Middle East and Central Asia > Qatar

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International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept.
Growth normalization after the 2022 FIFA World Cup continued with signs of activities strengthening more recently. Fiscal and external surpluses softened mainly due to lower hydrocarbon prices. Banks are healthy but pockets of vulnerabilities remain. Reform momentum has strengthened, guided by the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3).
International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept.
The 2023 Article IV Consultation highlights that Qatar’s decade-long efforts to diversify the economy culminated into the successful hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Banks are well capitalized, liquid, and profitable, with the capital adequacy ratio and return on equity at 19 and 14.6 percent, respectively, in the second quarter of 2023. Banks’ nonresident deposits fell by more than one-third from the recent peak, partially replaced by higher public sector domestic deposits, reducing vulnerabilities amid tight global financial conditions. Structural reforms continue to progress, including to enhance protection and mobility of expatriate labor, improve the business environment, promote public–private partnerships, and further attract private investment through the residency program and broadened foreign ownership provisions. The pension scheme has been expanded to more Qataris in the private sector to promote private sector employment. If downside risks materialize, Qatar has strong policy buffers to mitigate the negative impact. On the upside, accelerated reform efforts guided by Third National Development Strategy could further promote diversification and boost potential growth.
Mizuho Kida
and
Simon Paetzold
The Financial Action Task Force’s gray list publicly identifies countries with strategic deficiencies in their AML/CFT regimes (i.e., in their policies to prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism). How much gray-listing affects a country’s capital flows is of interest to policy makers, investors, and the Fund. This paper estimates the magnitude of the effect using an inferential machine learning technique. It finds that gray-listing results in a large and statistically significant reduction in capital inflows.
International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept.
This 2019 Article IV Consultation discusses that stronger real gross domestic product (GDP) growth is envisaged in the near term, with a recovery in hydrocarbon output. Medium-term growth will be buoyed by increased gas production and non-hydrocarbon growth. Expenditure consolidation would help to sustain fiscal and external surpluses. Ample liquidity will enable credit growth to support non-hydrocarbon GDP. Trade and geopolitical tensions could undermine investor confidence and weaken fiscal and external positions. The policy priorities are fiscal consolidation, strengthened fiscal policy frameworks, enhanced resiliency of the financial sector, financial inclusion, and a diversified economy. The financial sector remains sound, underpinned by strong profitability and capital. Strengthening the regulatory and supervisory frameworks would help to bolster financial stability. Attention to women’s empowerment by introducing legislation emphasizing equality in remuneration and avoiding gender-based discrimination would support inclusive growth.
Mr. Andre O Santos
The objective of the paper is to assess ownership and control links in the GCC corporate sector. The analysis focuses on the integrated ownership and network arising from ownership data available in Bloomberg and GCC stock exchanges. The paper finds that ownership is concentrated in GCC public sector institutions, holding companies, financial institutions, and family groups. The paper then considers the effect of different definitions of control on the distribution of consolidated debt. Debt concentration is maximized when the wedge between ownership and control is the largest. This is the case when the largest shareholder has at least 5 percent of total shares as defined in Zingales (1994).
International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept.
This 2015 Article IV Consultation highlights that Qatar is implementing an ambitious diversification strategy, while retaining its systemic role in the global natural gas market. Qatar accounts for one-third of global liquefied natural gas trade and has emerged as an important global financial investor, labor importer, and donor. The authorities are executing a large public infrastructure program to advance economic diversification and prepare for the FIFA 2022 World Cup. The economy has maintained strong growth momentum so far despite the large drop in oil prices since summer 2014. The short-term growth outlook is positive, but lower oil prices will lead to a substantial deterioration of the fiscal and external balances.
International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept.
Qatar's economy is driven by high oil and natural gas prices and production, and remains strong with robust nonhydrocarbon growth. Its government has now shifted its focus to economic diversification and growth in nonhydrocarbon sectors through targeted infrastructure investments. The Executive Directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) noted the positive regional spillover effects of Qatar’s high growth, public spending, and increased financial assistance. The adoption of a three-year budget framework to help shield government spending from revenue volatility and enable better use of resources is welcomed.
International Monetary Fund
This paper is focused on a detailed assessment report on Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism for Qatar. There is no fundamental principle in Qatari law that would prohibit the courts from applying the money laundering offense to the person who has committed the predicate crime. Qatar has adopted a comprehensive confiscation, freezing, and seizing framework under the AML Law, which enables the authorities to remove all assets linked with a money laundering offense or its predicate.
International Monetary Fund
Qatar’s report on the Observance of Standards and Codes for the Financial Action Task Force Recommendations for Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) is described. The two sectors that compose the financial system, the domestic sector and the Qatar Financial Center, are subject to different sets of preventive measures, which vary in depth and comprehensiveness. The allocation of resources to AML/CFT appears to be uneven, particularly in view of the rapid development and diversification of the economy.
International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept.
The Web edition of the IMF Survey is updated several times a week, and contains a wealth of articles about topical policy and economic issues in the news. Access the latest IMF research, read interviews, and listen to podcasts given by top IMF economists on important issues in the global economy. www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/home.aspx