Qatar Chamber announced on Monday that 2024 was a year filled with activities, achievements, and initiatives across various fields to enhance the national economy and advance the progress towards achieving Qatar National Vision 2030.In a statement, the chamber highlighted that over the past year, it maximised its role in supporting and improving the business environment in the country, emphasising efforts in representing and advocating for the interests of Qatar’s private sector, promoting the investment climate and opportunities within the state, and reinforcing Qatar’s position as a global leader in investment, business, and trade.These achievements align with the country’s commitment to sustainable development, particularly following the launch of the third National Development Strategy (2024–2030), which prioritises sustainable economic growth.In 2024, the chamber reduced its service fees, in accordance with Cabinet Decision No 19 of 2024, amending some of the costs for services it provided. The lowering of service fees aims to alleviate some financial burdens on Qatari companies, facilitate business and encourage investment.The chamber also continued to enhance cooperation with relevant bodies in the country to address issues and challenges facing the private sector and to develop appropriate solutions. In this context, it hosted several open dialogues with officials from various agencies.Throughout 2024, the chamber launched several significant initiatives at the GCC level, including the ‘Made in the Gulf’ initiative, which aims to promote economic integration and support industrial development.During the consultative meeting among ‘Their Excellencies the Ministers of Commerce and Industry and the Heads of Unions and Chambers of Commerce in the GCC States’, the chamber proposed to conduct a study to assess the impact of imposing a carbon tax on the economies of GCC countries.In 2024, Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani was appointed first vice president of the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ghorfa). The chamber’s board member and president of the Qatar Association for Freight Forwarding and Logistics (QAFL), Ali bin Abdullatif al-Misnad, was elected vice chairman of the Region Africa and Middle East (RAME) for the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA).Meanwhile, board member and president of the Qatari Businesswomen Forum, Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani, was appointed as a member of the Arab Women Investors Union’s Board of Trustees and as a consultant to its Supreme Trade Committee. Moreover, former general manager Saleh bin Hamad al-Sharqi was appointed secretary general of the Federation of Chambers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (FGCCC).Over the past year, the chamber launched the Qatar Association for Freight Forwarding and Logistics (QAFL), which represents the freight forwarding sector in Qatar. QAFL serves as the official representative of FIATA in the state and acts as a bridge between companies and relevant authorities.The chamber’s sectoral committees continued to engage with business owners and company representatives to gather their views and proposals, identify the challenges faced by companies in each sector, and work toward finding appropriate solutions.Furthermore, the chamber enhanced its digital infrastructure to modernise the services it provides to the business community, streamlining transactions for its members, affiliated companies, and institutions. It also preparing its new headquarters along Lusail Boulevard in Lusail.By the end of December, the chamber had issued a total of 154,778 transactions (both electronic and non-electronic), including 50,262 certificates of origin, with 49,405 issued electronically and 857 in paper format. Additionally, it issued 13 ATA carnets and 10 TIR carnets (Transports Internationaux Routiers or International Road Transport). The total number of chamber members by the end of December reached 66,771 members, with 1,400 new affiliates joining.Throughout the year, the chamber organised and participated in over 280 events and hosted around 80 meetings with foreign trade delegations. These meetings included four heads of state, as well as delegations accompanied by heads of government, ministers, government officials, and representatives of international institutions and chambers of commerce from various nations.The chamber also participated in more than 44 external events, organised, or participated in over 26 forums and conferences, held 13 business meetings, and signed memoranda of understanding with 15 entities and counterpart chambers of commerce.Qatar Chamber’s sectorial committees held 27 meetings to discuss the key issues and challenges facing each sector, continuing their cooperation with relevant authorities to address and resolve these obstacles.As for training activities, the chamber organised numerous courses and workshops covering a variety of topics, including artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and learning disabilities in 28 schools. Additionally, it offered training for customs brokers and representatives, as well as a food handler programme, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, along with various courses for the chamber's employees.In 2024, the chamber sponsored and participated in several key exhibitions, while ICC Qatar hosted a variety of events, including the Qatar Digital Trust Roadshow 2024 in cooperation with the British Standards Institution (BSI).Regarding arbitration, the Qatar International Centre for Conciliation and Arbitration achieved several significant milestones throughout the year, handling 66 arbitration cases and four conciliation requests, and successfully facilitating three settlement processes. The centre issued 24 arbitral awards and organised the fifth edition of the ‘World Conference on International Arbitration’, attracting participation from prominent international arbitrators and legal experts.