HE the Minister of Business and Trade Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulaziz Al Thani  announced the launch of  the Al Furjan (residential districts) Markets’ project  within the ministry’s  package of initiatives geared to support the competitiveness and growth of the commercial sector in Qatar.
Remote and sparsely populated areas of the country will soon have large commercial complexes so that people don’t have to travel long distances to access commodities and services of daily need.
The announcement came during a ceremony held by the ministry and attended by HE the Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Khalifa Al Thani, HE the Governor of Qatar Central Bank and Board Chairman of Qatar Development Bank Sheikh Abdullah bin Saoud Al Thani, HE the Board Chairman of  Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Thani as well as a number of members of  Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Business Association and the Association of Business Women.
HE Sheikh Jassim bin Abdul Aziz Al-Thani said the ministry is keen on  launching a number of development projects which will benefit the citizens in particular, and aims to support the growth and competitiveness of the business sector in the state, pointing out that the Al Furjan Markets Project is one of the  pilot projects, which meets the basic needs of commercial services for the residents of  areas  lacking such services.
He added that the project comes as a fruit of cooperation between a number of government bodies and under the directives  of the senior leadership  in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning and Qatar Development Bank, pointing out that the initiative is a basic solution to the provision of basic needs for goods and services that are used on almost daily basis  by individuals and families .
HE the Minister explained that the project will contribute, at least partially, to correcting the prices at the shops serving residential areas directly, and aims to provide shops with reasonable rental prices and supportive of sustainable growth in this important segment of the commercial sector.
During the ceremony HE the Minister of Business and Trade and the Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Development Bank Mansour Al Mahmoud signed the  award contract of the Al Furjan Markets Project’s first phase which will be implemented by Qatar Development Bank.
The complexes, to be known as Furjan (neighborhood) markets, will house provision stores, bakeries, butcheries, pharmacies, ATM kiosks, laundries, barber shops, fruits and vegetables vending areas and eateries, among other facilities.
The project is being launched in three phases. The first phase will see 12 complexes coming up in different areas. They will have 122 shops with each complex admeasuring a built-up area of between 2,500 and 3,000 square meters.
In the second phase, some 18 complexes will be built in various localities and will together have 176 shops. Each complex will be spread over an area of 700 to 2,000sqm.
The remaining 14 complexes will be built in the third phase and their sizes will each vary from 3,000sqm to 7,000sqm. They will together have 176 shops.
By the end of all phases, about 290 buildings will be ready.