Launch of the Ninth Edition of the World Investment Forum in Doha

The ninth edition of the World Investment Forum kicked off today, Sunday, in the Qatari capital, Doha, with the participation of Kuwait’s Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment and Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, Abdulaziz Al-Marzouq. The forum will run until October 27.

Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Ahmed Al-Sayed, said in a speech that the forum’s theme, “Investing in the Future,” transcends the traditional concept of investment. While markets may look ahead to the next quarter, countries plan for the future of their generations.

He added that, from this perspective, Qatar has invested over decades in its people, infrastructure, institutions, technology, and innovation, as well as in building partnerships based on mutual trust and shared interests.

He noted that the global economy is undergoing profound transformations amid geopolitical shifts, supply chain reconfigurations, rapid technological advancement, artificial intelligence, and the transition toward a more sustainable economy, explaining that these factors are reshaping the landscape of global trade and investment.

He mentioned that Qatar attracted 373 foreign direct investment projects last year, an increase of more than 50% compared to the previous year, with these projects contributing to the creation of over 15,000 new jobs.

He added that, to support this momentum, Qatar launched a $1 billion investment incentive program targeting several priority sectors, including advanced industries, logistics, technology, digital services, and financial services.

He clarified that Qatar recently announced a package of new infrastructure projects worth approximately $38.5 billion over the next five years, alongside expected private sector investments of around $22 billion in the real estate and hospitality sectors.

For his part, Pedro Manuel Moreno, Acting Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), stated that we must today help countries build their own investment strategies, strengthen their institutions, and develop skills and capacities that make investments more productive, while also assisting them in finding partners capable of turning those strategies into tangible realities.

He said that Qatar opened its doors to the world this week, welcoming heads of state, ministers, representatives of investment promotion agencies, stock exchanges, investors, and entrepreneurs, noting that approximately 5,000 participants from around the world are attending the forum.

On her part, Nana Collins, Director of the Investment and Projects Division at UNCTAD, delivered a message on behalf of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, noting that in a year marked by deep global challenges, the forum’s theme, “Investing in the Future,” underscores a fundamental truth: investment represents confidence that tomorrow can be better than today.

She said that sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, clean energy, advanced technologies, and critical minerals now account for nearly half of new global investments in greenfield projects.

Rebeca Greenstein, Secretary-General of UNCTAD, pointed out that the share of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, clean energy, and critical minerals in new global investments rose from 17% to approximately 50% over the past five years.

Doha is hosting the ninth edition of the World Investment Forum, held in partnership between the State of Qatar and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), from October 25 to 27 under the theme “Investing in the Future.”