On the significance of this year's theme "Ancestral Meadows: A Matter of Trust," he said that it reflects the deep-rooted connection between the people and their country and ancestors who, thanks to their sacrifices, has helped the country develop. He added that the theme also serves as an inspiration to the people to protect their country's wealth so that the future generations can benefit from it as well.
HE the Minister said that Qatar seeks to consolidate its leadership and economic strength, through the adoption of development policies that dedicate the role of the private sector and support economic diversification, co-operation and international partnership to raise various regional and global challenges, especially the pandemic (Covid-19), pointing out that the state has adopted a wise strategy that puts the health and safety of citizens and residents. At the top of its priorities, it directed an important part of its efforts to maintain the strength and durability of its national economy. He highlighted the state's fiscal and economic support package of QR75bn, in addition to exemptions from customs for food and medical products, as examples of the state's efforts to move forwards towards realising its 2030 vision.
HE the Minister said that the GDP of Qatar achieved a growth of about 4% in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the second quarter of the year 2020, and the GDP of the oil sector increased by about 0.7% in the second quarter of this year, while the contribution of non-oil activities increased significantly. It recorded a growth of about 6.2% during the same period in 2021, pointing to the expectations of the World Bank in its latest reports that the Qatari economy will grow by 3% this year, and its pace will accelerate by about 4.1% in 2022 and 4.5% in 2023.
He also pointed out that the manufacturing sector's contribution to the GDP increased from 7.3% last year to 8.7% in the first half of this year, making it the fourth highest contributing activity to the country's GDP, stressing that the private sector succeeded in developing its products and the replacement of some imported goods and products in various industrial fields, which contributed to achieving self-sufficiency for the state in a number of food, consumer and construction products, indicating that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry was keen to support local industries by launching a campaign to support the Qatari product and co-ordination with more than 30 governmental and semi-governmental agencies to motivate it to support Qatari products by increasing purchases of locally manufactured products.
HE the Minister also explained that in the context of supporting and activating the role of the private sector, the ministry, on the other hand, was keen to enhance its contribution to the country's major development projects in a number of key sectors such as education, health, tourism and sports, pointing to its efforts as well to consolidate the partnership between the public sectors. And the private sector, as it worked on evaluating the extent of the private sectors participation in major projects and its competitive capabilities, in addition to implementing the provisions of Law No. 12 of 2020 regulating partnership between the public and private sectors in all related projects, especially hospitals, schools, tourist resorts, and other projects. other.
HE the Minister of Commerce and Industry stressed that work is continuing to further consolidate the strength and resilience of the national economy to support Qatar's march towards achieving its future vision by 2030.
In terms of the ministry's achievements, he said that it is committed to developing its e-services. He also said that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is intensifying its efforts as the date for Qatar's hosting of the World Cup 2022 approaches.
