Doors open on Project Qatar Exhibition and Conference 2019

Doha – Held under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, His Excellency Mr. Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Commerce and Industry, officially inaugurated the 16th edition of Project Qatar today in the presence of senior government leaders, CEOs, and prominent business leaders. The ceremony opened the doors on Qatar’s biggest and longest running exhibition specializing in construction and all related industries.

After the inauguration ceremony, H.E. Minister of Commerce and Industry toured the four exhibition halls occupying a floorspace of 23,264 sqm, with the conference organizers, IFP Qatar, and representatives of the Qatar National Tourism Council. H.E. met with representatives of over 500 international and local brands from 33 countries. He also visited the exhibition’s 15 official national pavilions representing countries such as China, Turkey, Italy, Algeria, and Germany. This year’s event welcomes the biggest international participation at Project Qatar to date.

H.E. and accompanying delegates and officials visited the dedicated product zones, including “Smart District”, where representatives of Parsons International Limited, Exclusive Sponsor of Smart District, presented exhibits of the many innovations and smart applications deployed in Qatar’s greenfield smart city, Lusail, and the Smart Nation Program.

This year, Project Qatar’s program once again includes daily live demonstrations and presentations by exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations, products, and services.

Mr. Haidar Mshaimesh, Acting General Manager, IFP Qatar, said: “Through Project Qatar, the local market and supply chain will stand to benefit from the contributions of more high-quality products, innovative services and the technical expertise from big global players. For Qatar’s construction sector, this is a time of opportunity, particularly as the country prepares to deliver the Middle East’s first FIFA World Cup in 2022. We hope that the event will support the future needs of the companies and the professionals that contribute to our construction sector.”

Considered Qatar’s largest exhibition for construction materials, equipment, and technology, Project Qatar is a platform for global and local construction firms to showcase their latest construction services, products, and equipment, deepen their market presence, and forge new business relations with countries of all sizes.

Running parallel to the exhibition, the Project Qatar Conference kicked off in the afternoon with an opening keynote address by Eng. Yousef Abdulrahman Al-Emadi, Projects Affairs Director at the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), as well as a keynote speech from Fahad Zainal, Chief Corporate Support Officer of Free Zones Authority, followed by a panel discussion between Their Excellencies, the Ambassadors of Italy, the Republic of Turkey, Germany, and Pakistan.

Eng. Yousef Abdulrahman Al-Emadi, Projects Affairs Director at the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) said: "We are pleased to participate in this year’s edition of Project Qatar 2019, the international exhibition for construction material and equipment, as a strategic partner for the first time. Our participation reflects our keenness to showcase our completed, ongoing and future projects to various stakeholders and development partners. "

"Ashghal continues to sign new contracts for projects across Qatar including several that will be signed next month to develop infrastructure for citizen-owned land plots and the local road network. Also as part of ‘TA'HEEL’, an initiative we launched two years ago, more than 107 Qatari products have been rehabilitated and 152 local suppliers certified. In cooperation with Qatar Development Bank, we continuously train Qatari manufacturers, as well as rehabilitate factories and products for non-Qataris, to support their products and the local economy.”

The three-day conference, under the theme ‘The Future of Construction in Qatar, will host sessions focusing on Qatar’s smart cities, iconic real estate developments towards the 2022 FIFA World Cup; and technology and innovation for the future of energy in Qatar. Speakers include high-level representatives from Qatar’s governmental and private sector: Qatar Financial Centre, Manateq (Economic Zones Company), Msheireb Properties, Qetaifan Projects, Arab Engineering Bureau, and Qatar Green Building Council.

Mohammed Al Malki, Chief Planning and Business Development Officer, Manateq, said: “Through our participation at Project Qatar and our presentation at the conference, Manateq would like to emphasize the importance of developing our private sector and SMEs to achieve sustainable economic diversification for our nation. We are therefore glad to see the construction industry represented in its full diversity, from our larger established partners to newer companies who are offering their specialized services and products to the market. Our participation allows us to present the business solutions and investment opportunities available in the industrial zone and logistics parks.”

Panel discussions on day two (Tuesday, April 30) include Changing the Physical and Cultural Landscape of Qatar’s Capital City with Arab Engineering Bureau, and The Importance of International Standards in Creating Confidence in Qatar’s Real Estate Market with Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Mr. Fouad Yousef, Production Manager, Al Qataria for Production of Reinforcing Steel W.L.L., commenting on the day’s session: “As a quality conscious company, Al Qataria are one of the few companies to have achieved many quality milestones in a short time, including approval by Ashghal. Al Qataria believes in delivering the best quality to the market, and as a proud Qatari national company, our activities are aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030 objective of developing into a self-sufficient nation.”

For exhibitors and visitors, the three-day exhibition provides an opportunity to network, feature their products and equipment, gain valuable market insights, and benefit from business opportunities.

In keeping with Project’s Qatar’s objective of supporting the full breadth of requirements in the sector, professionals in the construction field can develop and enhance their skills through a series of training and workshops certified by CPD London, IMA, and ASTM International, introduced this year. Informative sessions will run on each of the three days and will include preparing and analyzing feasibility studies and the practice of building sciences quality assurance. With limited spaces available, those interested are encouraged to register as a Project Qatar visitor to attend.

One of the inclusive activities this year is a giveaway program that includes professional tools, safety products, and others, provided by Project Qatar exhibitors.

Project Qatar is open to the public from April 29 to May 1, 2019 from 12:00pm – 09:00pm at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. For further information, visit http://www.projectqatar.com     

© Press Release 2019