Doha: HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva Dr. Hend Abdulrahman Al Muftah participated today in the opening of the 16th session of the Investment, Enterprise and Development Commission of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
According to Qatar News Agency, Her Excellency Dr. Hend Abdulrahman Al Muftah, in her address during the opening session, expressed Qatar's enthusiasm and preparedness in hosting the upcoming World Investment Forum. The forum is scheduled to be held in Doha from October 25 to 27, under the theme "Investing in the Future." She extended an invitation to world leaders, ministers, policymakers, and chief executives to engage in this significant event.
Her Excellency emphasized that the World Investment Forum in Doha is envisioned as an international platform to foster collective action and establish actionable partnerships between global capital and development priorities. The forum has garnered substantial international interest, with confirmations from around 20 ministers and key figures from international organizations such as the World Trade Organization, UN Tourism, and the International Telecommunication Union. Representatives from development banks, the private sector, the International Chamber of Commerce, and renowned economists from across the globe are also expected to attend.
Highlighting Qatar's commitment to supporting UNCTAD initiatives, Her Excellency underscored the importance of modernizing international investment agreements (IIAs) and reforming older agreements to maintain states' regulatory and sovereign policy space for development objectives and environmental transition. The Doha forum will also mark the launch of UNCTAD's new guidelines to align investment agreements with sustainable development. This will be complemented by dialogues focused on nurturing future talent for small and medium-sized enterprises in collaboration with the Qatar Development Bank, along with several joint events with relevant entities.
Her Excellency also touched upon the strategic partnership between Qatar and UNCTAD, emphasizing that Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy (2024-2030) prioritize economic diversification driven by knowledge and innovation, private-sector empowerment, digital transformation, and sustainability. These priorities aim to strengthen Qatar's role as a reliable international partner in maintaining global energy supply sustainability and supply chain resilience.
Additionally, the session saw Qatar enhance its diplomatic engagement with the election of Qassim Nasser Al Darwish, Commercial Attache at Qatar's Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva, as Vice-Chair of the Investment, Enterprise and Development Commission for its 16th session. This election highlights international acknowledgment of Qatar's active participation and ongoing efforts in supporting United Nations bodies related to trade, investment, and development.