The Qatari Businessmen Association 4th General Assembly

16 Jul 2013 XX

QBA Members attended

The following members have also attended the meeting Sheikh Mohammed Bin Faisal Bin Qassim Al-Thani, Mr. Ebrahim Al Neama, Mr. Ibrahim Al-Jaidah, Dr. Hussein Al Abdulla, Mr. Salah Al-Jaidah, Mr. Maqbool Habeeb Khalfan, Mr. Nasser Sulieman Al-Haidar, Mr. Nabil Abu Issa, Mr. Khalid Al-Mannai has authorized Mr. Sherida Saad Jubran Al-Kaabi to represent him in the 4th General Assembly, and Mr. Khalifa Al-Suwaidi has authorized Sheikh. Faisal Bin Qassim Al-Thani to represent him in the meeting.

After confirming a quorum Mr. Issa Abdul Salam Abu Issa, Secretary General presented the Board's annual report as follows:

It's our great honor and pleasure to welcome you to the Qatari businessmen Association 4th General Assembly, which takes place in a period that constitutes an important turning point in the march of our beloved country Qatar and the Association.

Through this meeting, we will represent a full report on QBA's activities and achievements, but first I would like to take this opportunity to extend our warmest congratulations and felicitation to His Highness Sheikh. Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the state of Qatar, "may Allah protect him" on the occasion of HH's taking power as the new Emir of the state of Qatar we pray to Allah the Almighty lord to bless his leadership and bestow success upon his royal endeavors to serve his nation and lead the state, and to gift Qatar with everlasting prosperity and success under his royal leadership, we trust HH's wisdom and experience in managing the country and his deep knowledge in the reality of the region and the Arab world.

We would also like to further extend our heartfelt feeling of gratitude and appreciation to H.H Sheikh. Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani "May Allah protect him", for his long history of wholehearted dedication and sincere leadership of Qatar and parental care he bestowed upon his nation.

H.H's achieved an outstanding development in all fields in Qatar including economic, cultural, media, sports in a short period, which dazzled the world and put Qatar on the map of developed countries and set a role model for the rest of the countries.

Qatar's economic policy over the past years has succeeded in addressing the economic crisis, in achieving an economic growth, raising the indicators of the local economy at a global level where Qatar's was placed number 11 in the Global Competitiveness Report leading the Arab countries and the Middle East in the Report issued by the World Economic Forum in cooperation with the Qatari Businessmen Association.

Today and through our meeting we promise His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, that we as representatives of the business community, and private sector to continue to work and follow the development that is led by the state, and to support H.H's in achieving the prosperity of the State of Qatar.

The assembly witnessed the following decisions:

1.         Ratification of Previous general assembly meeting

2.         Ratification of the Auditors Report

3.         Discharge of the board members for the 2011 financial year.

4.         Appointment of the auditor.

5.         Ratification of the Budget for 2013.

6.         During the meeting QBA's members reelected the current board members:

1          Sheikh. Faisal Bin Qassim Al-Thani   Chairman

2          Mr. Hussain Ibrahim Al-Fardan           First Deputy Chairman

3          Dr. Sheikh. Khalid Bin Thani Al-Thani          Second Deputy Chairman

4          Mr. Issa Abdull Salam Abu Issa         Secretary General

5          Sheikh. Nawaf Bin Nasser Al-Thani  Board Member

6          Mr. Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Misnad  Board Member

7          Mr. Omar Bin Hamad Al- Mana         Board Member

8          Sheikh.  Hamad Bin Faisal Bin Thani Al Thani          Board Member

9          Mr. Sherida Saad Jubran Al Kaabi     Board Member

And decided to add 2 more members to the current board, QBA will announce the names shortly.

QBA's General assembly have decided to establish sectoral and specialized committees that work on detailed economic studies of each sector of the economy, and deliver specialized papers on each sectors highlighting the importance of each sector, their contribution to Qatar's economy and the challenges and opportunities available in each sector, the papers will be submitted to higher authorities for discussion and cooperation.

QBA secretary General Mr. Issa Abu Issa has also presented QBA's Board report indicating the various activities during the past period, which include organizing conferences and forum's, receiving foreign and Arabic delegation visiting Doha to discover the business and investment opportunities in the country, in addition to participating in various meetings and joint government committees between the private and public sectors, and singing of MOU's with different business association's around the worlds, following a detailed report of the activity of the Association:

With the aim of promoting Qatar as a business and professional hub in the region and introducing and approaching modern economic issues and tendencies, QBA has organized a number of local regional and international economic conferences and forums, some of the most notable conference organized by QBA are:

1.         The Business and Investment in Qatar Forum, which was held in Berlin, in Germany, under the patronage and in presence of H.E sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar's former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and in the presence of HE the German Chancellor Mrs. Angela Merkel. The forum achieved an outstanding success in Berlin. Were it attracted more than 1000 businessmen and representatives from big and medium American companies, which reflect the importance of the Qatari market to the business community in Germany, and the importance of Qatar as a center for investment in the region. The forum attracted a large number of highly distinguished businessmen and dissection makers from the state of Qatar, as the number of the Qatari delegation reached 400 participants.

2.         Qatari- French Business Forum, under the patronage and in presence of H.E sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar's former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and in the presence of HE the French President Mr. Francois Hollande, with the participation of a wide range of senior government officials, businessmen and representatives of public and private sectors.

3.         “Listing of Private Companies: Supporting Qatar’s National Vision” event, under the patronage and in presence of H.E sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar's former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs which discussed the importance of listing the private companies in Qatar Exchange.

4.         QBA has organized the Qatari- Turkish Business Council, during the members visit to Turkey, and a meeting with H.E the Turkish Trade minister.

5.         QBA has organized the Qatari- Switzerland Business fourm

6.         QBA has organized "Inside Investor Forum Asia 2012" Under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim  Bin Jabor Al Thani, the former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, in cooperation with Inside Investor.

7.         QBA has organized the Qatar-Italian Business forum.

8.         QBA has organized the "14th Arab business forum" under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the forum is organized in cooperation with the League of Arab States and the Federation of Arab Businessmen, the forum was held under the theme "Arab Spring: Challenges and Opportunities amidst the Current Global Economy". 400 Businessmen and businesswomen, as well as major economic institutions and personalities of the Arab world have participated in the forum.

9.         QBA has organized a round-table discussion attended by the new president of Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Center, Mr. Lauder Phillips.

10.       QBA has organized the "Qatar Investment window 2011" under the patronage of HE Sheikh. Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, the former Prime Minister and former foreign minister, in collaboration with UCI London.

11.       QBA has organized the Qatari-Spanish Business forum, under the patronage of HE Sheikh. Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, the former Prime Minister and former foreign minister and in the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Trade of Spain.

QBA has hosted more than 34 highly distinguished business foreign delegations that vary in representation from heads of states, prime ministers, ministers of business and trade, chairpersons of business associations and chambers of commerce, from a spectrum of countries that cover the international business community such as:

1.         Delegation from Chicago, headed by the Us-Qatar Business Council

2.         Delegation from Australia headed by H.E Mr. Bob Carr the Australian Foreign Minister

3.         Highly distinguished Business delegation from Hungary, headed by Mr. Ferenc Miklossy, president of the Hungarian-Arab committee

4.         An academic delegation headed by Dr. Jared L. Cohon, the President of  Carnegie Mellon University US

5.         Business delegation from Tatarstan

6.         Business delegation from Panama

7.         Delegation from the Islamic republic of Afghanistan, headed by H.E. Mr. Hamid  Karzai president of Afghanistan

8.         Delegation from republic of Tunisia headed by H.E Mr. Moncef Marzouki president of Tunisia

9.         Business delegation headed by Mr. Alderman Roger Gifford, Lord Mayor of City of London

10.       Business delegation from Kingdom of Bahrain

11.       Business delegation from Kingdom of Morocco, headed by the Minister of traditional Industry

12.       An Italian delegation headed by Mr. Massimo Manelli, president of Confindustria of Monza and Brianza province

13.       Business delegation from Germany Headed by H.E. Mr. Christian Wulff, former president of Germany

14.       A delegation from the International monetary fund

15.       Business delegation from the US headed by HE Ms. Anisse Parker, Mayor of the City of Houston

16.       Business delegation from Italy headed by Dr. Alberto Drudi, president of Pesaro and Urbino Chamber of Commerce and his accompanying delegation

17.       Business delegation from the City of Montreal, Canada, Headed by H.E Mr. Gerald Tremblay the Mayor

18.       Business delegation from Belgium headed by HE Mr. / Phillipe Suinen, General Commissioner for the International Relations of the French-speaking community in Belgium and the Director-General of the Export Agency of the Walloon Region of Belgium

19.       Delegation from Malaysia headed by HE Mr. / Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamad, Minister of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia

20.       Business delegation from the U.S Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance Mr. Michael C. Camunez

21.       Business delegation from Palestine headed by Mr. Ahmed Aweidah, CEO of the Palestine Stock Exchange

22.       High official Business delegation from the Republic of Bulgaria headed by H.E. Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, Minister of Foreign Affairs

23.       Business delegation from Confindustria, the Italian industrial and business association in QBA offices,

24.       Business delegation from Singapore headed by H.E the Deputy Prime Minster, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs H.E Mr. Teo Chee Hean

25.       Business delegation from the Islamic Republic of headed by H.E. the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Yousaf Raza Gillani,

26.       Business delegation from USA headed by Mr. Jose W. Fernandez Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs

27.       Business meeting with a highly distinguished Business delegation from Portugal, headed by the Portugal Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E Mr. Paulo Portas

28.       Business meeting with a highly distinguished Business delegation from Germany, headed by Prof. Dr. Hans Heinrich Driftmann, President of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

29.       Business delegation from Luxembourg

30.       Business delegation headed by H.R.H Prince Andrew, Duke of York, the representative of the United Kingdom Trade and Investment InternationalUK’s special representative for international trade & Investment

31.       Foreign delegation from the sports industry, visiting Qatar to attend Aspire4Sports international sports congress and exhibition

32.       A high official delegation from Union of the Comoros

33.       U.S. trade delegation headed by U.S under secretary of commerce Mr. Francesco Sanchez

34.       Business delegation from the United Kingdom headed by HE Lord Stephen Green, Minister of Trade and Investment

In an effort to continue its role of promoting and introducing the Qatari private sector to the international business community and creating links and opening gateways for Qatar's business community with its counterparts in the regional and international arena, QBA has signed 6 new MOUs with business associations and chambers of commerce around the world, following are the MOU's:

1.         QBA singed an MOU with China- Qatar business council.

2.         QBA singed an MOU with Qatar international court and dispute resolution centre (QICDRC).

3.         QBA singed an MOU with Confindustria Monza e Brianza (CMB).

4.         QBA singed an MOU with the Switzerland trade and Investment promotion organization (OSEC).

5.         QBA singed an MOU with the Business owners Union.

6.         QBA singed an MOU with Pakistan-Qatar business council.

QBA has also participated in a number of joint committee's between the private and public sectors, HE Sheikh Jassim Bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani, the former minister of business and Trade to join their effort and help the business community in Qatar to achieve its goal in developing the economic scene in Qatar, headed by

Finally QBA has issued the "Qatar construction guide 2012", the first book in a series of books that the Association intends to produce, allocated to each sector of Qatar's economy, as the communications sector and the legislative and legal sector.

We would like to thank the local and the regional media for their continuous support and coverage to QBA’s activities.

•           QNA   •           Al-Sharq Newspaper

•           Al-Raya Newspaper    •           Al-Arab Newspaper

•           Qatar TV         •           Al-Watan Newspaper

•           CNBC Arabia TV       •           Al-Rayyan TV

•           The peninsula  •           Qatar Tribune 

            •           Gulf Times

QBA had conducted its 28th board meeting prior to the General assembly, where the Board discussed QBA's previous activities, ratification of the 2013 budget and discussed the association upcoming event.