Qatar: Our Economic Measures Are Situational, Not Structural

Dr. Majid Al‑Ansari, the spokesperson for the Prime Minister and the official spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the report published by the Financial Times regarding the reduction of government budgets and the cutback in funding for Qatari foreign aid is inaccurate, and that many of its figures were taken out of context. He urged media outlets to refer to official sources to verify the announced numbers and information.

Al‑Ansari added in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' weekly media briefing that the discussion of cutting government budgets by up to 30% concerns only operating expenses and does not include salaries or capital projects.

He explained that the reduction is linked to precautionary measures taken by the state at the beginning of the regional crisis, as any country facing exceptional circumstances or an escalation in the region would do. He emphasized that these measures are not structural or permanent, but rather situational measures tied to current developments.

Al‑Ansari further said that the economic indicators and growth figures that will be announced in the coming period "will reflect the resilience of the Qatari economy and its ability to cope with current developments," he said, pointing out that the priority for the Qatari decision‑maker is to ensure that the lives of citizens and residents are not affected, whether in terms of product availability, supply chains, salaries, or other living aspects. He confirmed that Qatar continues to enjoy a normal economic life despite regional challenges.

The spokesperson also noted that the second priority for the Qatari decision‑maker is to ensure the continuity of national development projects and that they do not stop for any reason, confirming that these projects proceed according to their planned schedules.

He stressed that these economic measures are not structural or permanent, but rather situational measures linked to the current escalation in the region, and do not represent a change in the structure of the Qatari economy or its strategic orientations.