Qatar Chamber Hosts Joint Meeting With 4 Government Bodies To Review Obstacles Facing Private Sector

 

 

Doha, February 22 (QNA) - Qatar Chamber discussed the Qatari private sector's ambitions and challenges facing it, in a bid to find the appropriate solutions. 

    Qatar Chamber (QC) hosted on Wednesday a joint meeting with a number of ministries including the Ministry of Interior (MoI), the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) and the Ministry of Labour (MoL), as well as the Qatar Development Bank (QDB).

     In his speech, HE QC Chairman Sheikh Khalifa Al-Thani stressed that the meeting embodied the positive cooperation between the public and private sectors for the good of the national economy, under the leadership of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, noting that HH the Amir affirmed on many occasions on the importance of activating the public-private partnership.

    Sheikh Khalifa praised the ministries’ rapid response to the Chamber’s invitation to hold this meeting, and the keenness of their officials to attend the meeting to discuss the private sector’s issues that are relevant to these ministries, noting that this would contribute to eradicating any obstacles that might impact the private sector’s contribution to the economic activity and economic development in the state.

    He also stressed that the private sector had been a genuine partner to the government in preparation for the 2022 World Cup, indicating that it has contributed to Qatar's resounding success in hosting the best-ever edition in the history of the championship, pointing out that the post-World Cup stage carries new challenges, especially in light of the current global circumstances and conditions, which requires more solidarity to confront and overcome them.

    QC Chairman underscored the Chamber’s keenness to solve all obstacles facing the private sector, noting that in preparation for this meeting, the Chamber surveyed companies and business owners on the obstacles they face to discuss with government agencies to find appropriate solutions.

    The meeting featured many topics and inquiries by businessmen to the four parties, including businessmen’s visas, signing the establishment registration, providing facilities to entrepreneurs and startups, displaying national products within distribution outlets, and plans to support investment opportunities in SMEs.

    Topics also included the recruitment of workers, facilitating procedures for obtaining licenses and necessary industrial lands and QDB’s requirements to provide finance for SMEs.

    On his part, Director General of the Department of Passports at the MoI Brigadier Mohammed Al Ateeq said that business visas are not suspended but there are some controls to make sure that they are issued to genuine businessmen not to workers.

    Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Affairs at the MoL Mohammed Hassan Al Obaidli said that the circular of ban on all companies owned by the owner of the violating company is no longer applicable except for rare cases, as after meetings with the Chamber previously, it was decided not to impose the ban on all companies except for certain cases.

    For his part, Assistant Undersecretary for Commerce Affairs at the MoCI Saleh bin Majed Al Khulaifi said that the ministry recently established a department for business development, noting that there a plan to offer a host of investment opportunities will be announced soon, and that reducing fees for all commercial licenses is under consideration to facilitate the establishment of business.

     Assistant Undersecretary for Industry Affairs at the MoCI Mohamed Hassan Al Malki noted that there are plans to offer investment opportunities and new lands in the industrial sector according to the market status, pointing out that the ministry will soon provide an industrial consulting service to businessmen, there is also a plan to offer new lands.

    Acting CEO of QDB Abdulrahman Hesham AL Sowaidi said that the bank annually issues a list of unattractive industries that the bank refrains from financing them. (QNA)