Geneva, August 31 (QNA) - HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva Dr. Hend Abdulrahman Al Muftah participated today in the opening of the 16th session of the Investment, Enterprise and Development Commission of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

In Qatar's statement during the opening session on the country's hosting of the World Investment Forum, Her Excellency affirmed Qatar's full readiness and welcomed world leaders, ministers, policymakers and chief executives to participate in the ninth edition of the forum, scheduled to take place in Doha from Oct. 25 to 27 under the theme "Investing in the Future."

Her Excellency added that the World Investment Forum in Doha has been designed as an international platform to strengthen collective action and build actionable partnerships between global capital and development priorities. She noted the broad international momentum surrounding the forum, with around 20 ministers confirming their attendance, alongside leading figures from international organizations, including the World Trade Organization, UN Tourism and the International Telecommunication Union, as well as representatives of development banks, the private sector and the International Chamber of Commerce, in addition to prominent economists from around the world.

Her Excellency affirmed the State of Qatar's support for UNCTAD initiatives that aim to accelerate the modernization of the network of international investment agreements (IIAs) and reform the older generation of such agreements, while safeguarding states' regulatory and sovereign policy space in support of development objectives and a just environmental transition.

Her Excellency noted that the upcoming forum in Doha will see the launch of UNCTAD's new guidelines for aligning investment agreements with sustainable development, alongside specialized dialogues aimed at nurturing future talent for small and medium-sized enterprises in cooperation with the Qatar Development Bank, as well as several joint events with relevant entities.

Her Excellency discussed the close strategic partnership between the State of Qatar and UNCTAD, stressing that Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy (2024-2030) place knowledge-driven and innovation-driven economic diversification, private-sector empowerment, digital transformation and sustainability at the forefront of national priorities, while consolidating Qatar’s position as a trusted international partner in ensuring the sustainability of global energy supplies and the resilience of supply chains.

The session also saw the State of Qatar strengthen its diplomatic participation through the election of Qassim Nasser Al Darwish, who serves as Commercial Attache at the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva, as Vice-Chair of the Investment, Enterprise and Development Commission for its current 16th session, reflecting international recognition of Qatar’s active role and continued efforts to support United Nations bodies and entities concerned with trade, investment and development. (QNA)