By: Eman Ghaly

Mubasher: Qatar has issued a raft of legislation in 2017, topped by the 2018 budget, increasing expenses, visa and investment incentives in a bid to mitigate the negative effects of the diplomatic dispute between Doha and four Arab countries brewed in June 2017.

Over the course of the previous year, Doha introduced a slew of laws and legislation to support labour and provide further facilitation for the non-Qataris.

2018 budget

The Qatari government approved the 2018 budget and sent it to the Qatar's Consultative Assembly (the Shura Council) to be endorsed ahead of January 2018.

The government expected revenues to rise by 2.9%, encouraged by the hike of non-oil receipts to QAR 175.1 billion, highlighting that the budget deficit is projected to decline 1.1% to QAR 28.1 billion.

Moreover, the world’s biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) increased the expected expenses by 2.4% to QAR 203.2 billion in 2018 from QAR 198.5 billion in the previous year.

Qatar’s finance ministry ascribed the rise of expenses to the establishment of a series of megaprojects including new schools and educational facilities, hospitals, and other public utilities.

Visa-free entry

Qatar is planning to attract 5.6 million visitors per year by 2023, after the fall of Gulf tourists on the back of the Gulf rift with Doha.

In August 2017, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) said that Qatar would allow visa-free entry for citizens of 80 countries including Lebanon, Morocco and Algeria.

Converting QSE into private joint stock company

Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani, Minister of Economic and Commerce (MEC) and the chairman of the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), issued a decision to change QSE from a public shareholding company to a private joint stock company with QAR 36.4 million capital.

Boosting trades with Iran

Qatar’s Ministry of transportation and its Iran’s counterpart formed a joint committee in an effort to facilitate bilateral trade, air and sea transport between Doha and Tehran.

In September 2017, the Qatari cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost transit and commercial transport between Qatar, Iran and Turkey.

Translated by: Kholoud Mohamed Hussein