Qatar National Digital Agenda 2030
The Qatar Ministry of Communications and Information and Technology (MCIT) unveiled the National Digital Agenda (NDA) 2030 as part of the nation’s ongoing efforts to become a regional technology powerhouse by developing its digital infrastructure. The NDA 2030 is meant to serve as a roadmap for the ongoing growth of the nation’s digital economy by leveraging Qatar’s initiatives in economic diversification, sustainability, and technical advancement.
The NDA 2030 is structured on six strategic pillars: digital infrastructure, digital governance, digital innovation, digital technology, digital economy, and digital society. These important pillars aim to support Qatar’s continued digital growth and contribute to its digital competitiveness, which has already seen substantial progress with the use of artificial intelligence in the public sector and the deployment of cutting-edge information technology infrastructure.
To achieve these objectives, the country’s ICT sector investments aim to enhance connectivity, commercialize cloud data centers, and deliver advanced supercomputing to meet AI demand and reduce ICT carbon footprint. Qatar plans to become a net exporter of digital services through digital export accelerator program, global tech company expansion, and cross-border digital economy framework. Qatar supports domestic research, attracts foreign investments, streamlines digital-related intellectual property commercialization, and creates a supportive ecosystem for technology start-ups. The NDA 2030 will increase professional staff competences in the ICT industry by 10 percent for supporting the development of advanced skills, potentially leading to economic benefits worth almost $10 billion USD and lead to the creation of 26,000 jobs in the ICT Sector by 2030.
To promote technological sovereignty, economic diversification, and its position as a leader in AI innovation, Qatar is integrating AI into its national agenda. The Al Fanar Arabic artificial intelligence project is part of a $2.47 billion USD incentive package that the nation has set aside to support a full digital transformation.
Qatar’s MCIT hosted the inaugural event World Summit AI Qatar, which was organized by Inspired Minds in early December 2024. Inspired Minds and Qatar have agreed to host the AI summit, annually, for another four years.
Qatar is preparing to host the second edition of Web Summit Qatar, which will take place February 23-26, 2025. This event is expected to draw multinational tech firms that support innovation and give the industry a platform. The summit organizers are planning to host the event, annually, for the next four years.
In a recent development to position Qatar as a key player in the digital economy, Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) established a “Digital Assets Lab” to create, test, and commercialize Web3 services. The goal of establishing the Digital Assets Lab is to promote creativity and advancement in the field of distributed ledger technology. Additionally, it is one of the pathways to obtain a license to conduct business in Qatar. QFC created the lab by partnering with Google Cloud, local bank Masraf Al Rayan, The Hashgraph Association, and enterprise blockchain firm R3.
The National Digital Agenda’s execution is in keeping with Qatar’s overarching goal, as defined in the 3rd National Development Strategy (NDS3), which seeks to establish Qatar as a smart and technologically-sophisticated nation. Success depends on ensuring that the digital society is prepared to respond to the rapid changes in the digital realm.
Next Steps for the U.S. Client
For further information regarding opportunities in the ICT sectors, please contact your local U.S. Office and/or U.S. Commercial Service Qatar Office at: Office.Doha@trade.gov
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U.S. firms should review the National Digital Agenda 2030 website for more information.