Monitoring Economic Development
of Qatar
Presentation
By
Hamad Bin Jabor Al Thani
President of Qatar Statistics Authority
2011-Sept- 27
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Qatar Economic Monitoring
Outline:
 Qatar National Vision -2030 and National Development Strategy
 Qatar’s Economic Performance
 Evolution of National Statistical System
 Progress in enhancing economic monitoring
 Challenges in measuring economic development of Qatar
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Qatar National Vision 2030
 A National Vision document was signed by the H.H. the Emir
in 2008 which will guide the development of the State of Qatar.
 Vision Requires:
“Development of a competitive and diversified economy capable
of meeting the needs of, and securing a high standard of living
for, all its people both for the present and for the future”
 Accordingly a National Development Strategy is done for
2011-16 which will represent the first wave of changes and
target specific actions
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National Development Strategy
and Role of Statistics
 To continuously measure the economic growth.
 To monitor the programs and within program the projects and make
decision makers aware of impact of projects and its tie ups within the
National Development Strategies and National Vision.
 To develop meaningful indicators for monitoring the economy at project
level.
 FIFA 2022 being a major event, QSA has developed Statistics, which is
showing linkage of this evidence based decision to National
Development.
 To develop indicators showing real economic strength besides
hydrocarbon to attract partners in development of Qatar.
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Qatar’s Economic Performance
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Qatar’s Economic Performance
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Annual Headline and Core
Inflation
2011-Sept- 27
Core inflation is headline inflation less food, rent and utilities
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Overall Fiscal Balance
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Evolution of Qatar National
Economic Statistical System
 Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) is empowered by the National Statistics
Act.
 QSA has prepared a National Strategy for Development of Statistics (20082013) and this is guiding our work.
 Important elements of the statistical framework and major milestones are:
I. National Accounts System (SNA93) – Implemented in 2005
II. Monthly Consumer Price Index – Jan 2009
III. Quarterly Producer Price Index - Q1 2010
IV. Annual Labor Force Sample Survey - 2005
V. Quarterly GDP dissemination – 2006
VI. Quarterly Balance of Payment – Q1 2010
VII. Government Financial Statistics - 2009
VIII. Annual Economic Sample Survey – 2001
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Other Initiatives in pipeline at
Qatar Statistics Authority
 Monthly Industrial Production Index
 Constructing Supply and Use Tables for 2010
 Database developments including Infrastructure Projects
 Economic Census to be conducted in near future
 Moving towards SDDS Compliance, developed a 5 year plan
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Other Results
With improvement in its statistical system, Qatar is able to:
 Prepare evidence-based reports as basis for the first National Development
Strategy and other policy analysis.
 Improve its policy consultation and dialogue with multilateral institutions
(e.g. IMF for Article IV report), Rating agencies and other institutions
monitoring Qatar’s economy.
 Participate in international surveys which require comprehensive dataset.
 Improve ranking in international surveys (World Bank’s Doing Business
Survey, IMD World Competitiveness survey, World Economic Forum
Competitiveness report).
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Future Challenges of Measuring
Economic Development
 For an oil-dependent economy like Qatar, monitoring diversification
requires accurate measures of changes in economic structure.
 Measure of national income reflecting terms of trade adjustment from
movement in energy prices is critical.
 Indicators to capture progress on knowledge-based economy.
 To develop an up to date Business Register based on administrative records
(currently based on Economic Survey).
 More higher frequency statistics.
 Strengthening where there are gaps (e.g. BOP, Fiscal…)
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Thank You
www.qsa.gov.qa
www.qix.gov.qa
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