10 October 2022, Doha – Qatar: The Investment Promotion Agency Qatar (IPA Qatar) has launched a new multilingual ‘Guide to Investment’ in Arabic, English, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. The guide showcases the many benefits of establishing a business in Qatar, including the country’s strategic location and connectivity, future-ready infrastructure, supportive business ecosystem, and world-class talent pool.

Under the umbrella of the national economic diversification agenda, the Guide presents country statistics, logistics, and industrial zones. It also provides information on life in Qatar across four sections: Exciting Opportunities Await, Your Partner in Progress, Best Home in the Middle East for Your Business, and Gateway to a Wealth of Opportunities.

It offers a detailed overview of Qatar’s territorial taxation system with two tax regimes, including the State regime administered by the General Tax Authority (GTA) and the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) regime administered by the QFC Tax Department.

The guide also provides entrepreneurs and businesses with a comprehensive overview of the country’s integrated business ecosystem. It highlights the licensing platforms that are available to support their investment journey, including the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA), Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), and Media City (Qatar).

Sheikh Ali Alwaleed Al-Thani, CEO, IPA Qatar, said: “We conceptualised the ‘Guide to Investment’ as a primary source of information for local, regional, and international investors looking for new avenues to fulfill their potential. The Guide acts as their comprehensive tool to extend their reach and accelerate their growth within Qatar’s vibrant commercial ecosystem. Well beyond 2022, Qatar continues its rapid transformation into a global hub for business. IPA Qatar is proud to support this transformation in line with our mandate and the national development goals, helping to integrate international companies and investors to ensure their long-term success in Qatar.”

With a strategic focus on the development of the local SME sector and the promotion of entrepreneurship, the Guide also highlights national programmes such as the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), established by the Qatar Foundation to support competitively selected original research, and Qatar FinTech Hub (QFTH), established by Qatar Development Bank in collaboration with EY to support the growth of local and international FinTechs. Another initiative is the TASMU Smart Qatar Programme, launched by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) to advance innovation and economic diversification. Additionally, the Guide underlines key institutions such as the Qatar Business Incubation Centre (QBIC), and the Digital Incubation Center (DIC),, which provide funding and deliver business advisory support to start-ups. Other key institutions in the start-up sector include the sports focussed, Sports Accelerator and Qatar SportsTech, a joint venture initiated by QDB, powered by Startupbootcamp, and supported by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, QFC, Aspire Zone Foundation, beIN Sports, and MOCI.

Qatar’s Future-Ready Investment Ecosystem

From a national development objective, the ‘Guide to Investment’ highlights opportunities that can strengthen the influx of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Qatar to raise productivity and competitiveness on all levels. Since its inception, IPA Qatar has actively pursued a targeted, sector-specific investment promotion agenda in line with the country’s economic development and diversification goals. With Qatar’s infrastructure and development projects – especially in education, health, transportation, research, and SME enterprises – defining the State’s current development phase, IPA Qatar serves as the primary point of access to a future-ready infrastructure that attracts long-term FDI, supporting enterprises from exploration and setup to expansion.

The ‘Guide to Investment’ is available in Arabic, English, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish, and can be accessed via invest.qa/publications.