Qatar makes presence felt at Hannover Messe

Tribune News Network Doha Minister of Commerce and Industry His Excellency Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari on Monday participated in the official opening ceremony ...

Tribune News NetworkDohaMinister of Commerce and Industry His Excellency Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari on Monday participated in the official opening ceremony of the digital edition of the Hannover Messe 2021, which was inaugurated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel through video conferencing.The opening ceremony featured the virtual attendance of a number of Qatari dignitaries, senior officials, and businessmen, prominent political figures and a large number of CEOs of major leading industrial companies around the world.Qatar is participating in the Hannover Messe 2021, the largest industrial forum on the global scene. This Fair, which attracts the largest production companies in the world, and is the world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology, shall be held virtually for the first time, on April 12-16, 2021.Qatar’s participation in the Hannover International Industrial Fair (Hannover Messe) forms part of the continuous efforts to highlight the investment opportunities available in the industrial sectors, which would contribute to attracting more Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and strengthening Qatar’s competitive position in the region and beyond. Qatar’s participation in the Hannover Fair also comes within the framework of strengthening the bilateral relations between Qatar and Germany.Qatar’s Pavilion organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry features the participation of about 16 entities, including Qatar Chamber, Qatari Businessmen Association, the Investment Promotion Agency of Qatar, Qatar Development Bank, Qatar Financial Centre, Manateq, Qatar Free Zones Authority, Qatar Science and Technology Park, and Media City Qatar, in addition to a number of private companies such as Qatar Industrial Manufacturing Company, Qatar Pharma, Coastal Qatar, Doha Cables, Qatari German Company Switchgear company, General Switchgear and Lighting Industries, and Q-Bars Factory. Distinctive projects and initiatives in Qatar’s pavilionThe entities participating in Qatar pavilion preview, through live broadcasting platforms, the most prominent initiatives, projects, services, and Qatari products, as well as the promising investment opportunities, incentives, and privileges available to investors and businessmen to invest in the various sectors in Qatar.The pavilion also sheds light on the leading Qatari industries and the latest technologies and technological developments in the industrial sector in the country. The Hannover International Industrial Fair comprises a significant opportunity to exchange expertise and experiences, introduce Qatari companies and industries, and blaze a trail for creating distinctive partnerships between Qatari companies and international companies, enhancing cooperation between them, as well as the chance to find out about the most prominent global experiences, and significant technical development in the industrial sector.Characteristics of Qatar’s investment environmentDuring its participation in the Fair, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is presenting the characteristics of Qatar’s investment environment, as well as the laws and legislation issued by the State to stimulate local and foreign investment, including the law regulating the investment of non-Qatari capital in the economic activity, and the law regulating public-private partnership, in addition to reviewing the incentives and advantages that have been provided to investors, such as exempting foreign-invested capital from income tax for up to 10 years for specific investment projects in many sectors, and providing an exemption from customs taxes and fees when importing equipment and raw materials. The Ministry also introduces the services provided to investors in terms of ease and efficiency of submitting investment applications, establishing companies, and completing transactions electronically.Specialized presentationsMoreover, the entities participating in the Qatar Pavilion are organizing a number of specialized presentations to be broadcast via the online platform of the Hannover Messe on the Qatar Pavilion webpage. The presentations serve to shine a spotlight on incentives, facilitation, and investment opportunities provided by the State to attract more FDIs, especially in the industrial sector. They also address the Qatar Manufacturing Strategy 2018-2022, and the law regulating public-private partnership, and also feature exchanging information, expertise, and experiences, in addition to discussing the most prominent issues related to the industrial sector.Under the theme Industrial Transformation, this year’s edition of the Hannover International Industrial Fair is being held virtually due to the repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis, with the participation of about 1,800 exhibitors from all over the world. Over the course of its five days, the event’s program includes organizing a number of discussion sessions to be broadcast live, with the participation of more than 1,500 speakers. The discussion sessions touch on a wide range of topics, such as industrial automation, information technology, industrial supply, production engineering, services, energy, and environmental technology. This comes alongside the digital trade fair, which affords learning about the most prominent innovations, services, and products offered by the participating exhibitors in their own pavilions, through live chat programs and live broadcasting technologies available on the event’s online platform. Moreover, the event program provides the opportunity to hold bilateral meetings and business meetings through reaching out to the exhibitors on the Favorites list, and then communicating with them, and scheduling the required meetings. It is noteworthy that this is Qatar’s third time participating in the Hannover International Industrial Fair. Qatar first participated in the Industrial Fair in 2018, and took part in it for the second time in 2019, in the form of a pavilion organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and featuring the participation of 14 public and private entities.Hannover Messe is the largest industrial forum globally and attracts the largest production companies in the world. It is also the world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology.