World bank -Qatar managed COVID-19 with high efficiency

World Bank Group Country Director for the GCC countries Issam Abousleiman has said that Qatar managed the COVID-19 crisis with effectiveness, thanks to the admirable performance of the healthcare system and the logistics for the purchase and distribution of vaccines.

In an interview with a Doha-based newspaper published on Thursday, he stressed that the high rate of vaccination allowed the government to gradually ease restrictions, which had a clear impact on aspects of economic activity, as transport movement returned to pre-pandemic levels and the level of activity in retail stores, entertainment venues, transport stations, and workplaces are returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Qatar is expected to achieve a GDP growth rate of 3 percent for 2021, the same growth rate for both oil and non-oil GDP, driven by domestic and foreign demand in light of the successful start of the vaccination campaign, he said.

Abousleiman also said that the strengthening of energy prices and the final preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2022, whose competitions are scheduled to take place in December 2022, along with the expected huge tourism revenues.

This may be the first sporting event in the world that witnesses a huge public presence after COVID-19 subsides, may lead to achieving growth by 4.8 percent in 2022, he said, noting that this will accelerate the expected growth rate in non-oil GDP to jump to 5.9 percent, while the growth rate in oil GDP will remain at 3 percent.