Held under Patronage of Prime Minister H.E. Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Event Offers “Progress Report” on Islamic Capital Markets and Role of Bond Markets for the GCC

Doha, Qatar: His Excellency Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Prime Minister, State of Qatar will open a major conference on financial development in Doha on Tuesday, as international finance leaders travel to Qatar to discuss key trends.

Taking place from 10-11 December2013 at The Ritz-Carlton, Doha, The Euromoney Qatar Conference will see opening presentations from H.E. Ali Shareef Al-Emadi, Minister of Finance, State of Qatar and H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saud Al-Thani, Governor, Qatar Central Bank.

Co-hosted by Qatar Central Bank and with the theme “Financing Stable and Equitable Growth”, the conference will discuss the changing dynamics of the world economy, and in particular the impact these will have on the MENA region in the coming years.

Particular areas of focus include how Islamic Capital Markets can drive economic growth, the perspective of bond issuers in the region, and the role of capital exporters in the world economic outlook.

Countries in the GCC are embarking on major infrastructure investment programmes which will require substantial funding from local and international banks.  Qatar, in particular, faces significant opportunities and challenges, with funding required for planned infrastructure megaprojects, especially in the build-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Alongside infrastructure spending, the recovery of other industries is also driving demand for conventional and Shariah-compliant bonds in the region. A new report from Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) suggests that GCC entities issued US$31 billion worth of conventional bonds in 2012, with demand strongest from the United Arab Emirates.

The Islamic Sukuk market has also continued to perform well in 2012, issuing $24.2 billion worth of bonds in 2012.

Meeting future demand – and ensuring the flow of funds is both sustainable and in-line with enhanced regulatory environment of the region – is one of the most important challenges for local and international financial institutions and one of the factors driving strong attendance at this year's Euromoney Qatar Conference.

The Euromoney Qatar Conference 2013 brought together over 600 people from 30 countries for a multiplatform - live and online - financial debate in Doha. This year's Euromoney Qatarwill bring together even more of the world's leading players and thinkers in finance, with a cross section of Qatar's financiers and international investors.