The Minister of Commerce and Industry Inaugurates Events of National Product Week

National Product Week

Under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani, HE Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al-Thani inaugurated the activities of the National Product Week, which is organized by the Ministry in cooperation with Qatar Development Bank (QDB) during the period from March 13-19.

The National Product Week initiative is the first of its kind in the country, and aims to celebrate the success of Qatari companies and their products in various sectors, enhance efforts to localize supply chains, and support self-sufficiency and economic diversification efforts in the State of Qatar.

During the ceremony, HE the Minister of Commerce and Industry stressed the importance of the National Product Week initiative, saying it builds on the many achievements that contributed to supporting Qatari products. His Excellency also added that it's the culmination of a long process that starts with an idea, all the way to production and accessing markets, also highlighting the importance of training and continuous supervision which aims to improve efficiency and the ability of companies when it comes to making supply deals and tenders.

His Excellency expressed in that regard the ongoing cooperation with all partners to ensure the success of that part, particularly Qatar Development Bank. His Excellency said that QDB has launched a number of initiatives that support local manufacturers. This included creating a digital platform that promoted local manufacturers and supported Qatari companies.

HE the Minister said that 190 companies registered on the platform, and signed contracts worth QR63 million. Thats in addition to organizing four editions of the Government Procurement and Contracting Conference and Exhibition (Moushtarayat), which signed deals worth a total of QR3.042 billion, in addition to hosting three editions of the initiative to buy local products.

He noted the efforts to enhance cooperation with other government agencies and bodies such as the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), in addition to the close cooperation with Katara Hospitality, where the value of local contracts signed amounted to about QR21.3 million last year.

His Excellency added that coordination has been made with the national carrier, Qatar Airways, by concluding several procurement contracts with national companies since 2019, bringing the value of contracts last year to about 100 million riyals, which were offered to national companies specialized in the food and beverage industry.

His Excellency also highlighted the keenness to enhance continuous cooperation and coordination with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) in implementing many other initiatives aimed at accelerating the localization of supply chains.

He stated that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in the framework of the trend towards encouraging national industrial institutions to raise their productivity, in line with the determinants of the second national development strategy 2018-2022 and the Qatar National Manufacturing Strategy, launched the joint framework contracts initiative in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and Hamad Medical Corporation. His Excellency Pointed out that in this regard, that the pharmaceutical and medical equipment sector has been launched, and that this step will be expanded to include other sectors, in coordination with the concerned authorities.

He pointed out that work has been done to raise the level of access of national goods and products to the largest number of outlets in the country, by directing the allocation of about 50 percent of the exhibits for Qatari products, in addition to meeting and coordinating with more than 30 governmental and semi-governmental agencies; to motivate it to give priority to national products, and to increase its purchases in this field.

And in the context of talking about the industrial sector in the country and the ministrys achievements in this regard, His Excellency announced the launch of the 1000 Opportunities initiative, which is part of the electronic platform for the single window. It allows local investors to view the existing and future opportunities and projects that would meet their various needs, whether in terms of products or services it provides. His Excellency said that he expects that this initiative would contribute to providing important investment and economic opportunities that would benefit the industrial sector, which has witnessed remarkable development during the past years.

He said that the number of factories operating in the country has risen to more than 806 factories, in addition to the contribution of the industrial establishments that have been established, in the introduction of new products, which were more than 845 products during the past year. His Excellency noted the increase in the value of investments in the field of food products industry in 2021, with a value that will reach QR5 billion, an increase of 69 percent compared to its value in 2017. 

For his part, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Development Bank Abdulrahman Hesham Al Suwaidi Abdulrahman Hesham Al Suwaidi has expressed his appreciation for the support of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for national companies that work alongside the Qatar Development Bank support system to achieve its growth ambitions and to enhance their contribution in the national economy.

"In the National Week, we celebrate Qatari products and encourage small and medium-sized companies by promoting their products, and we look forward to active and familiar participation of all members of the Qatari economy system and members of the society to push our companies to new levels of development and excellence, in line with the goals of national development and economic diversification," Al Suwaidi added.

Meanwhile, HE President of the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (KAHRAMAA) Eng. Issa bin Hilal Al Kuwari said the Corporation has signed many contracts with Qatari factories and companies that provide basic equipment for electricity and water distribution networks in the country with a high quality that is no less than foreign companies such as "electric cable factories and pressure switches." and transformers for the electrical industries.

He explained in a similar speech during the ceremony that "the value of the ongoing contracts to supply materials to the Corporation has reached 3.2 billion riyals, of which the proportion of local purchases is about 40 percent, and we intend in our five-year plan until 2026 to work with the private sector to raise this percentage to 60 percent of the estimated value of materials by 5 billion riyals.

HE Al Kuwari described the local industry as one of the most important pillars of the national economy, saying that its support is at the heart of the country's economic renaissance in its public and private sectors, and that empowering the national product is a cornerstone on which the economy is based in light of the great changes and challenges facing the global economy in the current period, especially after the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and its negative economic impact regionally and internationally.

He stressed the importance of the National Product Week in supporting and encouraging the growth of the industrial sector, and in providing the necessary assistance and facilities to achieve industrial growth capable of participating in the comprehensive development process directed by the country's wise leadership, with the aim of bringing the State of Qatar to the forefront of advanced and developed countries at all levels.

Al Suwaidi added that the National Product Week constitutes an essential step on the road towards supporting and strengthening the Qatari national industry, advancing the Qatari product to the best levels and making it at the forefront of products locally and globally. He affirmed Kahramaa's continuous support for the Qatari industry through many initiatives aimed at advancing local production through motivating producers, owners of production lines, businessmen, and those in charge of local factories and workshops, in all possible and available ways.

Eng. Al Kuwari added that the Corporation supports the national product by laying the necessary infrastructure for the functioning of the production process, providing technical support and giving them priority in tenders to provide an appropriate climate for investment and enable them to compete with international companies.

He called for concerted efforts and coordination between all government and private agencies to achieve a comprehensive economic renaissance, announcing the readiness of Kahramaa to cooperate and provide all support to improve Qatari products, and raise the industrial and business sector in Qatar to the highest level in all field starting with small and medium-scale industries and ending with heavy industries in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the second strategic plan, which will complete its last year in 2022.

The opening ceremony of the National Product Week was attended by representatives of a number of other concerned parties, including the Ministry of Transport, the Public Works Authority, the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (KAHRAMAA), Qatar Airways, Qatar Chamber, the Businessmen Association, Katara Hospitality and other entities from the public and private sectors.

The National Product Week includes a variety of events and activities over seven days, including seminars in which a group of interested people and the most prominent actors in the Qatari economy will participate to discuss a number of topics and issues related to national products, specialized workshops to develop the capabilities of entrepreneurs and enable their contribution to strengthening the private sector as well as a series of bilateral meetings that are held virtually between various suppliers and buyers from various economic sectors to open new cooperative opportunities between them and new horizons to serve the interests of all entrepreneurs and achieve the objectives of the forum, in addition to the virtual exhibition that includes virtual pavilions so that visitors can learn about a variety of Qatari products. (QNA)