buenos Aires. The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), a leading onshore financial and business centre in the region, and the Ministry of Economic Development of Buenos Aires signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently which seeks to create stronger bilateral investment channels and new support mechanisms for Argentinian companies entering the Gulf market. Read Also Argentinian companies seek to expand footprint in Qatar Doha ready to host first Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final weekend Qatar University collaborates with Google Cloud to accelerate AI innovation The three major market announcements now emerging, the MoU, the InvestBA office, and the potential expansion of Argentinian companies in the GCC market through Qatar, illustrate how cultural diplomacy can impact real business outcomes. The agreements mark a significant milestone in Argentina’s growing commercial presence in Qatar and reflect the momentum created through sustained institutional engagement during the Year of Culture programme. Addressing the event Minister Lombardi said, “These agreements reflect the confidence our team in Buenos Aires places in Qatar as a strategic partner for innovation, investment, and long-term collaboration.” “Establishing InvestBA in Doha and deepening our institutional ties through the QFC opens a new chapter for Argentinian companies seeking to engage with the Gulf. We look forward to building on this momentum and creating concrete opportunities that benefit both of our economies,” he added. Also speaking at the signing ceremony, Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida, Chief Executive Officer, QFC, noted the strategic work in culture and exchange has strengthened the relationship between Qatar and Argentina paving the way for the partnership we are formalising here today. Al-Jaida said, Qatar and Argentina have enjoyed more than 50 years of friendship reflecting in a strong, and mutually beneficial economic relationship. “Over these five decades our nations have signed numerous agreements across commerce, sports, industry, tourism and culture each deepening our cooperation and widening our shared opportunity. “Today’s MoUs built on that cooperation by enhancing the connections between the QFC and the Ministry of Economic Development of the City of Buenos Aires to enable a more coherent and effective collaboration between our jurisdictions and reinforce our shared commitments to supporting business growth,” he added. “With this MoU we are creating a supportive environment that helps our firms expand across borders through smoother market entry and mutual assistance. We will undertake coordinated initiative and maintain continuous engagement to ensure our stakeholders benefit for new prospects in both markets. By aligning our respective strengths we can accelerate economic development and diversification for both economies,” Al-Jaida said. Argentinian BioTech, HealthTech, Multimedia and Applied AI companies are moving toward establishing operations in Qatar through the Qatar Financial Centre, deepening Argentina’s footprint in the GCC. H E Mohammed Al Kuwari, former Ambassador of Qatar to Mexico and Advisor on Latin American Affairs for Years of Culture said, “Years of Culture has shown that cultural exchange is a foundation for trust, understanding, and sustainable economic partnership. The growing commercial presence in Qatar we see through these agreements is a direct outcome of the relationships built over the past year, and a powerful example of how cultural diplomacy can pave the way for meaningful investment and innovation.” Qatar’s Years of Culture initiative, long celebrated for its cultural diplomacy has increasingly become a driver of economic growth. In 2025, the initiative played a decisive role in shaping new routes for cooperation by bringing Argentina’s innovators into direct and repeated dialogue with Qatar’s business, government, and financial institutions. Through coordinated efforts between Years of Culture and Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), Argentina participated in several major trade events in Qatar this year, an approach that positioned cultural exchange as a launching pad for business opportunity.

Qatar Business

Muscat: The Qatari-Omani Joint Committee held its 24th session meetings in Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman, over two days. The Qatari side was headed by Minister of Finance H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, while the Omani side was headed by Minister of Finance H E Sultan bin Salim Al Habsi. During the meetings, the committee discussed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation between the two fraternal countries, foremost among which were economic, commercial, investment, and development cooperation. The discussions also addressed ways to further strengthen the partnership in a manner that serves mutual interests and contributes to advancing joint Gulf cooperation. In this context, the Minister of Finance emphasized the importance of these meetings and their role in advancing bilateral relations, saying: “The meetings of the Joint Committee reflect the depth of relations between our two countries and serve as an important platform to strengthen economic and investment cooperation, develop practical partnerships, support Gulf integration, and open broader horizons for sustainable development across various sectors.” In turn, the Minister of Finance of the Sultanate of Oman said:“This Joint Committee represents an exemplary model of bilateral cooperation, at a time when there is a growing need to enhance joint efforts to achieve progress, prosperity, and sustainable economic and social development for our two fraternal peoples.” The committee also followed up on the progress of a number of joint projects and considered a set of initiatives and proposals aimed at enhancing cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, telecommunications, transport, tourism, banking services, and education, in addition to exploring investment opportunities available in both countries. The Qatari-Omani Joint Committee held its first meeting in Doha in April 1995, and its sessions have since continued alternately between the two countries, thereby reinforcing the path of joint cooperation and coordination. Separately, Minister ofFinance, H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari also met with Minister ofFinanceof the Sultanate of Oman, H E Sultan bin Salim Al Habsi on the sidelines of the 24th session of the Qatar-Oman Joint Committee held in Muscat. The meeting focused on bilateral relations between the two countries in the economic, trade and investment fields and means to enhance them, in addition to discussing aspects of joint cooperation.