Diversifying the national economy away from oil and gas has been Qatar’s declared policy. The country is attaching top priority to projects that contribute to the diversification of its abundant natural resources.

Recently, the country made big strides in either implementing or bringing online, some projects that achieve economic diversification. Besides monetising the country’s bountiful natural resources, especially North Field gas, these projects provide gainful employment to thousands of Qataris.

The two helium plants at Ras Laffan are a testament to how Qatar’s national resources from the North Field can be best optimised.

The QR1.8bn Helium 2 Plant at the industrial city that was formally inaugurated last week has already made Qatar the largest exporter and second top producer of helium in the world. The plant has a design capacity of 1.3bn standard cubic feet a year, twice that of the first plant – Helium 1.

With a combined annual production of 2bn standard cubic feet a year, the two plants will meet about 25% of the current global demand for liquid helium. The product is in great demand worldwide, particularly in emerging countries in Asia.

Two other projects that achieve economic diversification and meet national objectives including decent employment for qualified nationals are the $5.5bn Al Sejeel Petrochemical Complex and a multi-billion dollar petchem project - Al-Karaana, both located at Ras Laffan.

Al Sejeel Petrochemical Complex, which is scheduled for 2018 completion, is unique in that it is the first mixed feed steam cracker in the country and the first one to produce polypropylene. Hitherto, all petchem complexes in Qatar were depending only on one feedstock.

Through Al Sejeel Petrochemical Complex, Qatar is also introducing a product - polypropylene. It will be the first time the country get involved in producing polypropylene.

In addition to polypropylene, Al Sejeel will produce ethylene, high-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, butadiene and pyrolysis gasoline.

Al-Karaana Petrochemical Complex at Ras Laffan will be an olefins and derivatives plant.

The two petrochemical projects would also contribute to Qatar achieving its targeted 23mn tonnes per year output by 2020, thus supporting the growth and diversification of the Qatari economy.

By the decade-end, Qatar will be the second largest petchem producer in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia.

All these projects would also contribute to the creation of several downstream industries, which in turn open numerous employment opportunities to qualified Qataris.

Absorbing Qataris in the private sector as well as downstream industries is essential because their percentage in the total workforce (in these segments) is not at the desired level.

Recently, IMF called for more measures that are aimed at attracting Qatari talent in the country’s private sector.

“Incentives must be provided for the private sector to grow or for nationals to grow in the private sector,” points out Ananthakrishnan Prasad, a senior economist with the International Monetary Fund, who has made extensive research on the Qatari economy.