Qatar economy rebounds alongside diplomatic activity
13 January 2025
Qatar welcomed some 5.1 million visitors in 2024, the highest number on record and representing a 25% year-on-year increase. But the growing waves of holidaymakers have not been the only notable arrivals of late – regional political figures have also been showing up, as Doha resumes its efforts to resolve the Gaza conflict while also seeking to play a role in rebuilding Syria.
The diplomatic activity comes at a time when the broader economy is emerging from its post-World Cup slump. After the football tournament ended in 2022, there was something of a slowdown, as activity in the construction and services sectors eased off.
According to the Washington-based IMF, real GDP growth fell from 4.2% in 2022 to just 1.2% in 2023. In its latest report on the economy, published in early December, the IMF suggested the rebound had started, with GDP growth of about 2% in 2024/25.
Over the medium term, the IMF expects growth to rise to about 4.75%, helped by a significant expansion of LNG production.
Others take a similar view. On 7 January, Dubai-based bank Emirates NBD revised down its 2024 GDP growth forecast for Qatar to 1.7%, from 2% previously. But it said it expects growth to tick up to 2.6% this year and then accelerate to 4.8% in 2026, as more gas exports come online.
While hydrocarbons will continue to be the most important element of the economy for many years, tourism will play an increasingly important role in economic diversification efforts.
The country now has more than 40,000 hotel rooms – substantially more than the 31,000 permanent rooms in place when the football tournament was on (augmented by 100,000 temporary rooms on cruise ships and in fan villages and rented homes and apartments).
The number of visitors since the tournament has risen substantially: from 2.6 million in 2022, the figure rose to 4.1 million in 2023 and over 5 million last year. Many more travel through Hamad International airport, which handled almost 53 million passengers in 2024, some 15% more than the year before.
Citizens of more than 100 countries are eligible for visa-free entry to Qatar. That open-minded approach also informs the country’s diplomatic activities.
Diplomatic re-engagement
On 28 December, Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani met a Hamas delegation led by Khalil Al-Hayya to discuss a potential Gaza ceasefire deal. Doha had shuttered its mediating efforts in early November, saying neither Hamas nor Israel were engaging seriously.
In January, the diplomatic activity stepped up further, as indirect talks mediated by Qatar resumed. David Barnea, the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, travelled to Doha, as did US President Joe Biden’s Middle East envoy Brett McGurk. Early reports suggest some progress was being made.
“There are extensive negotiations. Mediators and negotiators are talking about every word and every detail. There is a breakthrough when it comes to narrowing old existing gaps, but there is no deal yet,” one unnamed Palestinian official close to the talks told Reuters.
Activity relating to Syria has been even more pronounced. Unlike some other Gulf states, Doha had resisted the urge to normalise relations with Bashar Al-Assad in recent years, even as many observers assumed his regime had survived the revolution and would continue to hold power in Damascus indefinitely.
As other countries reopened their embassies, Qatar’s remained shuttered. That changed nine days after the Assad regime fell, when the Qatari diplomatic presence in Damascus reopened for business on 17 December. Khalifa Abdullah Al-Sharif was appointed as charge d’affaires.
The new Syrian regime led by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) appears warmly disposed towards Doha. Visiting the Qatari capital on 5 January, Syria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani described Qatar as “a strategic partner”.
On 23 December, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi had travelled to Damascus, where he met HTS leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa (better known during the revolution by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad Al-Julani) to discuss bilateral relations.
Among other things, Qatar has been helping to restart operations at Damascus International airport – international flights resumed on 7 January, with the first arrival coming in from Doha (the first departure went to Sharjah). Qatar, along with Turkiye, has also reportedly pledged to supply electricity-generating ships to provide 800MW of power to the country.
Al-Shaibani’s visit to Doha in early January was part of a wider tour of key Gulf capitals. While in Qatar, he called on Western countries to remove sanctions on his country, saying they “constitute an obstacle to the rapid recovery of the Syrian economy … We renew our demand for the United States of America to lift the sanctions to speed up the recovery and start building the new Syria”.
The following day, the US announced a six-month suspension of sanctions on dealings with the Syrian government. Senior European figures have indicated they could soon take similar steps. Among other things, relaxing sanctions could enable Doha and other Arab governments to help fund salaries for Syrian public sector employees.
The health of Qatar’s public finances means such support is easy to provide. The government has consistently run a budget surplus in recent years, and that is expected to continue. Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani approved the budget for 2025 in mid-December. It includes spending of QR210bn ($58bn) and revenues of QR197bn, pointing to a deficit of QR13bn.
However, UK-based Oxford Economics has pointed out that the figures were based on conservative oil price assumptions. The consultancy expects Doha to actually run a surplus of QR12bn for this year, down from QR25bn in 2024 but still substantial. “These projections underscore Qatar’s fiscal discipline and sustainable policies,” it said in a 19 December report.
Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.
Exclusive from Meed
-
Jordan sets market briefing for Amman water PPP10 April 2026
-
-
Masdar’s move abroad will not be the last10 April 2026
-
Turkish firm launches Mecca villas project10 April 2026
-
Kuwait gives bidders more time for Al-Khairan IWPP10 April 2026
All of this is only 1% of what MEED.com has to offer
Subscribe now and unlock all the 153,671 articles on MEED.com
- All the latest news, data, and market intelligence across MENA at your fingerprints
- First-hand updates and inside information on projects, clients and competitors that matter to you
- 20 years' archive of information, data, and news for you to access at your convenience
- Strategize to succeed and minimise risks with timely analysis of current and future market trends
Related Articles
-
Jordan sets market briefing for Amman water PPP
10 April 2026
Jordan’s Ministry of Investment, through its Public-Private Partnership Unit (PPPU), has announced a public information session for the South Amman non-revenue water (NRW) reduction PPP project.
The session will be held on 15 April and is being organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Water & Irrigation and Miyahuna, according to a notice published by the PPPU.
The project covers the southern and southeastern areas of Amman and aims to reduce water losses and improve the efficiency of the capital’s distribution network.
According to the ministry, the scheme will serve about 1.4 million people across 17 zones and forms part of Jordan’s wider National Water Strategy.
The planned market briefing is intended to provide early detail on the project’s PPP structure, procurement pathway and performance-based contracting model.
It is also expected to outline the project’s risk allocation and bankability framework to prospective investors, operators and infrastructure companies.
The Ministry of Investment opened prequalification for the scheme in March.
Qualified companies and consortiums have been invited to participate in a two-stage procurement process for the performance-based contract.
The project aims to reduce NRW levels to 25% by 2040, while modernising and expanding the existing network using smart technologies and advanced leak detection systems.
The original deadline was 23 April. That has since been extended to 12 May.
Jordan is among the most water-scarce countries in the world, and losses from distribution networks are estimated to account for about 45% of water supplied.
The country is also advancing its $6bn Aqaba-Amman water desalination and conveyance project that aims to meet about 40% of Jordan’s municipal water demand by 2040.
As MEED recently reported, the project is nearing financial close. Once complete, it will supply about 300 million cubic metres of potable water a year from the Red Sea to Amman and other regions.
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16340931/main.jpg -
OQ allows more time for natural gas liquids project proposals
10 April 2026
Omani state energy conglomerate OQ Group has allowed contractors more time to prepare proposals for a major project to build a natural gas liquids (NGL) facility in the sultanate.
The planned NGL facility will extract condensates in Saih Nihayda in central Oman and transport those volumes to Duqm, located along the sultanate’s Arabian Sea coastline, for fractionation and export, OQ Group has said.
OQ Group intends to deliver the project using a front-end engineering and design (feed)-to-engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) competition model.
The state enterprise issued the main tender for the feed-to-EPC competition “earlier in March”, setting an initial deadline of 8 April for contractors to submit proposals, MEED previously reported. The deadline has now been extended to 6 May, according to sources.
MEED previously reported that OQ had started the prequalification process for the feed-to-EPC contest for the planned NGL project in November last year, with contractors submitting responses by 15 December.
The following contractors, among others, are understood to have been invited to participate in the feed-to-EPC contest for OQ’s planned NGL project, sources told MEED:
- Chiyoda (Japan) / CTCI (Taiwan)
- G S Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
- Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea) / KBR (US)
- JGC Corporation (Japan)
- Kent (UAE)
- Petrofac (UK)
- Saipem (Italy)
- Samsung E&A (South Korea) / Larsen & Toubro Energy Hydrocarbon (India) / Wood (UAE)
- Technip Energies (France)
- Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)
- Tecnimont (Italy)
The scope of work on the project covers the development, verification and integration of feed deliverables for the following facilities and systems:
- NGL extraction facility – Saih Nihayda:
- Verification and updating of the existing feed to enable dual-mode operation (ethane recovery and ethane rejection).
- Identification and implementation of required process, equipment, utilities, and control system modifications.
- NGL Pipeline – Saih Nihayda to Duqm:
Feed for a new approximately 230km NGL transmission pipeline, including routing, hydraulics, stations, pigging facilities, metering, corrosion protection, leak detection, and safety systems.
- Fractionation unit at Duqm:
- Feed for a new fractionation facility to process ethane and propane + NGL and recover propane, butane, condensate, and provision for future ethane recovery.
- Design accommodating licensed or open-art technology and future tie-in to a planned petrochemical project in Duqm.
- Product pipelines, storage and export facilities at Duqm jetty:
- Feed for product pipelines, cryogenic and atmospheric storage tanks, vapour recovery systems, marine loading arms, and export facilities.
- Integration with existing port and refinery infrastructure, where feasible.
- Supporting systems and studies:
Utilities, offsites, flare systems, safety and environmental studies, cost estimates (class 2+10%), project schedules, constructability assessments, and EPC tender documentation.
Natural gas liquids projects
Gulf national oil companies have been allocating significant capital expenditure to building or expanding NGL production facilities.
QatarEnergy, in September last year, awarded the main EPC contract for its project to add a fifth NGL train at its fractionation complex in Qatar’s Mesaieed Industrial City. The aim of the project, which is estimated to be worth $2.5bn, is to build a fifth NGL train (NGL-5) with the capacity to process up to 350 million cubic feet a day of rich associated gas from QatarEnergy’s offshore and onshore oil fields.
The main EPC contract for the QatarEnergy NGL-5 project was won by a consortium of India’s Larsen & Toubro Energy Hydrocarbons Onshore and Greece-headquartered Consolidated Contractors Group.
Separately, the gas processing business of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc Gas) has also selected the main contractor for a project to install a fifth NGL fractionation train at its Ruwais gas processing facility in Abu Dhabi.
The fifth NGL fractionation train will have an output capacity of 22,000 tonnes a day, or about 8 million tonnes a year.
The Ruwais NGL Train 5 project represents the second phase of Adnoc Gas’ ambitious Rich Gas Development (RGD) programme, and its budget value is estimated to be around $4bn, Peter Van Driel, Adnoc Gas’ chief financial officer, confirmed in February. The company expects to achieve final investment decision on the project within the first quarter of 2026, Van Driel said at the time.
ALSO READ: PDO awards Oman gas plant expansion project
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16340039/main5958.jpg -
Masdar’s move abroad will not be the last
10 April 2026
Commentary
Mark Dowdall
Power & water editorMasdar’s new joint-venture agreement with France’s TotalEnergies will not be the last time we see regional energy investors use strong balance sheets and domestic growth to build larger positions overseas.
For Masdar in particular, the deal broadens its international exposure at a time when investors are asking questions about the Middle East’s geopolitical risk.
By combining portfolios, the two companies start with 3GW of operational capacity and another 6GW in advanced development.
The deal covers nine Asian countries, reflecting a prudent strategy that spreads capital across markets with different risk profiles and growth trajectories.
In Kazakhstan, which already includes 2.6GW of assets under development, there is clear logic behind this move.
The country is expected to see a significant increase in renewable generation over the next decade, supported by strong wind resources and the availability of large land areas for utility-scale developments.
There is also a practical advantage in partnering with TotalEnergies, which already has project delivery experience and an established presence in several of these markets.
The US-Iran ceasefire announced on 8 April has brought some respite to energy infrastructure stakeholders in the region.
For investors and developers, however, the long-term uncertainty remains. Until there is clear evidence of regime change, the removal of sanctions or lasting peace in the region, the outlook will be less clear.
With uncertainty one of the biggest killers of investor confidence, many will now be looking at this agreement and thinking whether they should also follow suit.
READ THE APRIL 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDFEconomic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.
Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the April 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
> AGENDA: Gulf economies under fire> GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift> MARKET FOCUS: Risk accelerates Saudi spending shift> QATAR LNG: Qatar’s new $8bn investment heats up global LNG race> LEADERSHIP: Shaping the future of passenger rail in the Middle EastTo see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click herehttps://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16340038/main.jpg -
Turkish firm launches Mecca villas project
10 April 2026
Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access
Turkish real estate investment firm Emlak Konut has announced the launch of Hayat Makkah, its first development in Saudi Arabia.
The project is part of the National Housing Company’s (NHC) wider Mecca Gate masterplan.
According to the company, Hayat Makkah will feature 1,014 villas, with home sizes ranging from 150 to 5,000 square metres.
NHC and Emlak Konut signed an investment agreement worth over SR1bn ($266m) in November last year to develop the project.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Cityscape Global 2025 event in Riyadh.
Ertan Keles, chairman of Emlak Konut, said the firm is in talks with stakeholders about launching a second project, while a third development is also being lined up in Jeddah.
GlobalData expects the Saudi Arabian construction industry to grow by 3.6% in real terms in 2026, supported by an increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) and investments in the housing and manufacturing sectors.
The residential construction sector is expected to grow by 3.8% in real terms in 2026 and register an average annual growth rate of 4.7% between 2027 and 2030, supported by the country’s aim – under Saudi Vision 2030 – to increase homeownership from 65.4% in 2024 to 70% by 2030, including by building 600,000 homes by 2030.
According to the General Authority for Statistics, Saudi Arabia attracted a net FDI inflow of SR72.3bn ($19.3bn) in the first nine months of 2025, an increase of 32.7% year-on-year (YoY) compared to the same period in 2024.
Similarly, the total value of real estate loans from banks grew by 11.5% YoY in 2025, preceded by an annual growth of 13.3% in 2024, according to the Saudi Central Bank (Sama).
READ THE APRIL 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDFEconomic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.
Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the April 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
> AGENDA: Gulf economies under fire> GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift> MARKET FOCUS: Risk accelerates Saudi spending shift> QATAR LNG: Qatar’s new $8bn investment heats up global LNG race> LEADERSHIP: Shaping the future of passenger rail in the Middle EastTo see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16340004/main.png -
Kuwait gives bidders more time for Al-Khairan IWPP
10 April 2026
Kuwait has extended bidding for the first phase of the Al-Khairan independent water and power producer (IWPP) project.
The project is being procured by the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (Kapp) and the Ministry of Electricity, Water & Renewable Energy (MEWRE).
The facility will have a capacity of 1,800MW and 150,000 cubic metres a day of desalinated water. It will be located in Al-Khairan, adjacent to the Al-Zour South thermal plant.
The new deadline is 30 April. The original deadline was 31 March.
The main contract was tendered last September. Three consortiums and two individual companies were previously prequalified to participate.
These include:
- Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) / A H Al-Sagar & Brothers (Saudi Arabia) / Jera (Japan)
- Acwa (Saudi Arabia) / Gulf Investment Corporation (Kuwait)
- China Power / Malakoff International (Malaysia) / Abdul Aziz Al-Ajlan Sons (Saudi Arabia)
- Nebras Power (Qatar)
- Sumitomo Corporation (Japan)
The Al-Khairan IWPP project is part of Kuwait’s long-term plan to expand power and water production capacity through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
The winning bidder will sign a set of PPP agreements covering financing, design, construction, operation and transfer of the project.
The energy conversion and water purchase agreement is expected to cover a 25-year supply period.
Kapp extended another deadline recently for a contract to develop zone two of the third phase of the Al-Dibdibah power and Al-Shagaya renewable energy project.
The PPP authority is procuring the 500MW solar photovoltaic independent power project (IPP) in partnership with the ministry.
The bid submission deadline was moved to the end of April, a source close to the project told MEED.
According to the MEWRE, the total generation capacity currently offered under partnership projects has reached 6,100MW, equivalent to about 30% of Kuwait’s existing power capacity.
The ministry and Kapp are also preparing to tender the main contract for the 3,600MW Nuwaiseeb power and water desalination plant after plans were approved by Kuwait’s Council of Ministers last November.
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16339960/main.jpg