PM attends Qatar Rail briefing workshop for private sector

Qatar Rail on Thursday organized a workshop in the presence of HE Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani to brief the private sector on commercial opportunities related to the company's ventures and the launch of preparation works for the metro system.

At the beginning of the workshop, HE Minister of Transport Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti gave a speech in which he said that transport projects receive wide attention from the wise leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani as well as supervision from HE Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

He noted that the transport sector is a measure of the progress and renaissance of nations and prosperity of societies, which, he added, requires developing and expanding its plans and projects by drawing policies and putting strategies that develop it, with the participation of both the government and private sectors.

He added that the Ministry of Transport encourages the Qatari private sector to participate in transport projects thanks to the state's belief in incorporating the private sector.

"We aim to achieve the vision of HH the Emir (Qatar 2030) through the presence of the domestic sector in supporting Qatar Rail projects in order to achieve an effective partnership between the public and private sectors," HE the minister of transport said, expressing hope that the workshop and future similar events will realize their goal in providing the private sector with the necessary details to be part of major state projects such as the rail network.

 For his part, Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Thani voiced his appreciation of engaging the private sector in the rail project and briefing it on available opportunities, which, he said, shows that the wise vision of the leadership and the government aims to incorporate the private sector in national economy and considering it a partner rather than a competitor.

He added that the private sector's rapid growth is a result of state support and response to the proposals that aim to remove obstacles hindering the development of the sector, which led to the increase of investments, growth of the private sector and expanding its contribution to the gross domestic product thanks to the support of the wise leadership.

The day-long event drew the participation of over 600 local and international companies and comes as part of Qatar Rail's keenness on interpreting Qatar National Vision 2030 to achieve an effective partnership between the public and private sectors.

One of the objectives of the workshop is attracting leading foreign expertise in the field of railways. It featured two working sessions in which around 55 companies working in the Doha Metro and Lusail Light Rail Transit (LRT) took part.