World Investment Forum 2026 Opens in Doha with Broad International Participation
Under the patronage of, and in the presence of, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the ninth World Investment Forum 2026 opened in Doha today. Hosted by the State of Qatar in partnership with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Forum runs until 27 October under the theme “Investing in the Future.”
The opening was attended by His Excellency Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, Minister of Commerce and Industry; Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD; His Excellency Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed, Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs; and a number of heads of government and senior officials. The Forum brings together approximately 7,000 participants from around the world, including senior officials, policymakers, business leaders, investors, experts and representatives of international organisations.
Hosting the Forum reflects Qatar’s position as a regional and international hub for business and investment and its growing role in supporting international economic dialogue. It also aligns with the State’s efforts to diversify the national economy, strengthen its competitiveness, develop the business and investment environment, and expand the role of the private sector, in support of Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is participating as an official partner, supporting efforts to attract high-quality investment and expand partnerships with the business community and international institutions.
In his opening address, His Excellency Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed said that investing in the future goes beyond traditional approaches to investment. He noted that, over several decades, Qatar has invested in its people, infrastructure, institutions, technology and innovation, as well as in partnerships built on trust and mutual interests.
His Excellency explained that trade and investment are complementary drivers of growth and economic diversification. Through Qatar’s National Foreign Trade Strategy, work is under way to strengthen the security and resilience of imports, open new markets for Qatari exports, broaden the range of internationally tradable goods and services, diversify economic partnerships, and deepen Qatar’s links with global markets. He also highlighted efforts to promote and protect investment, develop trade in services and digital trade, and strengthen the resilience and sustainability of supply chains.
He pointed to growing investor confidence in Qatar’s economy, noting that the country attracted approximately 373 foreign direct investment projects in 2025, an increase of more than 50% compared with the previous year. These projects helped create more than 15,000 new jobs.
His Excellency added that Qatar had launched a USD 1 billion investment incentives programme targeting priority sectors, including advanced manufacturing, logistics, technology and digital services, and financial services. He also noted plans to offer a pipeline of new infrastructure projects worth approximately USD 38.5 billion over the next five years, alongside an estimated USD 22.5 billion in private sector investment in real estate and hospitality.
His Excellency said Qatar aims to establish Doha as a platform from which investment and partnerships can reach regional and global markets. Qatar is not only an investment destination, he said, but also a long-term international investor and partner. The success of investment, he added, should be measured by the value it creates, the knowledge it transfers, the capabilities it builds and the jobs it provides.
The Forum will examine the future of investment amid geopolitical and technological change and the reshaping of supply chains. Discussions will also address how to broaden access to capital flows and direct them towards productive activities.
The programme includes 108 sessions and high-level dialogues, with 406 speakers across eight thematic tracks. Topics include investment in artificial intelligence; entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises; investment policy; sustainable finance and business; tourism and culture; climate and the environment; investment promotion; and special economic zones.
The Forum’s return to Doha is particularly significant. Qatar last hosted it 14 years ago, when its third edition was held in 2012 alongside the thirteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the first session of that conference to be held in an Arab country.