By Peter Alagos/Business Reporter

Qatar needs more contractors in line with more than $200bn in the pipeline for infrastructure development and other construction work related to the hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a senior official of the Qatar Chamber (QC) has said.

Addressing a business delegation from Greece, QC vice chairman Mohamed bin Ahmed al-Kuwari emphasised on Tuesday that Qatar’s construction sector is open to the international market, particularly companies that are willing to take part in the country’s economic development.

“Qatar is experiencing a sea change  in economic development, which is why our doors are open to investments. We need more contractors to be involved in Qatar in the coming years,” al-Kuwari pointed out.

This was reaffirmed by Arab Hellenic Chamber of Commerce & Development secretary general Rashad Mabger, who said: “Qatar offers fruitful opportunities and a wide market for businessmen visiting the country.”

Mabger told Gulf Times that Qatar has “made tremendous progress” in several sectors “to diversify their economy from hydrocarbon to other activities and they have been quite successful.”

“Qataris have always set goals for themselves and they have been making great strides with several success stories…Although small in size, Qatar is one of the countries that have been prominent in the international arena and they have made a lot of progress in many fields to diversify their economy,” Mabger said.

Qatar Ambassador Soltan Saad al-Moraikhi explained that the country’s investment strategy of diversity “has been making positive strides” in the local and international communities.

But as far as Greece and Qatar are concerned, al-Moraikhi noted that there are still many investment avenues that should be explored and maximised.

“The potential of both countries has not yet been fully realised and exploited. Both are blessed with an abundance of resources, which complement each other and can therefore be easily integrated, thus enhancing and expanding our existing co-operation in various business fields,” al-Moraikhi said.

Greek Ambassador Ioannis Metaxas emphasised that Greece’s construction sector is capable of providing high-level, quality material to ongoing projects in Qatar.

Metaxas also stressed that the quality guaranteed by merchandise or goods produced in Greece “is very useful for the development” of Greece and Qatar’s bilateral trade relationship.

“The question of quality is very important. Qatar pays a lot of attention to quality and we also manufacture our products according to international and European standards,” the ambassador added.

Metaxas said he believes in the “ample opportunities” available for both Greek and Qatari businesses to forge “an even closer synergy” that would reinforce “the fruitful co-operation that already exists between our business communities.”

Aside from construction and energy, the ambassador said the food and agriculture sector have diverse industries that could provide opportunities in desalination, agri-tech, renewable energy, food storage, and hydroponics.