Bahrain’s Gulf Air says first Dreamliner to launch on London route

Exporter of Rock N Roll Moulding Machine

Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air has announced that its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will serve its double daily London Heathrow service.

The new aircraft, which conducted a fly pass before the Bahrain Grand Prix race on Sunday, will join the fleet on June 15, the airline said in a statement.

A total of five Dreamliner aircraft will enter Gulf Air’s fleet by the end of 2018 with an additional two aircraft arriving during 2019 and three arriving by the end of 2020.

Gulf Air CEO Krešimir Kucko said: “We are only weeks away from officially taking delivery of Gulf Air’s first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – a historic moment for Gulf Air and Bahrain and yet another important step in our strategic direction towards furthering Gulf Air’s fleet modernization process and supporting our network and overall passenger experience enhancement strategies.

“Only a few weeks ago, we unveiled a new Gulf Air corporate strategy, 2018 network expansion plans to 8 new routes, details surrounding our incoming fleet, new, best in class products and services, our new overall direction and where we hope the future will take us all. It is time for change and we are embracing change today.”

This summer, Gulf Air will also expand its network with flights to Bangalore, Alexandria, Casablanca, Baku, Abha and Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, Calicut, and Sharm El Shaikh.

Gulf Air’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners will offer 282 seats in a two-class configuration, with 26 Falcon Gold Class seats and 256 Economy Class seats.

Marty Bentrott, vice president, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Sales for Middle East, Turkey, Russia, Central Asia and Africa, said: “The number of airlines operating this super-efficient airplane is increasing across the world and we look forward to the Dreamliner joining Gulf Air’s fleet.”

Source:http://www.arabianbusiness.com/transport/393801-bahrains-gulf-air-says-first-dreamliner-to-launch-on-london-route

Tourism to contribute ‘double digits’ to Bahrain’s GDP in coming years

Manufacturer and Exporter of Scrap Grinder Machine

Bahrain hopes that the tourism and hospitality sector will contribute “double digits” to its GDP over the next several years, according to Ali Ghunam Murtaza, the director of real estate, tourism and leisure business development at the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB).

According to official figures, tourism contributed 6.3 percent to Bahrain’s GDP in 2017.

Speaking to Arabian Business at the Arabian Travel Market, Murtaza said that the figure is likely to grow as ongoing tourism projects are completed.

“We foresee the contribution to go up for many reasons. Part of that is that we are actively working towards it. We want the contribution of tourism to increase along with other sectors in Bahrain,” he said. ” It’s an active strategy.”

“Through direct and indirect investment to tourism, I think it will be a big part of GDP,” he added. “Our aim is to get into double digits soon.”

In the longer term, Murtaza said he hopes that tourism’s contribution to GDP will reach as high as 20 percent, as much as other sectors such as banking.

“We aim to get it there in the long run,” he noted, adding that the county also hopes to attract 15 million tourists a year by 2020, up from approximately 12.7 million in 2017.

Additionally, Murtaza noted that investment in Bahrain’s tourism sector has reached $13 billion, a figure which encompasses 14 separate projects in the country’s tourism and leisure sector.

The tourism projects, in turn, form part of a larger infrastructure development campaign across a number of sectors, which is collectively valued at more than $32 billion.

“We have fantastic five-star resorts coming in, such as the Address, the Vida, the Jumeirah [Royal Saray], and so forth,” he said. “In addition to that, we’ve also started adding to our retail offerings, such as The Avenues, and we have a couple of others.”

To encourage more visitors to come to Bahrain, Murtaza noted that Gulf Air has invested nearly $7.2 billion to expand its fleet and “modernise the Gulf Air brand”, as well as $1.1 billion investments into expanding and improving Bahrain’s national airport, a project which Murtaza said is approximately 60 percent complete.

Looking to the future, Murtaza said that partnering with foreign investors is a key pillar of Bahrain’s strategy to increase visitor numbers and revenue from tourism.

“We work with them [companies based outside of Bahrain] very closely to identify opportunities where they can bring synergy to the table, where they bring quality investment, quality operations,” he said. “There are a lot of firms around the world with a lot of specific experiences.”

“We work to identify the top ones, and we work to get them to like Bahrain, get them to understand the opportunities, and then we enable the investment,” he added. “We are partners for the long-run.”

Source:http://www.arabianbusiness.com/travel-hospitality/394790-tourism-to-contribute-double-digits-to-bahrains-gdp-in-coming-years

120 companies register with Qatar Financial Center since siege began

scion

Doha: Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) CEO Faisal Rashid Al Sahouti said that 120 companies have registered with Qatar Financial Center (QFC) since the siege was imposed on Qatar, an increase of 200 percent in investment volume compared to the same time last year.

In an interview with Al Raya Newspaper, Al Sahouti said the increase in investments despite the unjust siege reflects the investors’ trust in the Qatari economy and the failure of the siege countries’ plans to harm the economy.

He added that QICDRC was a main factor in marketing QFC globally thanks to the role it played in resolving different civil and trade disputes. Since its establishment, he added, it has engaged in a number of major cases using senior judges with proven experience and international competence.

Al Sahouti said that describing QICDRC as international is not only a result of the diversity of its judges but also because the followed system is the same as in most courts in the world’s largest cities that attract capital. Al Sahouti explained that it has 16 judges from 10 different countries, all of whom have long standing experience in the judicial work in their countries adding that the QICDRC is headed by the former Lord Chief Justice of the United Kingdom. He revealed that there are two levels of litigation before the court, after which the judgments become final and enforceable, and may not be appealed to any other party.

He added that the number of cases heard by the court has increased by 15 to 20 percent annually, noting that there was a significant increase of 70 percent between 2016 and 2017 in comparison to the previous years. This is due to the investors’ trust in the court and the increase of investment in Qatar, he added.

Al Sahouti said that Qatar International Court has contributed to doubling the number of registered companies with QFC between 2010 and 2015 as the increase took place since establishing the court created confidence for the investors.

With regards to the future development plans of the court, he said that its development must proceed in a gradual and stable manner, adding that a new law will be issued for QFC and is currently in its final stages.

The QICDRC CEO explained that the law will expand the court’s jurisdiction making it supervisor not only of QFC but is likely to oversee companies operating elsewhere in the country to enhance the confidence of foreign investors to work in Qatar.

He added that the new law will allow the court to expand the scope of the arbitration process, where it will be activated through the establishment of an independent center under the umbrella of the court and will operate independently. In addition, the largest international arbitration centers will be attracted to open branches in QFC and Dispute Resolution Centre, following the transfer of the court next year to the financial district of Msheireb, he said.

Al Sahouti said the financial district will hold a building exclusively for the court and the international arbitration centers which have showed interest in opening branches here in Qatar, which will make Qatar an international hub for settling trade disputes, where major companies will head to for regional or national or international disputes. Qatar International Court will be supervising the arbitration, he added.

In addition, he announced the signing of bilateral agreements in the near future with a number of the most important business capitals in the world of finance and business at the international level. Such agreements would serve as bridges of justice between the most important capitals of the world, contributing to the transmission and implementation of judgments, he added.

As for cooperation between Qatar International Court and Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), Al Sahouti said the foundation opened a branch in the Dispute Resolution Centre of the court, in aim to resolve sports disputes. He added that this comes in the future plans of moving to the new building of the court in Msheirab, including headquarters for courts, dispute settlement centers, arbitration institutes and arbitration centers, so that the building is an international point for settling disputed and a place for cases since its start to the implementation stages.

On opening a branch of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) in Qatar, he revealed that the institute is the first in the world in the field of training and qualification of arbitrators. The institute has 80 branches worldwide with Qatar’s branch being the first in the Middle East and North Africa and will organize training courses and prepare awareness lectures for arbitrators or persons who want to work as arbitrators.

Source:https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/18/04/2018/120-companies-register-with-Qatar-Financial-Center-since-siege-began-Official

Aldar sells mega project plots for school, hypermarket, clinic

Scion Industries

Aldar Properties has announced it has sold two plots of land in mega project Alghadeer for community services.

The contracts will see British curriculum Alghadeer International School and retail outlets including LuLu supermarket and a community clinic open in the community close to the Abu Dhabi-Dubai border in 2021.

Talal Al Dhiyebi, CEO, Aldar said: “The addition of Alghadeer International School, retail outlets, LuLu supermarket and clinic will increase the range of convenience-driven amenities and facilities for existing and future residents at Alghadeer, creating more complete neighbourhoods.

“Developing this community shows the momentum in the Alghadeer development and is in line with our strategy to deliver desirable destinations and provide residents with a truly enriched community living experience focused on comfort, accessibility and convenience.”

Alghadeer’s new masterplan comprises of 14,408 home including villas, townhouses, and maisonettes which will be complemented by office space, retail space, hospitality, education and community amenities.

The new Alghadeer masterplan incorporates Aldar’s existing community of the same name which boasts over 2,000 homes and is a thriving destination for many families.

The retail amenities will be spread over more than 30,000 square metres and will include a range of outlets as well as a community clinic. The LuLu supermarket, retail outlets and clinic will be operational in 2021.

Alghadeer International School, which is set to offer places for 1,500 students, is to be operational from September 2020.

Source: http://www.arabianbusiness.com/construction/394387-aldar-sells-mega-project-plots-for-school-hypermarket-clinic

UAE Steel Industry Outlook 2020

Manufacturer and Exporter of Scrap Grinder Machine

Steel is a major component in buildings, tools, automobiles, and appliances, hence making steel consumption an important indicator of economic growth and prosperity. GCC steel production is fairly fragmented, and UAE’s steel demand has made it one of the largest consumers in the GCC region. The region is investing Billions of Dollar in construction projects, mostly in preparations for World Expo 2020 in Dubai and FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. It is anticipated that steel consumption in UAE will grow at a CAGR of 8% during 2016-2020.

In the latest research report “UAE Steel Industry Outlook 2020”, our analysts have studied the UAE steel industry’s performance, which is currently a key growth market in terms of production, consumption, import and exports due to the fast-expanding construction & infrastructure sector. The research is an outcome of extensive primary & secondary research, and thorough analysis of industry trends.

The UAE steel industry worldwide has been experiencing growth in the region, and the country’s key players are holding a strong imprint in the steel market globally. In addition, it also covers the production and consumption forecast till 2020 of crude and finished steel. Finished steel has been further segmented into long and flat products. Long products have been further classified into rebar and structural sections. Extensive research and analysis revealed that long products occupy the maximum share in finished steel consumption. In long products, rebar dominates finished steel consumption in UAE. Similarly, flat products have been segmented into coils, strips & sheets and plates. Our comprehensive report has closely studied and provided market forecast till 2020 for production and consumption of both long & flat products and their types.

It further provides a comprehensive analysis of UAE’s steel export and import, which includes the steel trade scenario by product, covering ingots and semi-finished steel, long products, flat products and tubular products. In addition, the section provides a list of major countries involved in the export of steel to UAE.

The report has also provided a brief overview of the drivers and competitive landscape covering the profiles & key management people of various industry players. Thus, the report covers all the important aspects of the UAE steel industry, which will prove decisive for the clients. Overall, the report is an outcome of extensive research and prudent analysis, and is meant to offer suitable knowledge base to those who are interested in the UAE steel industry.

Source:https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/3633967/uae-steel-industry-outlook-2020

Iran mineral output tops 250 million tonne

Financial Tribune reported that Major Iranian mining companies produced 258.13 million tonnes of mineral products in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, registering a 15.3% growth compared with last year’s corresponding period, the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization’s latest report announced.

Production in the ninth Iranian month indicates a 17.93% rise to 29.95 million tonnes year-on-year.

Iran is home to 68 types of minerals with over 37 billion tonne of proven and 57 billion tonne of potential reserves, including large deposits of coal, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromium, uranium and gold.

Iron ore concentrate had the biggest share in Iran’s mineral production during the period under review with 27.9 million tonne, registering a 17% growth YOY. Gologhar Mining and Industrial Complex accounted for 10.31 million tonne of the total output, followed by Chadormalu Mining and Industrial Complex with 6.32 million tonne, Iran Central Iron Ore Company with 3.7 tonne, Goharzamin Iron Ore Company with 3.03 million tonne, Middle East Mines and Mining Industries Development Holding Company with 2.89 million tonne and Opal Parsian Sangan with 1.64 million tonne.

Production of granulated iron stood at 4.61 million tonne, up 2% YOY.

Pellet had the second largest share with a total output of 23.62 million tonne, up 26% YOY. Golgohar was the largest producer with 8.18 million tonne, followed by Mobarakeh Steel Company with 5.68 million tonne, Khouzestan Steel Company with 4.83 million tonne, Chadormalu with 2.57 million tonne and MIDHCO with 2.35 million tonne.

Direct-reduced iron came next with the production of 14.32 million tonne, up 15% YOY. Mobarakeh had the lion’s share with 5.56 million tonne, followed by KSC with 3.09 million tonne, Hormozgan Steel Company with 1.15 million tonne, South Kaveh Steel Company with 1.13 million tonne, Saba Steel Complex with 824,318 tonne, Khorasan Steel Company with 891,855 tonne, Ghadir Iron and Steel Company with 630,369 tonne, MIDHCO with 618,621 tonne, Sefid Dasht Steel Complex with 295,950 tonne and Esfahan Steel Company with 105,106 tonne.

https://steelguru.com/mining/iran-mineral-output-tops-250-million-tonne/499932

Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes and Rebars Market 2017-2021 – Slow Infrastructure Growth to Hit Steel Demand in Saudi Arabia

The “Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes and Rebars Market Outlook to 2021 – Growth of Construction Sector and Oil & Gas Projects is Likely to Drive Demand” report has been added to Research and Markets’ offering.

The report titled “Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes and Rebars Market Outlook to 2021 – Growth of Construction Sector and Oil & Gas Projects is Likely to Drive Demand” provides a comprehensive analysis of steel pipes and rebars in Saudi Arabia.

The report focuses on overall market size for steel pipes and rebars sold in Saudi Arabia, market segmentation of steel pipes by type of steel pipes (seamless, ERW, SAW and LSAW), by sectoral demand (oil and gas, construction and agriculture), by sectoral demand for seamless pipes (oil and gas and construction), by sectoral demand for LSAW pipes (hydrocarbon sector and structural and other demand), by type of LSAW pipes (sour pipes and non-sour pipes), by sectoral demand for ERW pipes (oil and gas and others), by diameter of LSAW pipes (24.0-30.0 inches, 48.0 inches and others) and by grade of LSAW pipes (X60 and X65 and B class pipes); market segmentation of steel rebars by sectoral demand (oil and gas, construction, manufacturing and others), by regional demand (Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah and others) and by finishing type (fabricated rebars, epoxy coated rebars and black rebars).

The report also covers company profile of major players, competition scenario; import scenario for steel rebars; decision making process, government regulations; growth drivers and trends and issues and challenges. The report concludes with SWOT analysis and market projection for future highlighting the major opportunities and cautions.

Market Dynamics

Growth Drivers and Trends in Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes and Rebars Market

Increase in Large Scale Interregional Oil and Gas Projects
Growing Drilling Activity Fuels Demand for Steel Pipes
Increasing Usage of Seamless Pipes and Tubes
Tremendous Growth in Steel Consumption
Issues and Challenges in Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes and Rebars Market

Growing Competition from Imports: Chinese Manufacturing
Fluctuating Steel Prices in Saudi Arabia
Industrial Environment and Sustainable Development Framework
Slow Infrastructure Growth to Hit Steel Demand in Saudi Arabia
Oil Price War
Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Research Methodology

3. Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes and Rebars Market Overview and Genesis

4. Value Chain Analysis of Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes and Rebars Market

5. Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes Market

6. Saudi Arabia Steel Rebars Market

7. Decision Making Process adopted by Customers before purchasing Steel Pipes and Rebars in Saudi Arabia

8. Profiling of Major Steel Pipes and Rebars Customer in Saudi Arabia: Saudi Aramco

9. Growth Drivers and Trends in Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes and Rebars Market

10. Issues and Challenges in Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes and Rebars Market

11. Government Regulations in Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes and Rebars Market

12. SWOT Analysis in Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes and Rebars Market

13. Future Outlook for Saudi Arabia Steel Pipes and Rebars Market

14. Analyst Recommendations

15. Macroeconomic Factors affecting Saudi Steel Pipes and Rebars Market

Companies Mentioned

Al-Ittefaq Steel Products Co.
Arabian Pipes Co.
Arcelor Mittal
Atteih Steel Co. Ltd
Global Pipe Co.
National Pipe Co. Ltd
Rajhi Steel Industries
Saudi Steel Pipe Co.
Welspun Corp Ltd
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/42k44p/saudi_arabia

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Research and Markets
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Source:
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/saudi-arabia-steel-pipes-and-rebars-market-2017-2021—slow-infrastructure-growth-to-hit-steel-demand-in-saudi-arabia-300565319.html

Turkey’s manufacturing sector continues to improve

Turkey’s calendar-adjusted industrial production rose 8.7 percent in December 2017, compared to the same month last year, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) announced on Feb. 8.

Industrial output is considered a vital indicator for the economy as it is seen as a preliminary gauge for GDP growth.

Among three main sub-indexes, the mining and quarrying index rose the most, by 14 percent.

The annual increase in the manufacturing index was 8.9 percent, while the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply index was up 5.7 percent.

The term “calendar-adjusted” is used to refer to data without calendar and holiday-originated effects.

The seasonal- and calendar-adjusted production level was also up compared with the same figure for December 2017.

“Industrial production increased by 0.9 percent compared with the previous month,” TÜİK said.

Among the sub-sectors, only the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply sector contributed negatively to the monthly reading, slipping 1.1 percent, according to data.

On a monthly basis, the mining and quarrying index rose 2.6 percent while the manufacturing index climbed 1.2 percent in December.

TÜİK also said calendar-adjusted industrial production rose 7.8 percent in the fourth quarter of last year over the same period in 2016.

In a survey by state-run Anadolu Agency’s Finance Desk on Feb. 6, a group of 11 economists projected the calendar-adjusted industrial production index would rise 6.4 percent year-on-year.

On an annual basis, industrial production in Turkey saw the biggest rise in July, up 14.5 percent.

In Turkish manufacturing activity, the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for Turkey’s manufacturing sector hit a seven-year high of 55.7 in January amid strong demand and accelerated output growth, according to a Feb. 1 report by the London-based global data company IHS Markit co-prepared with the Istanbul Chamber of Industry.

In December, Turkey’s exports rose to $13.87 billion, up 8.6 percent from the same month of the previous year, TÜİK said on Jan. 31.

Source:http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkeys-industrial-production-rose-sharply-in-december-126995

Nearly Half Of All Public Buses Will Be Electric By 2025

Electric By 2025

Within the next seven years, nearly half of the buses used by municipal transit districts will be electric, with China playing a leading role.

That comes from a new study by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The study predicts that last year’s sale of 386,000 electric buses will go up to 1.2 million by 2025. China will account for 99% of the world’s electric buses by that time.

“China will lead this market, due to strong domestic support and aggressive city-level targets,” wrote Aleksandra O’Donovan, an analyst for BNEF and author of the study.

Diesel-powered buses were the norm for several decades in municipal bus fleets and with private coach operators. Owners appreciated the performance of diesel engines, broad accessibility to fuel pumps, and the competitive cost of diesel fuel.

In recent years, municipal transit agency buses powered by compressed natural gas took away some of the market share that diesel buses had dominated for years. Fleet operators were impressed by the reductions in air pollution for compliance with federal, state, and local regulations offered by bringing compressed natural gas (CNG) buses into their fleets. Cost of operation became more reliable, with natural gas providing a stable fuel price. That helped CNG-powered buses see sales growth when the pump prices of diesel and gasoline shot up in 2008 through 2010.
Related: OPEC-Russia Deal Could Extend Until H1 2019

Electric buses may take away some of the market share from both diesel and CNG buses. While electrified buses are more expensive in upfront costs than diesel and CNG buses, the BNEF study found that all-electric buses can offer lower total cost of ownership through their vehicle lifecycles. The cost of fuel and maintenance expenses can be much lower. Electric buses are much easier to maintain and require less parts replacement than diesel- or natural gas-powered buses.

The BNEF study forecasts that expected declines in lithium battery prices will make electric buses more competitive with diesel buses by 2026.

Battery-powered buses also make a visible, massive presence on a city’s streets. Observers will read about the buses being electrified, which can stir up their interest and research even more. Electric buses convey a local government committed to making air quality improvements, finding savings in operating costs, and taking action to make the municipal transit agency look more innovative and committed to integrating new technology.

China’s new energy vehicle policies have been behind electric bus sales strength, and expectations that it will grow over the next decade. BYD Co., China’s largest seller of electric vehicles and backed by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, is well-positioned to take advantage of government incentives. Last year in China, BYD sold 128,000 new energy vehicles, which include all-electric and plug-in hybrid passenger and commercial vehicles. That went up from 100,183 in 2016.

Source:https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Nearly-Half-Of-All-Public-Buses-Will-Be-Electric-By-2025.html

Qatar’s manufacturing sector registers exceptional growth

Qatar Economy

While the Qatari economy displayed an exemplary resilience to the impact of the unjust siege imposed by the Saudi-led bloc, the country’s manufacturing sector led the way in 2017 by clocking exceptional growth and unprecedented expansion.

Thanks to the concerted efforts by all stakeholders, Qatar has been able to transform the challenges into opportunities in almost every sector of the economy. While ramping up production of its existing industrial units, the country began setting up new factories to quickly move towards self-sufficiency.

According to a statement by the Minister of Energy and Industry HE Mohammed bin Saleh al Sada, the number of factories entering the production stage in the first six months of the siege doubled compared to the same period a year ago.

The minister’s statement hinted at the futile attempt by the siege countries to jeopardize Qatar’s economy.
In fact, Qatar’s economy has only picked up momentum since the siege with new plants in manufacturing, food, cement, plastic and steel sectors developed at a fast pace. Qatar has managed to attract huge investments into its manufacturing sector. According to a statement issued by Ministry of Energy and Industry, Qatar has attracted investments of about QR260 billion in its manufacturing sector.

“A total of 730 industrial facilities have been registered with the ministry. Qatar is putting a lot of efforts to realise the directives of the wise leadership in achieving a balanced and sustainable industrial development,” Sada was quoted as saying by Qatar Tribune.

In a bid to encourage local industry and small and medium enterprises, Qatar has provided incentives for industries such as fee exemption on equipment, raw materials and machine parts.

The manufacturing sector has become one of the most attractive investment opportunities in Qatar following the new legislation which facilitates the process while providing investors with a slew of incentives.

The ‘Own Your Factory in 72 Hours’ initiative launched by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC), after the blockade, has been a major draw. Under the initiative, 63 investors were shortlisted for setting up factories in Qatar worth a total of QR2.5 billion. The ministry has already provided licences to the shortlisted firms and begun allotting land for setting up the factories in New Industrial Area.

Ahmad Zeidan, head consultant of ‘Own Your Factory in 72 Hours’ initiative, told Qatar Tribune that the shortlisted investors had already started work on their respective projects.”Within one year, all the factories will begin production,” Zeidan said.

Launched as part of the MEC’s ‘Single Window System’, the ‘Own Your Factory in 72 Hours’ initiative, has drawn a huge response from both local and global investors.

The ministry set up a committee comprising representatives from 10 different ministries and government bodies to evaluate the applicant-investors.

The committee received a total of 8,128 applications from investors in Qatar and more than 1,000 requests from 50 countries for winning the 250 investment opportunities covering eight major industrial sectors.

Out of the 9,128 applicants, the committee shortlisted around 900 investors for evaluation and meetings.
After holding more than 450 personal meetings with investors, the committee finalised the names of investors for 63 projects. More names will be announced at a later stage.

According to information provided by the ministry, out of the 63 investors, 22 will be setting up industries in the food sector.

While the overall manufacturing sector witnessed growth, there was more focus on food, medicine and other essential products with a view to tiding over the diplomatic crisis.

The Qatari government also partnered with the private sector to promote local products both in domestic and international markets.

The ‘Made in Qatar’ exhibition organised by Qatar Chamber in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Industry and Qatar National Bank became a huge success.

The size of the area allocated for the exhibition increased from 15,000 square metres (sqm) last year to 30,000sqm this year. The number of exhibitors also doubled compared to the previous edition.

Qatar Chamber Chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al Thani told Qatar Tribune that the siege has given birth to an”industrial renaissance” in the country.

Source:http://www.qatar-tribune.com/news-details/id/104216