Qatar
Qatar
Qatar
About Qatar
Qatar presents an opportune setting for entrepreneurs and firms seeking business expansion, featuring robust economic growth and diversification, strategic positioning for global trade, favorable policies and incentives conducive to business, political stability, low tax rates, and a sizable, skilled workforce poised to enhance business endeavors.
Key sectors in the State of Qatar
- Agriculture: Qatar leads the GCC in the Global Food Security Index, achieving self-sufficiency in fresh poultry and dairy.
- Education: Qatar boasts a well-developed education sector with national and international institutions, including nine world-renowned universities.
- Health: Qatar’s healthcare system ranks 4th globally with substantial investments in infrastructure and research.
- Tourism: Qatar is investing significantly in tourism, aiming for 5.6 million tourist arrivals by 2023.
- Logistics: Qatar features top-notch infrastructure including Hamad International Airport and Hamad Port, supporting leading operators such as Qatar Airways and Mwani.
- Professional Services: Significant growth is witnessed in professional services, contributing USD 5.3 billion to Qatar’s economy in 2020.
- Financial Services: Qatar emerges as a top financial hub in the Middle East, boasting the fifth-largest Islamic finance assets globally.
- Information Technology: Qatar is a leader in ICT adoption, launching the world’s first commercially available 5G network and contributing USD 3 billion to the GDP.
- Manufacturing: Qatar is a major player in LNG exports, fertilizer production, and aluminum exportation in the region.
- Other Sectors: Qatar’s economy also benefits from sports, construction, and real estate industries.
Setting up a business in Qatar – Jurisdictions
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- The Ministry of Commerce & Industry in Qatar oversees and regulates the majority of businesses, especially those with local ownership exceeding fifty-one percent.
- Emphasizing alignment with Qatar National Vision 2030, the Ministry actively supports Start Ups and Small & Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), encouraging their contribution to the country’s economy and development.
- Priority sectors for SMEs include Energy, Industrial, Logistics, Technical Services, Information Technology, Natural Resources, Mining, Agriculture, Healthcare, Education, Sports & Culture, and Tourism.
- Start Ups are encouraged to focus on sectors such as AgriTech, HealthTech, EdTech, FinTech, SportsTech, Information & Communication Technologies, and Mobility & Transport, in line with the country’s developmental goals.
Qatar Financial Centre
- The Qatar Financial Centre Authority (QFCA) stands as a premier onshore business and financial hub, aiming to position Qatar as an appealing business destination bridging the gap between East and West.
- Hosting over 1500 businesses, the QFCA attracts both financial and non-financial service providers including advisors, consultants, lawyers, accountants, auditors, banks, financial institutions, and insurance brokers.
- Key incentives offered by the QFCA include the opportunity for one-hundred percent foreign ownership, a legal framework based on English Law ensuring international best practices, streamlined processes covering preparation, formation, operation, and liquidation, a vast network of business connections, and a competitive tax regime featuring a ten percent corporate tax on locally sourced profits.
Qatar Free zones Authority
- Established in 2018, the Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA) is tasked with developing, implementing, and regulating top-tier free zones in Qatar, serving as a launchpad for businesses’ regional and international growth.
- With a focus on partnering with promising corporations, particularly in sectors like logistics, chemicals, and emerging technologies, QFZA aims to leverage Qatar’s strengths and value proposition.
- These free zones foster the creation of logistics clusters, offering competitive advantages such as market reach, accessibility, connectivity, and state-of-the-art infrastructure, contributing to the diversification and expansion of Qatar’s economic landscape.
Qatar Science & Technology Park
- The Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), a division of Qatar Foundation, serves as a focal point for technology research and development, housing multinational corporations engaged in global technological advancements.
- QSTP offers various incentives including streamlined company formation processes, exemption from customs duties on imports and exports, the opportunity for one-hundred percent foreign ownership, tax exemptions, and the freedom to repatriate capital.
- Positioned at the heart of Qatar Foundation’s research, development, and innovation ecosystem, QSTP plays a pivotal role in fostering technological progress and implementation on a global scale.
Free zones, logistics parks and industrial
zones in Qatar
Ras Bufontas - Airport Free Zone
Ras Bufontas, the Airport Free Zone adjacent to Hamad International Airport (HIA), offers prime opportunities for businesses involved in freight and passenger operations. Positioned for exceptional growth, the zone caters to industries such as logistics, consumer products, light manufacturing, services, technology, applications, and pharmaceuticals.
Al Karaana Industrial Zone
Al Kaarana, an industrial zone spanning 48 square kilometers, is strategically located midway between Doha and Abu Samra. With connectivity to more than 100 million customers, it offers the necessary infrastructure for effectively serving global markets.
Jery Al Samur Logistics Park
The Jery Al Samur Logistics Park is specifically designed for land-based goods and materials distribution, serving Qatar and the broader region.
Aba Saleel Logistics Park
The Aba Saleel Logistics Park functions as a significant logistics hub, offering investors an ideal environment for their business growth and the necessary infrastructure to meet their requirements.
Umm Alhoul - Port Free Zone
The Umm Alhoul Free Zone, spanning 34 square kilometers near Hamad Port, the world’s largest Greenfield port, is poised to emerge as a pivotal hub for Qatar’s imports and exports. It boasts abundant resources and already commands a significant share of GCC trade. Invest here to enhance your global supply chain. Key industries include maritime sectors, polymers, advanced manufacturing, and logistics.
Mesaieed Industrial Zone
Strategically situated adjacent to the Industrial City and just 40 kilometers south of Doha, the Mesaieed Industrial Zone serves as a focal point for various industries including oil refineries, petrochemicals, fertilizers, workshops, and primary building materials.
Birkat Al Awamer Logistics Park
The Birkat Al Awamer Logistics Park offers an ideal opportunity for companies looking to construct their own facility, providing the option to build showrooms, offices, and worker accommodation on the premises.
Al Wakra Logistics Park
The Al Wakra Logistics Park is among numerous logistics facilities aimed at fostering an efficient, sustainable, and contemporary supply chain for goods and materials across Qatar.
Benefits of setting up a business in Qatar
- Advanced infrastructure: Qatar features cutting-edge facilities like Hamad International Airport and Hamad Port, complemented by industrial clusters in adjacent free zones.
- Geopolitical advantage: Positioned between East and West, Qatar’s strategic location on the Arabian Gulf facilitates trade, commerce, and energy activities, attracting global businesses.
- Regional stability: Qatar’s reputation as a stabilizing force in the region is upheld through diplomatic efforts, economic growth, and cultural exchange, fostering a secure environment for all stakeholders.
- Robust economy: Driven by abundant natural resources, diversified investments, and forward-thinking economic strategies, Qatar offers a flourishing business landscape with promising prospects.
- Currency stability: With its currency pegged to the US Dollar, Qatar provides a dependable exchange rate, enhancing its appeal for international trade and investment.
- Natural resource wealth: Qatar’s substantial reserves of natural resources underpin its prosperous economy, positioning it as one of the world’s wealthiest nations.
- Investor-friendly policies: Qatar’s favorable regulations include full ownership rights, intellectual property protection, and transparent legal frameworks, encouraging foreign investment.
- Cost-effective labor: Leveraging a blend of inexpensive and highly skilled labor, Qatar offers a productive yet economical workforce environment.
- Affordable utilities: Qatar’s cost-effective utility services, including water, gas, and electricity, enable businesses to operate efficiently while maintaining low operating costs.
- Premier event venues: Qatar hosts world-class exhibition and conference centers, coupled with unmatched hospitality, attracting global leaders and entrepreneurs.
- Tax benefits: With no personal income tax or social security expenses, Qatar offers individuals and businesses greater financial freedom.
- Non-interventionist stance: Qatar’s neutral political position, characterized by diplomacy and non-interference in external affairs, fosters stability and cooperation in the region.
- Business-friendly climate: Qatar continuously enhances its regulatory framework to facilitate business operations, promoting an environment conducive to diverse enterprises.
- Sustainable development focus: Aligned with a long-term vision, Qatar remains committed to sustainable development, ensuring prosperity for future generations.
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