Qatar Stuck between Rise in Foreign Debt, Threatened Stake in Gas Markets

 An aerial view of Doha's diplomatic area March 21, 2013. REUTERS/Fadi Al-Assaad/File Photo
An aerial view of Doha's diplomatic area March 21, 2013. REUTERS/Fadi Al-Assaad/File Photo
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Qatar Stuck between Rise in Foreign Debt, Threatened Stake in Gas Markets

 An aerial view of Doha's diplomatic area March 21, 2013. REUTERS/Fadi Al-Assaad/File Photo
An aerial view of Doha's diplomatic area March 21, 2013. REUTERS/Fadi Al-Assaad/File Photo

Several international economic reports have described Qatar’s current economic status as “threatened to collapse.”

These reports stressed that Qatar’s economy has been facing a very difficult period because investment capitals are not completing their projects and plans; Qatar is heading towards borrowing money despite the rise in the value of foreign debt, which has amounted to 150 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

The threats that dominate Qatar's economy are not only related to the investment pause, the decline in purchasing power, nor to the limited competitiveness of Doha's air force but they have also reached the gas markets.

International news agencies said that Australia now threats Qatar’s Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) production as it is planning to boost exports of LNG by 16 percent from 2018.

On the other hand, Doha is considering raising at least nine billion dollars from international bond markets as the gas-rich nation boycotted by its neighbors seeks to replenish state coffers, news agencies said.

In June, Moody’s confirmed that Qatar’s credit quality would decline if tensions with its Gulf neighbors continue for much longer, raising the country’s debt ratio and hurting banks’ liquidity.

Amid recent indications that Doha is unable to hide the risks its economy has been facing, Qatar's stock market has been facing in the recent weeks a stage that proves the size of the risks threatening Qatar’s economy with Qatar's index reached its lowest level in five years.

In this context, Qatar’s central bank has added the equivalent of about $19 billion of previously unreported foreign-currency assets to its total reserves in August based on an International Monetary Fund recommendation, a move that helps offset the impact of the Saudi-led embargo.

Doha has also been facing a major crisis in terms of economic slowdown. Official figures show that Qatar's economic growth has hit its worst level since the beginning of the global financial crisis.

In addition, there is a high-risk level of liquidity shortage in local banks amid indicators showing Qatar’s central bank’s inability to continue withdrawing from the foreign deposits for so long; since this reveals the volume of financial threats in which Doha’s government won’t be able to face.



Saudi Council of Economic and Development Affairs Reviews Local, Global Economic Developments

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Council of Economic and Development Affairs Reviews Local, Global Economic Developments

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

The Saudi Council of Economic and Development Affairs has convened via video conference to review reports and agenda items, including a monthly update on local and global economic developments for October 2024.

The update provided an overview of the global economy, analyzed developments in major economies, identified key challenges, and assessed their potential impact on the national economy.

The council reviewed the Kingdom's significant strides in the cybersecurity sector. The nation's classification as a 'Role-modelling' in the UN Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 reflects the unwavering support of the wise leadership for the sector and in implementing Saudi Vision 2030's programs, it said.

The council also reviewed a report on the implementation of its decisions and recommendations from the third quarter of 2024. The report detailed the council's outputs. It highlighted a notable increase in entities achieving over 98% in performance indicators.

The council was briefed on the outcomes of the Saudi delegation's participation in the first Saudi-Brazilian Aviation Conference, including the signing of agreements and memoranda of cooperation that will further solidify the Kingdom's leading role in the aviation sector, aligning with the plans and strategies of Vision 2030.

The council discussed other topics and reports, including those related to the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority and the national program for leadership development.

It also reviewed the economic outlook report for the first quarter of 2024. It examined the executive summary of foreign trade for July, the summary of the wholesale price index report for August, and the summary of the consumer price index report for August.

It made necessary decisions and recommendations on these matters.