Qatar minister urges stronger cooperation to support trade and investment

Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs Ahmad bin Mohammed al-Sayed called for stronger international cooperation on Sunday, saying that lasting investment and trade growth depend on peace and security. Addressing the United Nations-led World Investment Forum in Doha, he warned that geopolitical turmoil and increasing economic fragmentation were undermining the outlook for global investment.

Al-Sayed said changes in the world economy and geopolitical conditions were reshaping the investment landscape. “We believe that investment in the future is related to investment in peace and security,” he said. He also stressed that a secure, stable environment was necessary for trade to prosper and for long-term investment to reach its potential.

The forum, organised by the UN Conference on Trade and Development, brings together heads of state, policymakers, chief executives and investors. Its discussions cover investment opportunities and challenges around the world, as well as sustainable development. The minister’s address came amid continuing conflicts and growing concern that the US-Israel war on Iran could escalate in the coming weeks.

The war has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel launched it on February 28. Iran responded by effectively closing the passage and striking targets throughout the region. Before the conflict, the strait carried one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas, making it a crucial route for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Attacks on shipping in the strait intensified over the past week, while the outcome of diplomatic efforts to end the nearly eight-month conflict remained uncertain. Those developments drove oil prices higher and added pressure to the global economy. On Thursday, prices rose about 4 percent to their highest level in five months, with Brent futures moving above $113.17 a barrel.

Against that backdrop, al-Sayed urged countries to pursue closer economic partnerships and maintain predictable international rules. He called for more cooperation and less isolation and division as uncertainty and economic fragmentation deepen. Qatar has also suffered damage during the conflict: Iranian strikes hit facilities at its Ras Laffan industrial complex in March, with repairs expected to require several years.

Outlining Qatar’s economic efforts, the minister said the country was strengthening supply chains, broadening its economic partnerships and seeking additional export markets. Qatar attracted 373 foreign direct investment projects in 2025, he said, an increase of 50 percent compared with the previous year. Those projects generated more than 15,000 jobs.

Al-Sayed also pointed to infrastructure projects worth $38.5 billion that Qatar has unveiled for the next five years. Alongside those plans, he said, private sector investment in hospitality and real estate is expected to total $22.5 billion.