01 | Qatar unveils a $60 billion investment pipeline and launches Doha Investment

As of September 20, 2026, Qatar’s pipeline of more than $60 billion in projects and investment opportunities shows that the country is bringing government-led infrastructure development and private capital participation into a single growth plan. For businesses assessing the Qatari market, the next points to watch are not the headline value alone, but how the first tenders, partnership models and priority sectors take shape.

Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Qatar expects to award approximately $38.5 billion in new infrastructure projects over the next five years. Public-private partnerships will play a significant role, and tendering is set to begin immediately. A separate real estate and hospitality pipeline is expected to attract $22.5 billion in private investment, including approximately $5.8 billion for the Simaisma Beach development.

Doha Investment, launched at the same event, will manage the Qatar Investment Authority’s domestic portfolio. Its objectives include expanding the private sector’s role in economic growth, deepening local capital markets and strengthening the global competitiveness of Qatari businesses. Qatar’s investment agenda is therefore not only expanding the project pipeline; it is also reshaping how state capital, local companies and international investors work together.

Source: Doha News, 2026-09-20

03 | Qatar sets out a $60 billion five-year investment pipeline

The five-year project pipeline was presented alongside priorities in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and healthcare. This indicates that Qatar intends to use infrastructure investment to support broader industrial expansion rather than keep growth concentrated in traditional energy sectors.

Over the next five years, Qatar expects to award approximately $38.5 billion in new infrastructure projects and attract $22.5 billion in private investment through real estate and hospitality projects. Doha Investment’s existing portfolio spans more than 40 companies operating across more than 80 international markets, including Qatar Airways Group, QNB Group, Ooredoo Group, Qatari Diar, Katara Hospitality and Hassad Food. More than 20 portfolio companies recorded revenue exceeding QAR 1 billion in 2025.

The platform plans to work with local and international investors to build new national companies in priority sectors including advanced technologies, manufacturing, supply chains and healthcare. Qatar also plans to expand enterprise adoption of artificial intelligence through its national AI platform, Qai, while exploring a shift from exporting hydrocarbons alone to exporting computational capacity.

Source: Doha News, 2026-09-20

04 | Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline resumes operations

The restart of Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline eases the pressure created by the complete interruption of crude exports through the Red Sea route, but near-term supply recovery should not yet be assessed against normal capacity. The pipeline is currently operating well below standard throughput, and a full recovery is still expected to take several weeks.

The pipeline restarted on September 22, and Saudi Arabia could resume crude loadings from the Red Sea port of Yanbu that day. A security source said reaching 40% of capacity could take several days and a full return to normal operations could require six to eight weeks; another industry source estimated that full output might be restored within six weeks. Saudi Aramco is seeking to restore flows to approximately 4 million barrels per day, the level carried before the shutdown, while the pipeline has a design capacity of 7 million barrels per day.

Satellite imagery and industry sources indicated that three pumping stations were damaged in the drone strikes. The network comprises 11 pumping stations and two pressure-relief stations. Because the East-West Pipeline bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, the pace of its recovery will directly affect Saudi Arabia’s ability to export through the Red Sea and the alternative procurement arrangements of international buyers.

Source: Quartz, 2026-09-22

05 | Qatar presents $60 billion in projects and investment opportunities over five years

The central feature of Qatar’s investment plan of more than $60 billion is that infrastructure projects and private investment opportunities are being introduced together. Qatar is also explicitly seeking international partners that can contribute technology, market access and a long-term commitment.

Over the next five years, Qatar plans to launch approximately $38.5 billion in new infrastructure projects, including public-private partnerships, with initial tendering beginning immediately. Real estate and hospitality projects are expected to attract $22.5 billion in private investment, including approximately $5.8 billion for the Simaisma Beach project, with further projects to be announced. Together, the projects and opportunities exceed $60 billion.

Doha Investment will manage and expand the Qatar Investment Authority’s domestic portfolio while supporting the growth of leading companies and startups, deepening capital markets, and bringing in international capital and expertise. For businesses preparing to participate in local projects, technological innovation, market-entry capabilities and a willingness to make a long-term commitment will be more important partnership criteria than capital alone.

Source: Gulf Times, 2026-09-21

06 | Strait of Hormuz vessel traffic falls to less than half the previous weekend’s level

Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains subdued, indicating that the practical constraints on regional energy and commodity transport have not been resolved. Even as some alternative routes resume operations, businesses still need to account for maritime availability, changes in voyage routes and delivery volatility in near-term supply planning.

Preliminary Kpler data showed that 14 commodity vessels crossed the strait over the September 19-20 weekend, down from 36 the previous weekend. Eleven vessels exited and three entered; seven of the outbound vessels used the route along the Iranian coast. Some vessels travelled at night or switched off their transponders to reduce the likelihood of detection.

The vessels crossing the strait included a very large gas carrier transporting liquefied petroleum gas and a ship carrying fertiliser. Before the war began on February 28, 2026, the Strait of Hormuz carried approximately 20% of global crude oil supply. Changes in traffic through the waterway therefore remain a central indicator of Gulf energy export and logistics risk.

Source: The National, 2026-09-21

Other updates

  • 08 | Türkiye suspends the spending cap on share buybacks: Türkiye’s Capital Markets Board suspended the cap on total share buyback spending on September 22, with the exemption remaining in place until further notice. The applicable rules allow listed companies and their subsidiaries to launch buybacks through a board resolution without prior approval from a general shareholders’ meeting. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News, 2026-09-22)
  • 09 | UAE takes legal action against private companies over fake Emiratisation cases: The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation recorded 377 fake Emiratisation cases involving 266 private-sector companies in the first half of 2026 and has taken legal action. (Source: Khaleej Times, 2026-09-22)
  • 11 | Oman unifies rules and simplifies investment procedures in economic zones: Oman’s Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones issued Regulation No. 81/2026, creating a unified framework for special economic zones and free zones that covers land or property allocation, licensing, operations, services, incentives, oversight and real estate development. (Source: Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, 2026-09-20)
  • 12 | Qatar’s first North Field expansion train is planned for the first half of 2027: QatarEnergy expects the first 8-million-tonne-per-year train of the North Field East expansion project to begin operations in the first half of 2027. The timing of subsequent trains remains dependent on conditions in the Strait of Hormuz. (Source: Oil & Gas Journal, 2026-09-22)
  • 13 | Qatar rules out an LNG bypass and says repairs will take three years: QatarEnergy has ruled out using pipelines to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, leaving the recovery of LNG exports dependent on the strait reopening, while repairs to damaged facilities are expected to take approximately three years. (Source: Quantum Commodity Intelligence, 2026-09-21)
  • 17 | Saudi Arabia restarts its strategic oil pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz: Saudi Arabia has resumed operations on the East-West Pipeline, which can bypass the Strait of Hormuz and carry crude to the Red Sea; throughput remains limited during the initial restart. (Source: oEnergetice, 2026-09-22)
  • 18 | Türkiye suspends the share buyback spending limit: Türkiye’s Capital Markets Board suspended the total repurchase cost limit under Article 9(3) of the Share Buyback Communiqué, with the exemption continuing until further notice. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News, 2026-09-22)
  • 21 | Saudi Central Bank exits a multilateral central bank digital currency platform: The Saudi Central Bank said it participated in the mBridge project only through a limited proof of concept and ceased to be a participating member after completing the test on May 13, 2025. (Source: South China Morning Post, 2026-09-22)
  • 23 | Iraq opens consultation on licensing rules for non-terrestrial communications networks: Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission published a draft licensing framework for telecommunications services over non-terrestrial networks, covering in-flight connectivity, spectrum use and technical compliance. The deadline for comments is October 3, 2026. (Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-09-21)
  • 24 | Qatar raises $3 billion through bonds as the war increases its deficit: Qatar issued $3 billion in five- and 10-year public international bonds. Orders exceeded $7.7 billion at their peak before easing to approximately $6.8 billion. (Source: The Edge Malaysia, 2026-09-22)
  • 25 | Strait of Hormuz crisis may delay Qatar’s LNG expansion: QatarEnergy expects the first train of the North Field East expansion project to begin production in the first half of 2027, but disruption to equipment deliveries may affect the schedule for subsequent trains. Attacks on Ras Laffan damaged 17% of Qatar’s LNG production capacity. (Source: BOE Report, 2026-09-20)
  • 27 | Saudi Aramco cancels October crude allocations to Europe after pipeline attack: Following the drone attack and shutdown of the East-West Pipeline, Saudi Aramco cancelled October crude allocations to European buyers. At least two European refinery customers were informed that they would not receive Saudi crude that month. (Source: VOI, 2026-09-21)
  • 28 | UAE’s second retail sovereign sukuk opens for subscription on September 23: The UAE’s second Sovereign Retail T-Sukuk is open for subscription from September 23 to 28. The five-year instrument offers an annual profit rate of 5.06%, with a target issuance size of AED 50 million and a minimum subscription of AED 1,000. (Source: Gulf News, 2026-09-22)
  • 29 | Egypt requires regulated entities to register for electronic postal services within three months: Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority requires companies and other legal entities conducting regulated non-banking financial activities to register for and activate Egypt Post’s Bareedi registered email service within three months of the decision’s publication in the Egyptian Gazette. Natural persons are excluded. (Source: TradingView, 2026-09-21)

Last updated: September 2026. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice.