Qatar Development Bank (QDB) kicked off Monday the ninth edition of the Entrepreneurship Conference 2023 (Rowad), which will run until November 22 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).
Speaking at the opening ceremony, QDB CEO Abdulrahman Hesham al-Sowaidi emphasised that Rowad is also hosting the ‘3rd GCC Entrepreneurship Forum’, which is gathering ministerial representatives from the GCC, startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and several industry experts from the region.
“This event has become a very interesting conference where we aspire to new horizons of joint and common work and cooperation to manifest the visions and directives of their majesties and the highnesses of the GCC,” al-Sowaidi emphasised in the presence of HE the Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad bin Qassim al-Abdullah al-Thani.
Also, al-Sowaidi noted that the third edition of the ‘GCC Entrepreneurship Forum’ aims to encourage creativity and innovation to address common challenges and to leverage the region’s rich resources for economic development.
He stressed that Rowad aims to enrich entrepreneurship through the different panel discussions, workshops, and exhibitions by participating startups, as well as to open new markets for entrepreneurs and their companies.
In his speech, Khalid Ali Salim al-Sunaidi, the assistant secretary-general for Economic and Development Affairs at the General Secretariat of the GCC, underscored the value of encouraging SMEs considering their vital role and contribution in the economies of the GCC countries.
He pointed out that SMEs are a source of innovation, hence their significance in reinforcing competitiveness in GCC economies and the international community, as well as in the creation of employment opportunities.
Al-Sunaidi also underlined the value of the conference, which he described as an opportunity for SMEs to explore new ideas, discover investment opportunities, and exchange ideas among entrepreneurs and key decision-makers in the GCC.
“We hope that this is going to flourish and lead to decisions to be undertaken as a source of economic stability and development in GCC countries and also to reinforce their positions as a financial centre and as a global economic hub,” he said.