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Qatar Museums (QM) has entered into a landmark co-operation agreement with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), the cultural agency of the Aga Khan Development Network, to mutually advance heritage conservation, arts education, vocational training, and urban regeneration initiatives.The agreement was signed at the National Museum of Qatar by Chief Executive Officer of QM Mohammed Saad al-Rumaihi, and General Manager of AKTC Luis Monreal, in the presence of HE Chairperson of QM Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. It marked the beginning of a collaborative journey to protect, preserve, and celebrate cultural heritage both in Qatar and internationally.Commenting on the occasion, Mohammed Saad al-Rumaihi, CEO of Qatar Museums, stated: “This agreement embodies our shared vision of cultural heritage as a source of inspiration and unity. By working together with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, we can create sustainable programmes that not only preserve our cultural identity but also empower future generations with skills and knowledge. We look forward to bringing Qatar’s unique heritage to the global stage and contributing to a worldwide appreciation of its lasting value.” Under this agreement QM and AKTC will bring together their resources and expertise to engage architects, conservation specialists, museum professionals, and other cultural experts.Their work will focus on conserving cultural sites, restoring urban spaces, and creating arts and crafts training programmes that contribute to socio-economic development. Planned projects include establishing a heritage conservation centre, developing training programmes for young professionals, and curating exhibitions that showcase the richness of Qatari and Islamic culture.Luis Monreal, General Manager of AKTC, stated: “This agreement will allow both institutions to harness their collective experience and know-how to develop innovative programmes both in Qatar and internationally. Building technical capacity in heritage conservation, urban planning for historic quarters, and providing vocational training, will be areas of priority for QM and AKTC, in their common strategy to catalyse social and cultural development.”This agreement emphasises the transformative impact of cultural heritage on community building and social progress. Through joint initiatives, the two institutions aim to inspire pride in cultural identity, cultivate a deeper connection to heritage, and underscore the value of cultural preservation in an increasingly globalised world.

Qatar defeated Bhutan by six wickets to claim their second consecutive victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia Sub Regional Qualifier B on Wednesday.The home side displayed an all-round performance after electing to field at the University of Doha for Science and Technology ground.Left-arm medium pacer Amir Farooq was the star picking three wickets for only 16 runs as Qatar bowled out Bhutan for 111 runs in 20 overs.Ikramullah Khan (3-24), Muhammad Jabir (2-22) and Mohammed Nadeem (1-3) were the other wicket-taking bowlers for the hosts. Ranjung Mikyo Dorji and Gakul Ghalley scored 21 runs apiece for Bhutan.Later, opening batsman Imal Liyanage fired a 28-ball-51 as Qatar achieved the target with ease in 16.4 overs. Mohammad Ahnaff, who scored 50 in Tuesday’s win over Thailand, remained unbeaten on 19. Farooq was named man of the match for his heroics with the ball. Qatar will take on Cambodia in their next match on Saturday.Meanwhile, in other matches on Wednesday, Thailand defeated Cambodia by 16 runs at West End Park International Cricket Stadium while United Arab Emirates recorded a 17-run win over Saudi Arabia at the same venue.After winning both their respective opening matches, UAE and Qatar are leading the standings with four points each followed by Bahrain and Thailand on two points apiece. Bhutan, Cambodia and Saudi Arabia are yet to score a point.Teams securing the top two places in the competition will qualify for the Regional Final, where they will be joined by Nepal, Oman and Papua New Guinea.

QTerminals Group has announced its continuing partnership as the event supporter for the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2024, scheduled from November 29 to December 1, 2024 at the Lusail International Circuit.This marks the second year of the partnership that will span three years from 2023 to 2025, reinforcing the group’s dedication to promoting major sporting events in Qatar and the region and elevating Qatar’s profileas a key player on the world stage.“Building on our success from last year, we are eager to reconnect with the community once again this year, aligning with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 to promote a vibrant society and a diversified economy,” said Neville Bissett, Group chief executive officer of QTerminals Group. Amro al-Hamad, executive director of Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and chief executive officer of Lusail International Circuit said “together, we aim to elevate the Lusail International Circuit experience, bringing world-class events and facilities to Qatar while further strengthening the nation’s position as a hub for motorsport in the region.”QTerminals Group operates Hamad Port, the group’s flagship facility and is dedicated to promoting community initiatives and sports activities both in Qatar and across its international operations in Ukraine, Türkiye and the Netherlands. In addition to motorsport, QTerminals is the long-term title sponsor of the QTerminals Qatar Classic Squash Tournament, the gold sponsor of the Qatar TotalEnergies Tennis Open and the official sponsor of The Minister of Transport Padel Championship Cup.Recently, QTerminals expanded its sports involvement by becoming the official training partner of Feyenoord Football Club in Rotterdam and the main partner of the Feyenoord Women’s football team from 2024 to 2027.

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The US decision to authorise long-range Ukrainian strikes could help Kyiv defend the foothold in Russia’s Kursk region that it seized as leverage in any war talks, but may come too late to change the course of the war, analysts said.Two months before leaving office, President Joe Biden lifted some restrictions that have blocked Kyiv from using US-supplied weapons for strikes deeper into Russian territory, in a major policy change, Reuters reported on Sunday.Military analysts said the impact on the battlefield, where Ukraine has been on the back foot for months, would depend on what limits remained. But while the shift may shore up the Kursk operation, it was unlikely to be a game-changer overall.“The decision comes late, and like other decisions in this vein, it may be too late to substantially change the course of the fighting,” said Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington.“Long-range strikes were always one piece of the puzzle, and had been overly freighted with expectations in this war.”There also is no way to know how long the new policy will last. It was criticised by Richard Grenell, one of the closest foreign policy advisors of returning president Donald Trump, who replaces Biden on January 20. Trump has long criticised the scale of US aid to Kyiv and has vowed to end the war quickly, without saying how. A Trump spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Ukraine has lobbied for the change for months, arguing its inability to hit areas inside Russia, and in particular military airbases hosting warplanes involved in strikes on Ukraine, was a major handicap.Russian forces, which have been on the offensive for more than a year, have been advancing at their fastest rate since 2022 in eastern Ukraine and exerting pressure in the northeast and southeast.Russia says Ukraine cannot fire the missiles at targets inside Russia without direct help from Nato allies, calling this a major escalation. On Monday, the Kremlin said any such decision would mean the United States was directly involved in the conflict.The first Ukrainian strikes could happen in the coming days and are likely to be carried out using ATACMS rockets, which have a range of up to 190 miles (306km), Reuters reported.A central European defence official told Reuters the strikes would give Kyiv a greater chance to defend itself from aerial attacks, but would not decisively swing the conflict in Ukraine’s favour.Russia had already moved many of its air assets beyond the reach of Western weapons in Ukraine, the official said, although the range would cover beyond the area of Kursk occupied by Ukraine.Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said he was not celebrating just yet as it was unknown how many rockets the Ukrainians had and whether they had enough to impact the battlefield. The decision to authorise the strikes only after months of Ukrainian lobbying follows a pattern repeated throughout the war as the Biden administration tried to balance its support for Ukraine with concern about escalation.Previously, Washington vacillated for months before approving giving Ukraine long-range missiles, tanks and planes.Some military analysts say such delays gave Moscow time to recover from early failures and reinforce defences of occupied territory, contributing to the failure of a major Ukrainian counteroffensive last year.Being able to attack Russian territory with missiles could have its most direct impact in Kursk, where Ukraine aims to hold a salient it captured after its first major cross-border assault in August. The Russian land could be a bargaining chip in any negotiations after Trump enters the White House.Kyiv says Russia has massed 50,000 troops to try to retake the territory in Kursk, and that it has deployed 11,000 North Koreans, some of whom it says have joined the fight. Russia has neither confirmed nor denied the deployment.“ATACMS missiles can hold at risk high value Russian and North Korean targets. This would help Ukrainian forces defend the Kursk salient, which is under pressure,” said Kofman.Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute, said it would be difficult for Ukraine to hold its ground in Kursk in the long term, but its fortunes there would depend on resources.“Ukraine has committed some of its best units there, so they may be able to hold for some time if they continue to receive enough ammunition and combat replacements,” he said.Kyiv-based military analyst Serhii Kuzan said there were an array of targets in Russia at a depth of up to 500km from Ukraine that Kyiv’s forces saw as priorities, but many of which would still be out out of range of ATACMS.France and Britain have not spelled out whether they would follow the Americans by allowing Ukraine to use Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles, which have a range of 250km (155 miles).“Russia can shoot down Storm Shadow and ATACMS, so the salvo size that can be launched is also an important consideration,” Lee added.On the streets of Kyiv on Monday, the general feeling was that the decision would help, but that it had come far too late.“This should have been used either as a preventative measure, or as a sharp reaction in February or March 2022. Now it does not play a big role,” said Olga Korovyachuk, 21. - ReutersKremlin vows responseRussia has accused US President Joe Biden of escalating the war in Ukraine, promising to respond to his decision to allow Kyiv to use long-range missiles supplied by Washington to strike targets inside Russia.Biden, who in January hands over the White House to Donald Trump, a sceptic of US support for Ukraine, urged a gathering of world leaders at the G20 Summit — attended by Russia’s foreign minister — to follow the US lead in backing Ukraine.Ukraine says strikes in Russia will help it prevent aerial bombardments that have levelled entire districts of towns near the front line and decimated energy facilities across the country.“It’s obvious that the outgoing administration in Washington intends... to continue fuelling the fire and provoke a further escalation of tensions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.Speaking at the G20 summit in Brazil, Biden urged other leaders to support Ukraine’s “sovereignty”.“The United States strongly supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Everyone around this table in my view should as well,” Biden told the meeting.A US official told AFP the major policy shift was in response to Russia’s deployment of thousands of North Korean troops to aid its war effort.Peskov said President Vladimir Putin had clearly expressed Moscow’s position in September when he declared that using the missiles would put Nato “at war” with Russia.Putin said then that if Ukraine attacked Russia with long-range missiles, Moscow would “take the appropriate decisions” — a point the foreign ministry echoed on Monday.“Kyiv’s use of long-range missiles to attack our territory would represent the direct involvement of the United States and its satellites in hostilities against Russia,” the ministry said in a statement, vowing an “appropriate and palpable” response. - AFP

A deal at the COP29 climate talks on trading carbon credits could see billions of dollars move into emissions-reduction projects this decade but after a string of scandals, the market will first need to win over wary countries and communities.Carbon trading is seen as one way for richer countries to meet their emissions reduction targets at the same time as helping poorer countries move to greener energy and to improve their resilience against climate change.A UN-backed global market for creating and trading carbon credits has been discussed for at least 10 years. In its absence, a patchwork of voluntary standards has led to a number of situations where credits were found to not be delivering the climate benefits they claimed.While an early deal last week saw nations agree on some quality standards, points still to be hammered out include what a global registry to track trades and label carbon credits would look like, and what information projects will need to disclose.If a deal can be reached this week in Baku, Azerbaijan, “the main impact would be a confidence boost”, said Andrea Bonzanni, international policy director at the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA).“It would provide both countries and the private sector with the signal that there is consensus on the rules of the game. And that would mean that companies would invest with more confidence,” he added.IETA has said a UN-backed market could be worth $250bn a year by 2030, and count towards offsetting an extra 5bn metric tons of carbon emissions annually. Governments including Bolivia, Singapore and Switzerland have struck dozens of agreements already to do carbon credit trades under the impending UN rules, backing investments in clean cookstoves and solar power. Others are expected to join in as they face pressure to show progress towards their national emissions-cutting targets.Private sector buyers could include airlines, under a UN-backed plan to scale up their purchases launching in 2027, as well as companies looking to burnish their green credentials with customers and investors.The boss of carbon project backer Key Carbon, Luke Leslie, said his firm would look to expand its investments in countries that quickly get their local market up and running.While the prospect of selling credits could offer a boost to cash-strapped governments, some remain wary - or outright opposed.Environmental group Greenpeace has called offsets a “smokescreen” while the WWF opposes their use. Some local communities are also against using them.Eriel Deranger, executive director of campaign group Indigenous Climate Action, and a member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation in northern Alberta, Canada, said carbon credits distracted from calls for more public funds for climate action, and for companies to simply cut their own emissions.“It’s going to do substantively nothing to actually reduce our emissions,” she said.For those countries which do opt to sell credits, African Development Bank Chief Executive Akinwumi Adesina warned against doing so too quickly or too cheaply, to avoid being “short changed”.Uganda’s energy minister, Ruth Nankabirwa, said her country was seeking to attract investment in clean cookstove projects, but had yet to use credits.“It isn’t clear how one can benefit, how the auditing is done of carbon credits,” she said.Nkiruka Maduekwe, director general of Nigeria’s national council on climate change, agreed, describing high integrity carbon credits as “the key”. The rules of the registry being addressed at the COP talks will be central to answering those concerns, but governments are struggling to agree. The European Union — which has ruled out using credits to meet its domestic climate goals — wants a registry that can issue and manage credit trades, to help poorer countries access the market, people familiar with the negotiations told Reuters.The United States, however, is advocating for a registry that only tracks credit trading, arguing that empowering it to execute trades could risk giving a UN seal of approval to credits with weak environmental credentials, the sources said.Even if a deal is reached between countries, companies may still need government incentives to buy in, given their pledges so far have been voluntary and boards are concerned about reputational risk, said Sheri Hickok, chief executive at carbon project developer Climate Impact Partners. Flooring company Interface and Australian telco Telstra Group, previously big buyers of credits, both told Reuters a UN deal would not change their decisions to exit the carbon markets, as they focus on cutting their emissions directly.

Commercial Bank, a leader in innovative banking solutions in Qatar, has received a major accolade at ‘Mastercard East Arabia Business Forum’ held in Singapore for its highest spend per account across the region on its Mastercard Limited Edition World Elite portfolio for the second year in a row.The awarding ceremony was attended by Shahnawaz Rashid, executive general manager and head of Retail Banking of Commercial Bank, and Srikumar Chandrot, head of Cards Issuance, Products and Portfolio of Commercial Bank.This key milestone reinforces Commercial Bank’s extensive leadership and growing stature in the cards sector and reflects its commitment to delivering exceptional value to customers in Qatar and the region. Over the past six months, Commercial Bank has achieved the highest spending levels and has outpaced local competitors in transaction volumes, solidifying its position as a market pioneer.“As Commercial Bank stands at the crossroads of innovation and banking, we feel proud to receive these prestigious awards which embody our unwavering commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction, and market leadership,” said Rashid. “These accomplishments stand as a tribute to the dedication and hard work of our team, who consistently go above and beyond to provide exceptional value and service to our customers.”Commercial Bank continues to redefine the banking landscape through innovation and customer-centric banking solutions in an increasingly digital-first world. The bank remains committed to providing best-in-class financial services to its customers, driving growth and prosperity in Qatar's banking sector.Rashid also took part in the exclusive panel discussion "Sparking Conversation: Can everyone be a winner in today’s ecosystem of traditional banks, challenger/digital banks, and fintech? How to make the most of co-opetition dynamics?" in Singapore Fintech Festival alongside EVP Products & Innovation, Asia Pacific, Mastercard, and a leading fintech CEO from the Gulf on the panel. Rashid shared Commercial Bank’s perspective on how traditional banks and fintechs can collaborate effectively, creating mutual value for customers while leveraging their unique strengths.During the discussion, he shed light on the importance of collaboration between traditional banks and fintechs, stating that fintechs bring agility and digital innovation while traditional banks like Commercial Bank offer trust, stability, and comprehensive services built over decades. Together, they harness each other’s strengths to drive progress and innovation in the banking sector.The panel also delved into the future of data-driven banking, discussing how banks can leverage comprehensive customer data across various touchpoints to deliver highly personalised financial experiences.Rashid added valuable insights, emphasising the unique advantage banks hold in aggregating extensive data, enabling them to anticipate customer needs proactively and provide customised products and services that align closely with individual preferences.

QNB Group participated as a Strategic Sponsor of the Rowad Conference and the Arab Entrepreneurship Conference 2024, which was hosted by Qatar Development Bank, in support of SMEs and sustainable growth.This sponsorship aligns with QNB’s strategy to emphasise the importance of supporting SMEs, adopting sustainable business practices, and supporting innovation to build a better future, while reinforcing the bank’s commitment to support Qatar National Vision 2030 and strengthening diverse economies.Commenting on the partnership, Khalid Ahmed al-Sada, Senior Executive Vice-President, Group Corporate and Institutional Banking at QNB, said: “Our sponsorship comes to strengthen our partnership with Qatar Development Bank and provide the necessary support for businesses and initiatives related to sustainable development, being an essential pillar of the Group’s long-term strategy.“Sustainability and innovation are essential pillars of the Group’s vision to help elevate sustainable growth. We are proud to be a part of this unique conference, to help shed the light on the importance of supporting entrepreneurs and SMEs.”This year’s edition of the conference featured a diverse range of activations, all designed to support startups and SMEs. It also provided valuable training and investment opportunities while fostering partnerships that can boost the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Doha Bank has signed a landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Edaa to strengthen data security, streamline financial operations, and enhance anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) measures in Qatar’s financial sector.The agreement, signed by Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Fahad bin Faisal al-Thani, Group CEO of Doha Bank, and Mohammed al-Hetmi, acting CEO of Edaa, establishes a framework for secure data exchange, improved operational efficiency, and heightened compliance with international standards.Under the MoU, both parties will collaborate to ensure the secure exchange and verification of shareholders’ data; implement advanced AML and CTF measures, including risk assessments, due diligence, and compliance audits; and enhance transparency by verifying the integrity of transactions and ensuring compliance with sanctions.Sheikh Abdulrahman said, “This partnership with Edaa underscores our unwavering commitment to transparency, data security, and regulatory excellence. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies, we aim to meet evolving global standards, safeguard the financial system, and contribute to Qatar’s economic resilience.”Al-Hetmi said, “This MoU reflects our shared vision of a transparent and secure financial ecosystem. By uniting efforts to combat financial crimes, we are paving the way for a robust financial market that upholds Qatar’s position as a global financial hub.”The collaboration aligns with Qatar’s National Vision 2030, reaffirming Doha Bank and Edaa’s dedication to innovation, governance, and sustainable development within the financial sector.

Qatar, which has earmarked QR9bn to achieve digital transformation, on Wednesday reiterated its unwavering commitment to develop a digital ecosystem and said it is developing a specialised programme to encourage foreign direct investment in the sector.Addressing the Digital Ecosystem Conference, organised by Ooredoo Group, HE the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammed bin Ali al-Mannai said the (specialised) programme focuses on facilitating the necessary procedures to support emerging technology companies and providing incentives that contribute to attracting global investors.Highlighting that the legislative and regulatory system is being constantly developed in Qatar, he said the secure data law will be issued soon, which represents a new addition to enhance the regulatory and legislative environment.Through these efforts, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) seeks to open new horizons for economic growth, ensure the comprehensiveness of the digital system, and enhance the competitive position of Qatar at the international level, he told the conference, themed "Legislation and Regulation to Drive a Successful Digital Economy."Highlighting that Qatar has allocated QR9bn ($2.5bn) for digital transformation programmes through investment in emerging technology, innovation, and artificial intelligence (AI), al-Mannai said these investments are the foundation on which Qatar builds its digital future.The Digital Agenda 2030 is at the heart of this transformation, he said, adding it is a roadmap to accelerate digital transformation in Qatar, a strategy to build a knowledge-based economy, reduce dependence on oil resources, and enhance the country's position in the field of innovation.He said the country's journey in the digital transformation is not limited to adopting new technologies but focusing on creating a digital environment where new companies can grow.Ooredoo Group chief executive officer Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo said emerging technologies and their many applications are advancing at such a rapid rate that the old model, where authorities create rules and sector participants follow them, just isn't enough anymore."Instead, we need a collaborative framework and an ecosystem where different participants and stakeholders approach policymaking and regulatory intervention together," he said, adding as sector participants, Ooredoo understands these technologies, their commercial potential and the risk that they may bring.Working closely with regulators is essential for creating an environment that encourages investment while ensuring public safety, trust, and fair competition, according to him."A key message I want to share today is that it's not emerging technologies themselves that necessarily need regulating. Its specific use case they enable," he said.Highlighting that in a world where the industries are intertwined and work in partnership, Fakhroo said Ooredoo Group is now regulated by many stakeholders as the telecom regulator, the central bank and financial oversight authorities."How do these different stakeholders collaborate together to create a proper environment for investment and innovation is the key," he said.

The ‘5th World Conference on International Arbitration’ concluded its activities on Wednesday with a slew of significant recommendations.Organised by the Qatar International Centre for Conciliation & Arbitration (QICCA), the two-day event held under the theme 'Arbitration in the Mena Region – Present and Future.'In the closing session, QICCA secretary-general Ibrahim Shahbik announced the conference’s recommendations, which included allowing the review of Court of Appeal rulings on arbitration awards by the Court of Cassation and seeking UNCITRAL's recommendations when drafting arbitration and mediation legislation.Recommendations also included issuing lists of qualified arbitrators along with clear guidelines and conditions to govern the appointment of arbitrators by competent courts in cases of ad hoc arbitration and developing advisory guidelines to regulate the conduct of arbitrators in ad hoc arbitration to enhance the arbitration process.They paid tribute to the judicial approach that supports arbitration by facilitating the recognition of arbitration agreements by reference, while emphasising that this should only apply in clear reference cases, as per the established practice in comparative jurisprudence among model law jurisdictions.The conference also affirmed the importance of subjecting international arbitration agreements to the law of the arbitration’s seat, unless otherwise agreed by parties, which aligns with the established approach in the jurisprudence of the supreme courts in Arab countries and other comparative jurisdictions.It also called for the development of rules on arbitrators' disclosure process prior to issuing appointment awards in ad hoc arbitration, as well as the activation of the role of mediation in resolving disputes before the Investment Court in accordance with the Qatari Mediation Law.The conference featured seven panel discussions on various topics related to international arbitration, with 35 speakers from prominent figures in international arbitration from GCC, Arab, and foreign countries.

Qatar Development Bank (QDB) concluded on Wednesday the 10th edition of the Rowad Entrepreneurship Conference and the third Arab SMEs Summit 2024.Held under the theme ‘Navigating Digital Horizons’, the latest edition attracted more than 5,000 visitors and participants from 22 Arab countries, in the largest event of its kind across the Arab world this year. The conference was designed to promote innovation and sustainable growth among startups and SMEs across the region.The conference highlighted digital transformation as a fundamental pillar for advancing entrepreneurship and featured a diverse set of activities and programmes that brought together senior policymakers, entrepreneurs and investors to discuss digital transformation, green projects, and the regional expansion of startups.The second day of the conference featured the sixth edition of the Investment Forum, which focused on enabling startups to tap quality investment opportunities and connect with prominent investors and experts who could propel their growth and expansion.In his closing remarks, QDB CEO Abdulrahman Hesham al-Sowaidi, said: “Together we witnessed inspiring moments of creative collaboration and the potential to invest in our Arab development plans. We are proud to provide this important platform to hundreds of Arab entrepreneurs, and reaffirm our commitment to collaboration to ensure a prosperous future driven by growth in line with the region’s great ambitions.”ESCWA under-secretary-general and executive secretary of Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, Dr Rola Dashti and partners announced several commitments, including the building e-commerce platforms for 200 companies to enhance their access to new markets.Dashti said, “The strength of SMEs lies in their ability to innovate, adapt, and transform challenges into opportunities. They are the pulse of our economies." She urged entrepreneurs to believe in themselves, as they are the key to building a prosperous and more inclusive future for the region.The event featured an exhibition where more than 120 innovative startups showcased their solutions and modern technologies to a wide audience of investors and partners. The exhibition provided a unique opportunity to enhance co-operation and knowledge exchange among entrepreneurs and investors, paving the way for the rise of startups that serve Arab economies.Over the course of three days, many entrepreneurs and guests participated in a series of site visits to Qatar Free Zones Authority, the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council, and Qatar Science and Technology Park.The conference also featured 100 sessions and 35 workshops led by over 50 industry experts and speakers and attended by an audience of 1,400. Participants discussed agricultural technology, renewable energy, green transformation and the international expansion of companies among other related topics.Discussions also touched on policies to empower startups and SMEs, giving the conference a strategic dimension in terms of the contribution of these companies to regional development plans. The conference hosted over 2,200 bilateral meetings and featured the signing of 20 Memoranda of Understanding.The conference was backed by QDB’s strategic partners and sponsors, including QNB Group, Qatar Investment Authority, the Arab Gulf Programme for Development and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation among other partners who contributed to the success of the conference.The event reflects QDB’s unwavering commitment to promoting innovation and sustainable growth, and its ongoing efforts to bolster Qatar’s entrepreneurship ecosystem through innovative partnerships and initiatives that contribute to Qatar National Vision 2030.