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Qatar News Agency reported that HE Sheikh Ali bin Alwaleed Al-Thani, chief executive of the Investment Promotion Agency Qatar known as Invest Qatar, made the call at a roundtable on the opening day of the ninth World Investment Forum 2026 hosted in Doha. Al-Thani told participants that global investment flows have become increasingly concentrated among a small group of major economies, with capital gravitating toward locations offering optimal conditions rather than those most in need. This pattern, he added, requires investment promotion bodies and special economic zones to reassess how they define competitiveness beyond basic costs and incentives.
According to Al-Thani, investors now evaluate the overall strength of an economic ecosystem, weighing factors such as access to skilled talent, advanced technology, sustainable infrastructure, clear regulations, innovation capacity and scope for local business partnerships. The CEO said traditional marketing of investment destinations must evolve into efforts that connect foreign capital with domestic opportunities and capabilities. From Qatar’s standpoint, investment promotion extends to fostering conditions where businesses can launch, innovate and scale successfully over the long term.
Al-Thani stated that investment promotion agencies and special economic zones should seize the chance to develop integrated economic ecosystems capable of strengthening local industries, accelerating technological advancement and promoting sustainable expansion. A UN Trade and Development assessment found global foreign direct investment flows increased 6 percent to approximately $1.6 trillion in 2025, yet more than 80 percent of that total flowed to the world’s 20 largest economies. This concentration underscores the need for developing markets to build deeper, more resilient frameworks to compete effectively.
Invest Qatar figures show the country drew $3.4 billion in foreign direct investment capital expenditure during 2025 across 373 projects, a 52 percent rise in project numbers from the prior year that created more than 15,000 new jobs. More than half the capital went to greenfield developments while nearly half the projects fell into medium- or high-technology categories, reflecting confidence in Qatar’s innovation-driven economy. The agency has also introduced a $1 billion incentives program targeting advanced manufacturing, logistics, digital technology and financial services.
The roundtable formed part of the World Investment Forum, whose theme “Investing in the Future” aligns with Qatar’s Third National Development Strategy and its push to position Doha as a regional hub for partnerships extending into global markets. Al-Thani’s remarks highlighted how the forum offers a platform to address evolving investment dynamics, including artificial intelligence, clean energy and advanced manufacturing sectors that UNCTAD data indicates now account for nearly half of new greenfield projects worldwide. Officials at the event have stressed the importance of multilateral cooperation to channel capital toward developing economies and build lasting economic resilience.
