Qatar Issues New Law to Nationalize Jobs in Private Sector

A general view of Doha, Qatar. (QNA)
A general view of Doha, Qatar. (QNA)
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Qatar Issues New Law to Nationalize Jobs in Private Sector

A general view of Doha, Qatar. (QNA)
A general view of Doha, Qatar. (QNA)

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued on Sunday a new law to nationalize jobs in the private sector.

The law will be effective six months after it is published in the official gazette.

This legislation aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030 and will facilitate strategic investments and create opportunities for employment and training for Qatari citizens, the Ministry of Labor said in a statement.

The law supports the Third National Development Strategy, which aims to effect a fundamental transformation towards a more productive labor market, focusing on high-skill jobs.

The Ministry said this transformation will be achieved by leveraging a highly skilled Qatari talent pool while also attracting foreign talents with advanced skills.

It noted that the law seeks to significantly increase the effective participation of the national workforce in private sector institutions and companies, opening up new employment and career opportunities for Qataris, thereby maximizing the utilization of qualified national competencies.

The law aims to encourage Qatari participation in the private sector, ensure job stability for national cadres, develop the professional skills of the national workforce, meet the labor markets demand for qualified personnel, and incentivize private sector companies and establishments to increase the participation of the national workforce, it added.

The entities subject to nationalization under the law include employers who are natural persons managing private establishments registered in the commercial register, commercial companies operating in the state, whether state-owned, state-participated, or privately owned, and private non-profit institutions, sports institutions, associations, and similar entities, it explained.

The new law also grants many benefits, facilities and privileges to those covered by the integration plan, it added.

More than 2.5 million foreigners live and work in Qatar, with about two million working in the private sector.



Saudi Arabia Pushes to Boost Pharma Industry, Achieve Self-Sufficiency

A factory in al-Dammam produces various medical supplies, including face masks. (SPA)
A factory in al-Dammam produces various medical supplies, including face masks. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Pushes to Boost Pharma Industry, Achieve Self-Sufficiency

A factory in al-Dammam produces various medical supplies, including face masks. (SPA)
A factory in al-Dammam produces various medical supplies, including face masks. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia is working to boost its pharmaceutical and medical equipment industries by localizing production, increasing their GDP contribution, and reducing dependence on imports to achieve health security and self-sufficiency.

Currently, there are 206 facilities in these sectors, with investments totaling SAR 10 billion ($2.66 billion).

Saudi Industry Minister Bandar Alkhorayef recently discussed localizing vaccine and drug production with Brazilian counterparts, as this sector is a key focus of the National Industrial Strategy.

The goal is to strengthen the Kingdom’s independence in meeting medical needs and to develop the Kingdom into a major hub for this growing industry.

Fitch Solutions reported that Saudi Arabia’s pharmaceutical market was worth $11.72 billion (SAR 44 billion) in 2022 and is projected to reach $15.09 billion (SAR 56.6 billion) by 2027, growing at an annual rate of 5.2%.

To improve healthcare and provide services to all citizens, the Kingdom has allocated SAR 214 billion ($57 billion) in its 2024 budget for health and social development, in line with the Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring healthy lives for all.

As part of the National Industrial Strategy and Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has localized the production of key medical products, including ventilators for intensive care units and blood glucose monitors and test strips.

Experts told Asharq Al-Awsat that localizing pharmaceutical and medical device production in Saudi Arabia will create high-paying jobs, ensure steady supplies, reduce import reliance, attract investment, and boost the Kingdom’s health security and self-sufficiency.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Osama Al-Zamil, former Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, emphasized the global economic impact of the pharmaceutical industry, which ranks second worldwide in sales.

He noted that Saudi Arabia is the largest pharmaceutical market in the Middle East and North Africa, valued at SAR 28 billion ($7.46 billion) in 2020, with projections to reach SAR 44.1 billion ($11.76 billion) by 2030.

Al-Zamil also highlighted the strong growth potential for the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors in the Kingdom.