2nd Qatar Real Estate Forum kicks off in partnership with Cityscape

Under the patronage of HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Aqarat) inaugurated Sunday the 2nd edition of the Qatar Real Estate Forum (QREF).

The three-day edition is being held in partnership with Cityscape under the slogan "Aqarat's Future," with the participation of an elite of the key national and international entities concerned with the real estate sector.

The forum aims to enhance the attractiveness of real estate investment in Qatar, as it is the largest window through which investors and real estate developers from all over the world can explore promising real estate investment opportunities.

In his speech during the opening ceremony, HE Minister of Municipality Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah al-Attiyah emphasised the importance of the QREF, which provides a comprehensive picture of the real estate sector system in the country, to identify the sector's potential and explore the opportunities it offers.

The huge investments in infrastructure projects played a major role in enhancing the attractiveness of the real estate sector in the country, he said while pointing out that Qatar leads the world in terms of security, health, quality of life, and various positive indicators, all thanks to the vision of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and the state's huge investments in infrastructure projects as well as modern legislation, which have contributed to creating an attractive environment for investors.

HE al-Attiyah stated that the real estate sector is one of the key sectors that benefitted from this tremendous development in infrastructure and economic renaissance. Qatar is one of the fastest growing economies in the region, as the volume of real estate transactions during 2023 and the first half of 2024 reached more than QR27bn.

HE the Minister highlighted the role of Aqarat in building a strong and sustainable real estate system based on transparency and innovation to enhance the position of Qatar as a leading global investment destination in the real estate sector, in addition to facilitating the investor's journey and providing all information from the beginning of studying the investment idea until property ownership.

Aqarat is working on several initiatives that contribute to facilitating the investor's journey, including developing the national plan for the real estate sector, activating legislation and laws, adding a professional character to services to enhance quality and performance, and launching advanced digital solutions such as the real estate platform, he added.

The QREF provides a unique platform to discuss challenges and exchange ideas among all those interested in the real estate sector and provides an opportunity to establish partnerships between the public and private sectors and major international companies.

The forum will feature 29 speakers in the discussion sessions and seven speakers in the workshops. The discussions will cover various topics, mainly enhancing transparency, the role of advanced technology in improving infrastructure, the growing demand for affordable housing, commitment to green building practices, managing risks related to global economic fluctuations, and the latest developments related to real estate market trends.

This year's edition is held with the participation of 60 exhibitors, comprising 56% local exhibitors, and 44% international exhibitors. It includes pavilions for major Qatari real estate companies to showcase real estate investment opportunities in Qatar, in addition to a government pavilion for the entities concerned with real estate investment to introduce investors to the procedures, laws, and all controls and details related to real estate investment.

The 2nd QREF will also witness the announcement of a number of initiatives and plans aimed at developing the real estate sector, including improving infrastructure and increasing investments.