Doha, February 02 (QNA) - Assistant Minister of Investment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Abdullah Al Dubaikhi, praised the significant success achieved by the State of Qatar in hosting major global events since the successful organization of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Dr. Al Dubaikhi noted that these achievements have enabled Qatari companies to gain extensive expertise in hospitality, tourism, and the organization of international events, most recently demonstrated by the opening of Web Summit Qatar 2026, which witnessed unprecedented participation from global and startup companies.

His remarks came during a meeting with representatives of the Qatari Businessmen Association, attended by Chairman of the Saudi side of the Joint Business Council, Hamad Al Shuwair; Deputy Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Doha, Ahmed Al Anazi; as well as participants from government entities and the private sector from both countries.

Dr. Al Dubaikhi described the existing bilateral relations between the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as pioneering across all fields.

He also pointed out that Qatar's real estate development sector has witnessed qualitative growth in recent years, providing companies with substantial expertise. He noted that the investment opportunities currently available in Saudi Arabia, particularly in the housing sector, represent a promising area for cooperation, given the large-scale projects underway across various regions and governorates of the Kingdom.

In this regard, Dr. Al Dubaikhi affirmed efforts to benefit from Qatari competencies and expertise in supporting these projects.

For his part, Vice Chairman of the Board of the Qatari Businessmen Association, Hussein Ibrahim Al Fardan, said that the strong investment climate enjoyed by both Qatar and Saudi Arabia across all sectors opens broad horizons for cooperation and sustainable growth. He explained that the general trend among Qatari companies affiliated with the association is to expand into the Saudi market and invest in tourism, real estate development, industry, jewelry, education, retail, technology, and other open sectors.

Al Fardan added that, based on this approach, the association reaffirms its continued commitment to providing full support to businessmen and investors, creating an enabling environment to enhance trade and investment partnerships. He noted that the association will serve as a point of contact and follow-up between projects proposed by the Saudi ministry and Qatari businessmen seeking to invest or expand their investments in the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Board member of the Qatari Businessmen Association, Saud Al Mana, highlighted the significant opportunities to strengthen cooperation between the business sectors in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, stressing the need to work toward achieving economic integration between the two countries.

He underscored the strong bilateral relations linking Qatar and Saudi Arabia, affirming the commitment of both countries to further strengthen ties at all levels, particularly in the economic sphere.

The meeting also reviewed opportunities in the fields of communications and information technology, investment, and innovation, and the role of these sectors in supporting both countries' shift toward the digital economy and knowledge economy. Participants emphasized the importance of integrating the roles of the public and private sectors and enhancing coordination among relevant entities to achieve shared objectives and strengthen the presence of Qatari and Saudi companies at international events with economic and technological impact.

Trade between Qatar and Saudi Arabia recorded a significant increase in 2025, rising to more than USD 1.5 billion, compared with USD 1.34 billion in 2024 and less than USD 1 billion in 2023.

This growth reflects the strength of the expanding economic relations between the two countries and their shared orientation toward enhancing bilateral partnerships in a manner that serves mutual interests and contributes to diversifying income sources in line with national development visions. (QNA)