## Qatar: Selected Issues

_IMF Staff Country Reports, June 3, 2019_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Qatar: Selected Issues](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2019/06/02/qatar-selected-issues-46957)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/publications/cr/issues/2019/06/02/qatar-selected-issues-46957/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/publications/cr/issues/2019/06/02/qatar-selected-issues-46957/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/publications/cr/issues/2019/06/02/qatar-selected-issues-46957/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Published: June 3, 2019
- Series: IMF Staff Country Reports
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781498317863.002

---

### Main findings on diversification
- Diversification is important for a large commodity exporter like Qatar: it helps manage temporary shocks and prepare for sweeping changes to the economic setting.
- Qatar’s large financial holdings can help diversify revenues.
- Further diversification is important to help Qatar manage temporary shocks and prepare for far-reaching shifts to the economic context.

### Policy analysis and recommendations
- Both structural reforms to improve the business environment and sector-specific policies can support diversification of activity and exports.
- Sector-specific policies should build on existing economic strengths in areas with room for exports and innovation.
- Emphasis should be placed on developing expertise in specific clusters.
- Export markets and competition provide crucial mechanisms to ensure discipline and should be deliberately used to hold recipients of support accountable.
- Well-targeted, structured, and sequenced policies to encourage specific sectors can play a role in diversifying Qatar’s economy.
- Policies to encourage specific sectors have resulted in little more than inefficient import substitution in many countries; avoiding this outcome requires discipline: support should be withdrawn in the absence of progress.

### Subjects and keywords
- Subject: Budget planning and preparation, Expenditure, Exports, Fiscal policy, Fiscal rules, International trade, Public financial management (PFM)
- Keywords: Budget planning and preparation, CR, expenditures decision, Exports, exposure to oil, Fiscal rules, Global, government spending, hydrocarbon price, hydrocarbon reserve, IMF export diversification, ISCR, medium-expenditure framework, price, Qatar, Qatar's economy, Qatar's Second National Development Strategy

---

## Content in this bundle

- **Qatar: Selected Issues; IMF Country Report No. 19/147; April 29, 2019**
  - [Qatar: Selected Issues; IMF Country Report No. 19/147; April 29, 2019 (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/publications/cr/2019/1qatea2019002.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [Qatar: Selected Issues; IMF Country Report No. 19/147; April 29, 2019 (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/cr/2019/1qatea2019002.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

---

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2019/06/02/qatar-selected-issues-46957_