Taking the private sector along to deliver the long-term goods can help the GCC governments bring in good results, noted a Qatari entrepreneur, highlighting the impacts of private-public sector collaboration in Qatar.
In Qatar and the other GCC countries, traditionally governments used to be the sole provider or the subsidiser of all the projects, pointed out Sheikha Amna Mohammed Suhaim al-Thani, chief executive officer, Strategy Hub.
She was speaking at a panel by the Middle East Council for Global Affairs in Doha on Wednesday. The discussions focused on the 2023-2024 Human Development Report by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
"However, while governments continue to be the main provider, there has been a shift with governments becoming a regulator providing the private sector a greater role. I think if you allow the private sector to be in the middle of delivering the long-term goods, there will be a much better result than what it has been in the past,” she observed.
Noting that private sector is more agile and known for growing innovation and managing resources, Sheikha Amna said that it has a lot more resilience and adaptability.
“The private sector is known for using data-driven insights and organisations, developing robust education institutions, research development, innovation centres that are able to gather large-scale data and then provide recommendations based on those findings. As part of our work at Strategy Lab, we develop impact assessments and through that we help to leverage the public and the private sectors.”
Sheikha Amna also pointed out importance of making use of Artificial Intelligence ( AI) and its great potential for the future. “I think that countries that are able to leverage AI and use it to expedite progress, will extremely benefit for the delivery of global public goods and the support of human development,” she noted.
Discussing the major contents of the UNDP report, she said that at the very heart of Qatar National Vision and the National Development Strategy, noble ideas for global public progress are embedded.
“One the pillars of Qatar National Vision, is environmental protection, which relates directly to climate change as a global public good. And if you take that example and you dig deeper, you will find that Qatar, through its National Vision and Development Strategy, has developed clear metrics on reducing energy emissions, preventing biodiversity loss, investing in green climate funds and among others. So in so many ways, the country has embedded global public goods in its National Strategy. And I can say that all GCC countries have developed meaningful metrics to reduce carbon emissions for all the last few years.”
She commented that Qatar has over the years developed large-scale infrastructure projects, education projects and a robust health system standing the test of time.
“In addition, you'll also find that at the heart of the Qatar National Vision is the priority given to human capital development. And in that, we have prioritised education, developing robust public health systems, investing in innovation and technology, investing in that ecosystem as a whole,” added, Sheikha Amna.
Other speakers in the panel titled ‘Cooperation and Development in the Mena Region Amid a Polarised World,” included Nader Kabbani, senior fellow and director of research, Middle East Council, Ahmet Aysan, professor of Islamic Finance and Economy,Hamad Bin Khalifa University and Noha Aboueldahab, assistant professor of International Law, Georgetown University in Qatar. The session was moderated by Biplove Choudhary, technical representative and head of office, UNDP office in Doha.
Sheikha Amna (second right) speaking at the panel discussion
