The massive renovation and redevelopment work on the local areas infrastructure program as part of the preparations for the 2022 Fifa World Cup and long term vision will itself be creating a lot of job opportunities for companies, especially those in the construction sector, said an industry expert.
Qatar, after having successfully implemented a signification portion of the expressway program, highways, and other projects, is now focusing on the renovation of existing infrastructure which includes expansion and redevelopment of local roads, streets in residential areas, and roads inside Doha and its suburbs, walkways, public parks, and others. Given the scale and magnitude of the work, industry experts believe that such projects are going to be one of the key driving forces for the construction industry.
“Unlike many other developing countries, Qatar is a very mature developing state so there will always big projects in the pipeline as part of its long term development plan, economic diversification and constant improvement in the social sector infrastructure such as education and healthcare facilities,” Matt Denton, President of dmg events, told The Peninsula recently.
The dmg is the organizer of ‘The Big 5 Construct Qatar’, the second edition of the country’s premier construction event, which will open for visitors on September 23.
Denton, a frequent visitor to Doha, said: “Although some of the biggest projects for the 2022 Fifa games are either complete or at the verge of completion, but Qatar has a lot of renovation and redevelopment projects, which will continue to support the industry.”
Qatar’s local area infrastructure program is a nationwide project that includes the development of roads, drainage and new infrastructure in all areas of Qatar to raise the standard of living for all citizens and residents. Once completed, the program will provide a comprehensive infrastructure for new areas that lack infrastructure facilities, in addition to developing and enhancing existing infrastructure in central and suburban areas.
The program will increase the capacity of roads and utility services to meet the requirements of continuous urban development. The program also includes the construction of link roads that connect villages and towns across the country.
“Some of these projects are already implemented, and some are to be completed over the next couple of years, which is quite exciting for the industry. This massive renovation works itself require a different level of knowledge, products, and skills,” he noted.
Commenting about the regional outlook of the industry, Denton said that in general there is a big slowdown in the construction industry in the region as a whole, but it’s a cycle which will rebound with time. “It’s a bit of a depressed market at the moment almost everywhere, and it’s not that for any particular Qatari reason. It’s a global phenomenon. But because of the way market dynamics work here, Qatar is in a very well position to ensure growth for the industry.”
He also noted that global headwinds and other issues like a trade war between the US and China, and Brexit stalemate, will “certainly have some impact on the region” given the nature of global trade and interdependence of economies.
“Let’s take the example of a product expo where international companies showcase their products and services. When things are good, companies want to participate but when there is uncertainty or slowdown, they retrench. Companies always look for promising markets,” he said to explain the reason for the decline in the number of participants for the event.
About the upcoming ‘The Big 5 Construct Qatar’ which is set to begin in less than a week’s time, he said: “The show is more like transactional level. It is the product and services expo where world-class products, skills, and technologies related to the construction industry will be showcased. The companies that are already implementing projects in the construction industry will find the latest products and solutions.”
The Peninsula
17/09/2019
