As Qatar continues its strategic shift towards economic diversification, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has taken a significant step by establishing a new division dedicated to bolstering domestic investments. The move aims to enhance the country’s private sector and reduce its reliance on hydrocarbon revenues.
During the Qatar Economic Forum in New York, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani unveiled the new division, named Doha Investment. The initiative is designed to support leading Qatari companies and aid emerging businesses in their expansion efforts. By fostering stronger capital markets and attracting international investment and expertise, the division seeks to create a more vibrant and resilient economy.
Doha Investment will initially manage QIA’s local portfolio, overseeing 45 state-owned enterprises which constitute approximately one-third of the sovereign wealth fund’s total assets. This realignment marks a pivotal shift for the QIA, which has traditionally focused on global investments but has increasingly turned its attention inward to support the domestic economy.
With a mandate to develop national companies and promote privatization, Doha Investment aims to increase private-sector participation in Qatar. This effort is part of a broader strategy to diversify the economy beyond hydrocarbons, a sector that has historically dominated the country’s economic landscape.
Qatar’s efforts appear to be yielding positive results, as evidenced by the 4.8% growth in the non-hydrocarbon economy in 2025, outpacing the overall real GDP growth of 2.9%. This development underscores the effectiveness of the nation’s diversification strategy, which includes investments in sectors like aviation, banking, telecommunications, real estate, and hospitality.
