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QNA
Doha
Qatar's GDP is projected to achieve a stable growth of about 4.3 percent during this year, Minister of Economy and Commerce HE Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohammed al Thani has said.
Speaking at the opening of the Enriching the Middle East's Economic Future Conference on Monday, he praised the conference's role in providing an opportunity for participants to exchange views and discuss issues of interest to the peoples and countries of the Middle East.
Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al Thani attended the conference.
The Minister of Economy and Commerce said given the present state of the global economy and in light of fluctuations in oil prices along with declining growth rates in world's major economies concerted efforts are required to establish a knowledge-based and dedicated culture of innovation in the Middle East.
Knowledge-based creativity and innovation have become the main value of the communities in developed countries and an essential tool to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development, he added.
The minister said under the wise guidance of the Emir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Qatar has been working to consolidate the system of dissemination of knowledge in various areas, particularly in the economic sector, by pursuing flexible policies to diversify the sources of income and to keep pace with Qatar National Vision 2030.
He said Qatar has placed the private sector and innovation at the forefront of strategic priorities by implementing a set of programmes and policies to strengthen integration between various state authorities and enshrine the principle of meaningful and constructive partnership with the private sector.
He said these efforts reflected Qatar's ranking in international reports and indicators as the 2015-16 Global Competitiveness Report issued by the World Economic Forum ranked Qatar first among Arab countries and 14th globally.
He said Qatar occupied the first position globally in terms of ease of access to loans and placed its stable macroeconomic environment in the second position, along with a very high level of physical security wherein it ranked 4th. All these indicators are the best proof of Qatar's successful economic policies, he said.
