Qatar, Oman discuss enhancing trade and investment cooperation
This came on the sidelines of his visit to the Sultanate of Oman, heading an official Qatari trade and investment delegation comprising several government institutions and representatives from the private and public sectors.
As part of the visit, the Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry met with Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones in the Sultanate of Oman Dr Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, with the meeting focusing on areas of cooperation in developing free zones and exchanging expertise on business environments that attract investment.
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Qatar Tribune
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Upon completion of the North Field West project, which is still in the engineering design phase, Qatar aims to reach 142 million tonnes per year by 2030. Two experts, speaking exclusively to Qatar News Agency (QNA), highlighted Qatar's role in bolstering the economy, sustaining growth in the coming years, and reshaping global energy markets. Qatar's LNG projects are expected to contribute around 40% of total new global LNG supply by 2029. Chief Business Officer at QNB Group, Yousef Mahmoud Al Neama, described the NFE project as one of the largest capital expenditure ventures in the region and the world's largest single gas field. He noted that the development of eight new LNG production trains, to be implemented in three phases, will be a major driver of economic growth and a cornerstone of Qatar's energy strategy. Al Neama projected that these investments will increase Qatar's LNG production by 85% by 2030, reaching 142 million tonnes annually. The NFE expansion will also include parallel growth in refining, downstream operations, and petrochemical production, generating returns that will support economic diversification, structural reforms, and growth in the manufacturing and services sectors. He added that GDP growth remains strong and is set to accelerate with the start of NFE operations, forecasting growth of 2.4% in 2025, 5.6% in 2026, and 7.9% in 2027. This development will strengthen the Qatari banking sector, which will continue to benefit from robust growth, ample liquidity, adequate capitalization, high asset quality, and strong profitability, he said. 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In this context, Qatar stands out as a strategic choice through long-term agreements signed with Germany, France, and the Netherlands, he said, explaining that these agreements not only secure gas supply, but also bring stability to markets that sorely lack it in times of geopolitical uncertainty. He added that economically, Qatar's expansion will help mitigate global price volatility, as gas prices, currently above $30 per million thermal units, could fall to around $10 15 by the end of the decade. Dr Gharaibeh emphasized that Qatar is redrawing the map of the global energy industry. As major powers seek to reposition themselves in a multipolar world, energy has emerged as a tool of balance and influence, and Qatar, he said, is a quiet power managing smart investments of more than $45 billion in infrastructure, ports, and LNG carriers. 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Qatar Tribune
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Bull run continues as QSE gains on strong foreign fund inflows
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