On occasion of the National Day of Qatar on December 18, Mohammed Ismael Al-Emadi, Ambassador of Qatar, discusses his nation’s leap into modernity.

Qatar national vision 2030: the way to sustainable development

Qatar’s National Day falls on December 18, and it marks the historic date in 1878 when Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, the founder of the modern state of Qatar, rallied the tribes of the peninsula into a unified people. Since then, we have flourished, growing from a small nation in the Gulf whose economy was based on pearl trading to the largest exporter of liquefied natural gas with a strong global presence. We are proud of our cultural heritage and traditions, but we have also embraced modernity.

During the reign of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir, May God Protect Him, Qatar National Vision 2030 was launched to serve as a clear roadmap for Qatar’s future. It aims to propel Qatar forward by balancing the accomplishments that yield economic growth with human and natural resources. This vision offers a beacon that guides the country’s economic, social, human and environmental development in the coming decades, making it inclusive and helpful for the citizens and residents of Qatar in various aspects of their lives.​

Economic development is essential to the Qatar National Vision 2030; it is the engine that drives progress by providing better opportunities and a better way of life for the country’s citizens. Achieving that objective hinges on Qatar’s ability to create a balance between an oil-based and a knowledge-based economy, helping diversify the country’s economy and guaranteeing a stable and sustainable business environment. The Qatar National Vision 2030 will also guide the wise management of the Qatari economy, helping increase competition, attracting more investments, and stimulating growth.

Social development under the Qatar National Vision 2030 encompasses a system dedicated to social welfare and protection for all citizens and to bolstering women’s role in society, empowering them to be active community members. Social advancement also means equal opportunities in  education, employment and careers for all citizens -- regardless of their background or gender -- and a tolerant and fair society that embraces Islam’s values of peace, welfare, justice and community. Under the QNV 2030, Qatar will serve as a regional and global example with an increased role in the Middle East and the world.

The future is now: Morden city of Doha in Qatar.—Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Qatar

Qatar cannot develop its economy and society without its human capital and resources: its people. Human development according to the QNV 2030 entails a holistic and modern health care infrastructure that caters to all and an educational system at par with the highest international standards, preparing Qatar’s students to take on the world’s challenges and become tomorrow’s innovators, entrepreneurs, artists and professionals. Moreover, a world-class education system and equal opportunities will propel Qataris to increase their role in all sectors of their country’s economy

Sustaining economic and social growth, moreover, is impossible without a holistic environmental vision that places environmental preservation for Qatar’s future generations at the forefront. The Qatar National Vision 2030 aims to direct Qatar towards a balance between developmental needs and the protection of its natural environment, whether land, sea or air. As such, the QNV 2030 includes an emphasis on establishing an effective legal framework and the environmental institutions that can serve as the guardians of Qatar’s environmental heritage. The QNV 2030 also emphasizes the importance of increasing citizens’ awareness of their role in protecting the country’s environment for their children and the nation’s future generations.

The Qatar National Vision 2030 is the guiding blueprint for Qatar’s development. With the aim of taking the country from its current status quo as a hydrocarbon-dependent country to a diversified, pluralistic, and knowledge-based economy by 2030. —VNS