Qatar Economic Forum Discusses Prospects of FDI in Challenging Economic Times

Doha, May 24 (QNA) - A discussion session - held today during the evening sessions of the third Annual Qatar Economic Forum - highlighted the future of foreign direct investment (FDI) in challenging economic times and the extent to which it is affected by the risks and challenges facing the global economy.
During the session entitled "The Future of Foreign Direct Investment in Challenging Economic Times," the key speakers discussed the impacts of the geopolitical tensions on these investments and their repercussions represented in the rise in commodity prices such as energy and food, inflation rates reaching record levels, and resorting of the central banks to raising interest levels, which led to an increase in debt rates and a decline in global stock markets.
During the session, the speakers pointed out the significant shift in the flow of global investments from the West towards the countries of the South and East, in conjunction with the reshaping of global supply chains and the search for capital for the most competitive sites for manufacturing and logistics operations.
They pointed out that at a time when investors are looking for new markets, the State of Qatar, as well as other GCC countries, stand out as an attractive destination for FDI from all over the world due to the availability of a safe investment climate and an effective and business-friendly regulatory and legislative framework, as well as the focus on a group of sectors that provide strong investment opportunities, the most important of which are financial services, technology, tourism, sports, and others.
In this regard, HE CEO of Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA) Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Faisal Al-Thani talked about global markets that investors should direct their attention to, especially after the considerable disruptions that befell supply chains due to the pandemic and the escalation of conflicts in regions of the world today.
His Excellency indicated that the volatile market environment dragged investors' attention to the least affected economies that showed more flexibility, such as the Qatari economy which succeeded to be an ideal work environment due to Qatar's political stability, its strategic location that represents a link between global markets, and its advanced infrastructure. His Excellency said that Qatar provides several investment opportunities for foreign investors wishing to expand their presence in the region, while the country's free zones play a leading role in strengthening Qatar's position as a leading destination for investment.
For his part, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Financial Centre Yousuf Mohamed Al Jaida stressed that several FDI moved from Western Europe toward the Arab region, especially toward the State of Qatar as well as other GCC countries, noting that recent statistics confirm this, as they indicate that FDI flows to Qatar will take an upward trend, according to the fDi Intelligence report, which says that the next five years will be dominated by the Middle East and North Africa region.
He explained that what helped the State of Qatar to attain this prestigious position is the availability of a world-class legal and regulatory environment dedicated mainly to foreign investments, the launch of the Qatar Financial Centre, the establishment of free zones, in addition to the launch of the Investment Promotion Agency (IPA Qatar) and the Media City that hosts the current forum.
For her part, HE Minister of Finance of the Republic of Poland Magdalena Rzeczkowska said that with the economic slowdown in world regions, it is important to focus on attracting FDI as a catalyst for growth and an important source of economic diversification. Her Excellency stressed the importance of attracting these investments, especially to her country in the current conditions, in parallel with the current transformations in global economies, and the opportunities resulting from the development of new technologies and digitization, which all require capital and investors.
Her Excellency also indicated that the Polish economy has attracted significant investments by attracting multinational companies, especially in the sectors of information and communication technology, financial technology, and services. In this regard, Her Excellency highlighted many challenges facing the countries of Eastern Europe, especially with the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war that caused the country's oil supplies and the Russian gas to be cut off, which forced Warsaw to diversify its economy, as she said that the current situation has shown that cooperation with the Middle East, especially Qatar as well as other GCC countries, is crucial to Poland's security as well. (QNA)