Qatar Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in qatar, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Market Overview
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Market Overview

The United States and Qatar enjoy a strong commercial, political, and security relationship. With around 300,000 citizens, Qatar enjoys among the highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in the world and looks to overseas partners to achieve strategic goals, as outlined in Qatar National Vision 2030, creating opportunities for U.S. businesses in multiple sectors. However, the current political unrest in the region has limited market access and potential customers for U.S. retail brands.  

According to the World Bank, by the end of 2022, Qatar’s annual gross domestic product (GDP) saw 4.2% growth – primarily due to a strong hydrocarbon market and the output from economic activities related to Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA’s Men’s World Cup. In April 2024, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected that Qatar’s 2023 real GDP growth would be 1.6% and forecast to increase to 2% for 2024. Near-term growth is boosted by the ongoing Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) expansion and domestic demand for goods and services. Qatar’s continued economic diversification endeavors will further support economic growth in the medium-term. 

Both total U.S. exports to Qatar and the U.S. trade surplus with Qatar have declined steeply since 2019, with U.S. exports to Qatar going from an all-time high of $6.45 billion in 2019 to $3.84 billion in 2024 primarily due to a decline of transportation equipment exports. U.S. Census Bureau trade data for 2024 shows a $2 billion U.S. trade surplus. Recent energy-related tender announcements and macroeconomic forecasts indicate U.S. exports should continue to rebound in 2024-2026.

Qatar published its latest 5-year National Development Strategy in February 2024. Its objective is to accelerate annual growth to an average of 4% by 2030 through expanded gas production and economic diversification. The strategy lays out three priority areas for economic development that include manufacturing, logistics, and tourism. Underlying these sectors is support for continued development of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector and related capabilities embedded in new and emerging technologies, such as generative artificial intelligence. Qatar recognizes that the capabilities associated with these sectors and technologies will directly support their sustainability goals in agriculture and food production as well as the development of a world-class healthcare system.

Qatar published a new National digital strategy, Digital Agenda 2030, in April 2024. Announced by Qatar’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, the National Digital Agenda 2030 is focused on strengthening its digital infrastructure with the goal to become a regional technology hub. This strategy aims to transform Qatar into a leading digital economy, supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation across all sectors. The digital strategy focuses on six pillars: hyper-connectivity, hyper-computing, hyper-automation, digital innovation, digital economy, and digital infrastructure. The agenda’s goal is to enhance digital infrastructure, increase digital literacy and skills, and promote e-government services and quality of life for citizens and residents. 

Qatar remains an important investment partner for the United States. Its sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), is heavily invested in the United States and continues to explore new investment opportunities. Since 2015, Qatar has invested significantly in U.S. real estate and asset-heavy retail and is seeking to diversify its U.S. investments by expanding in the technology and healthcare sectors. The fund has committed to invest more than $50 billion in the United States. 

Qatar has taken steps in recent years to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and innovation by ratifying a law that allows foreign firms up to 100 % ownership of their businesses in most economic sectors, and a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Law to promote economic diversification and create greater opportunities for U.S. companies in the education, environmental technologies, and healthcare sectors.

Qatar announced a National Climate Change strategy in October 2021, QatarEnergy (QE) directly supports Qatar’s focus on LNG as a cleaner energy alternative that can serve as a transition energy source while the world adopts renewable energy sources. QE is deepening its investments in LNG with its $50 billion North Field (East, South, and West) LNG Expansion project. This project includes the construction of over six LNG mega-trains, creating significant opportunities for U.S. energy companies. In addition, QE invested $18 billion in the U.S. energy sector, in the Golden Pass Terminal ($10 billion) in Texas and a petrochemical plant on the Texas Gulf Coast ($8 billion). QE oversees the oil, gas, fertilizer, petrochemicals, and refining operations in the country and has multi-billion-dollar interests abroad. As a global leader in LNG extraction, QE is an important player both in Qatar and globally. 

The U.S. Commercial Service in Doha continues to monitor government changes to counsel U.S. businesses with the most current regulatory information available.

Political Environment

Visit State Department’s website for background on Qatar’s political and economic environment.