QU To Hold 4th International Conference on Fiscal Policies and Economic Development

Qatar University’s (QU) College of Business and Economics, in partnership with the General Tax Authority, will be organising the ‘4th International Conference on Fiscal Policies and Economic Development’ on February 26-27 at the Andaz Doha Hotel.

Under the theme ‘Reformulating Financial Incentives for Investment in the GCC Countries’, the event is part of QU’s efforts to enhance collaboration with government entities and support the business and finance community.

Additionally, a workshop on ‘Tax Reform and Restructuring Tax Systems’ will be held on the sidelines of the conference on February 25 at the College of Business and Economics building at QU.

Dr Rana Sobh, dean of the College of Business and Economics, said the conference aligns with the college’s strategy to enhance community engagement and address contemporary economic and fiscal policy issues affecting the economy and businesses.

The initiative aims to provide recommendations that assist decision-makers, said Sobh, who emphasised that strengthening co-operation with government entities involved in fiscal and economic policies, particularly the General Tax Authority, is one of the college’s top priorities.

Sobh also emphasised that the conference will concentrate on the reformulation of financial incentives for investment in GCC countries in light of global economic developments, particularly international tax reforms. 

The conference will explore this topic through the following key themes: ‘The Importance of Financial Incentives for Investment’; ‘Current Trends in Non-Tax Investment Incentives’; ‘Reformulating Tax Incentives under the Second Pillar’; and ‘Tax Expenditures and their Role in Balancing Tax and Non-Tax Incentives’.

She said the conference will host a curated group of experts and researchers from various international financial institutions, global universities, relevant government agencies, consulting firms, and other stakeholders. This will help generate recommendations that are valuable to decision-makers, she added.

Majed Abdulrahman al-Mahmoud, economic consultant and director of Tax Policy at the General Tax Authority, stated that the collaboration between the General Tax Authority and QU, represented by the College of Business and Economics, has been continuously evolving over several years.

He said the partnership encompasses various areas, including field training for students and the joint organisation of seminars and conferences. 

Al-Mahmoud said Qatar is actively working to promote both local and foreign investments by providing a range of tax and non-tax incentives. The focus is on streamlining the process of granting tax incentives and maximising their benefits to attract a diverse array of investments, he added.

Dr Khalid Shams al-Abdulqader, associate professor in the Department of Finance and Economics, said the pre-conference day would focus on tax reform and the restructuring of tax systems — topics of particular importance to regional countries as they seek to achieve financial stability and diversify their government revenue sources.

He noted that the conference would offer a comparative overview of the experiences of several countries regarding tax system restructuring. The focus will be on how Gulf countries can leverage these experiences to support economic diversification and enhance the contribution of various sectors to the national economy.

Dr Mahmoud Abdellatif, associate professor of Economics at the college and chair of the conference organising committee, said the conference will focus on research, studies, and experiences from various countries related to financial incentives for investment.

Abdellatif said the conference presents a valuable opportunity for researchers and organisations focused on promoting investment in the region, as well as tax managers from Qatari institutions, professional offices, accountants, lawyers, and others interested in the professional and research aspects of taxation and financial studies.