Business & Investment in Qatar Forum Opens in New York Wednesday by Jassim Al-Hamadi

New York, April 4(QNA) - The Business and Investment in Qatar Forum will be convened Wednesday in New York under the patronage and in presence of HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the State of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani and high-level officials from Qatar and the U.S.A.
With around 1,000 participants representing various business sectors, the form will be held at the historic Waldorf Hotel located in midtown New York.
On the side line of the Forum, the formal inauguration ceremony of Qatari-US joint project of the Golden Pass LNG terminal will be inaugurated by HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in the presence of HE Minister of Energy and Industry Dr. Mohammad bin Saleh Al Sada, during a dinner reception to be held on this occasion.
The Golden Pass LNG terminal in Texas and the Golden Pass Pipeline have started commercial operations. Located near Sabine Pass, Texas, the Golden Pass LNG terminal has the capacity to deliver the equivalent of 2.5 Bcf/d of natural gas.
Golden Pass LNG and the Golden Pass pipeline are a joint venture of Qatar Petroleum International (70%), a QP affiliate, ExxonMobil (17.6%) and ConocoPhillips (12.4%).
The aim of this year forum, which will last for two days, is to promote Qatar s roles, as well as highlight the opportunities it offers by marketing three main messages.
The first of these messages is that Qatar is emerging as political, economic and cultural center of the Middle East, preserving the better parts of Arab tradition while racing toward the future s knowledge-based world: because of its openness to Western technology & education, its mediations in international disputes (Doha Round); its international sporting events, e.g., World Cup 2022; and its commitment to become a knowledge-based economy.
The second message of the forum is based on Qatar National Vision 2030 which receives unprecedented support from oil and gas wealth as it pursues its ambitions of improving the quality of life for everyone, helping create social institutions that are just & kind, protecting the environment while transforming Qatar into a knowledge-based economy.
The third message is Qatar progress on investing and commitment to education (education city), intellectual freedom; expanded visibility on the world s media stage (e.g. Stars of Science, Asian games, World Cup 2022); commitment to healthcare (Sidra); commitment to entrepreneurship (Enterprise Qatar).

HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani and US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and the Chairman & CEO, Exxon Mobil Corporation Rex Tillerson will give key remarks in the opening session.
Following the opening session, high ranking officials from Qatar will take the stage to discuss Qatar future. "Investing in the Future: Qatar 2030", is session 1 of the conference. The session to be moderator by the famous journalist Time Sebastien, will host Dr. lbrahim Allbrahim, Economic Advisor in The Emiri Diwan and Secretary General of the General Secretariat for Development planning Qatar, and Dr. Hussain Ali Al Abdullah, Executive Board Member, Qatar investment Authority, and Nasser Al Jaida, CEO and Board Member of QPI, and Dr. Tidu Maini, Executive Chairman of Qatar Science & Technology Park.
The second session of the first day of the forum will explore "Energy and Industry" in Qatar. The main speakers in the session, which will be moderated by Al Jazeera anchor David Foster, are HE Qatar Minister of Energy and industry Dr. Mohamed Saleh Al-Saddah and US Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman. Among the other speakers will be Chief Executive Officer of Ras Gas Hamad Rashed Al Muhanadi, President and General Manager, Exxon Mobil, Qatar Alex Dodds, Director, Oil & Gas Ventures in QP Saad Sherida Al Kaabi Executive Vice President Managing Director Pearl GTL Project, Shell, Qatar Andy Brown and CEO, Maersk oil Jakob Thomasen.
Finance and banking in Qatar will be the third and last session of the first day of the Forum. The session s main speakers will be CEO of Qatar Stock exchange Andre Went, Chief Executive Officer (EMEA), Citibank Alberto Verme, Chairman and CEO QFC-Regulatory Authority Phillip Thorpe, CEO of QNB Ali Sharif Al-Emadi, Chairman of QllB Dr. Sheikh Khalid Bin Thani A-Thani as well as CEO of Doha Bank Seetharaman.
The second day of the forum will start early morning (east cost time) with the session discussing "Media & ICT". Chairman of Q-tel HE Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al-Thani as well as Secretary General ictQatar Dr. Hessa Al- Jabor, will take the stage to talk about the communication sector in Qatar, in addition to representatives of Aljazeera Network and CNBC TV.
Then, the forum will shift the track to discuss this time the "Infrastructure & Real Estate" in Qatar in its second session of the second day. The main speakers of the this session will be Qatar Assistant Undersecretary for Planning Affairs Deputy Chairman, QNMP steering committee Ali Abdulla Al-Abdulla, President of Europe/Africa/ Middle East and Manager of Civil Strategy and Business Development at Bechtel Co. David Welch, CEO of Qatari Diar Mohamed Bin Ali Al-Hedfa and President of Ashgal Eng. Nasser Ali Al Mawlawi.
During the second day of the forum, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be arranging individual appointments on behalf of Qatar's real estate and mega project holders with qualified U.S. firms. Meetings will be confirmed on the basis of shared partnering interests.
The third session of the day will be titled " Healthcare & Education". Its main speaker will be President of Education City University Dr. Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani, as well as Managing Director, Hamad Medical Corporation Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari and Provost, Carnegie Mellon University Dr. Mark Kamlet.
Culture, Tourism and Sport will be discussed in the last session of the fourm when HE General Secretary Qatar Olympic Committee Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani take the stage. Chairman of Qatar Tourism Authority Ahmed Bin Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways Akbar Al Baker are the main speakers in the session as well as representative from the U.S Museums Authority in New York. (END)