USQBC, IFC Advance Qatar’s Food Security Goals

​The US-Qatar Business Council – Doha (USQBC Doha) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group (WBG), convened a high-level event titled “Profit with a Purpose – Harnessing Qatari Investments for Advancing Agrifood Security” to explore how strategic investments can contribute to strengthening Qatar’s food security while generating sustainable commercial returns. 

The event brought together key stakeholders from the public and private sectors to discuss opportunities for aligning agrifood investments with Qatar’s National Food Security Strategy 2030 and broader economic diversification objectives.

A key highlight of the event was the launch of the white paper, “Building Resilient Food Systems — A Roadmap for Qatar’s South–South Agrifood Investments in Emerging and Developing Markets.” The study was jointly developed by USQBC Doha and IFC over the past year through extensive research and engagement with stakeholders across Qatar’s food security, investment, and agribusiness ecosystem.

The programme commenced with opening remarks by Sheikha Mayes Hamad Al Thani, Managing Director of USQBC Doha, and Abdullah Zeini Jefri, IFC Division Director for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries. Their remarks underscored the importance of public-private collaboration in addressing food security challenges and identifying investment opportunities that support national development priorities.

The event also featured a keynote address by Wagner Albuquerque, IFC Regional Industry Director for Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services, who highlighted the increasing role of emerging markets in shaping global agrifood systems and emphasised the growing opportunities available to investors seeking long-term, sustainable returns in the sector.

Participants were presented with the study’s key findings and recommendations, which provide an evidence-based roadmap for leveraging agrifood investments across emerging and developing markets. The report outlines strategies for enhancing food security, diversifying supply chains, improving resilience against global disruptions, and unlocking new commercial opportunities for Qatari investors.

An innovative feature introduced during the event was a commodity-country pairing tool, designed to help Qatari investors identify, evaluate, and prioritise agrifood investment opportunities across different markets. The tool offers a structured approach to assessing investment potential by matching specific commodities with countries that present favorable conditions for production, trade, and long-term partnerships.

Speaking on the significance of the initiative, Sheikha Mayes Hamad Al Thani said the launch represented far more than the publication of a research report.

“Today marks more than the launch of a white paper. It is the culmination of over a year of deliberate collaboration, research, and stakeholder engagement under our MoU with IFC, a member of the World Bank Group,” she said.

“As a business council, our role is to translate national priorities into actionable commercial opportunities, and this work does exactly that. By identifying concrete agrifood investment pathways that directly support Qatar’s National Development Strategy, we are demonstrating how the private sector can be a meaningful driver of food security, not just as a policy outcome, but as a viable and attractive investment proposition.”

Albuquerque highlighted Qatar’s potential to emerge as a regional leader in agrifood resilience and sustainable food systems.

“Qatar has a unique opportunity to become a regional agrifood resilience hub, leveraging the country’s Vision 2030, investments, technology, and trade to strengthen food security at home and beyond,” he said.

“This report lays out a clear path to help unlock that potential. It is part of IFC’s broader commitment to deepening the World Bank Group partnership with Qatar and supporting its development priorities by helping mobilize investment, expand into emerging markets, create jobs, and drive sustainable growth.”

The discussions reflected growing recognition of the need for innovative investment strategies to address global food security challenges amid climate change, geopolitical uncertainties, supply chain disruptions, and increasing demand for sustainable agricultural production.

The event forms part of the ongoing collaboration between USQBC Doha and IFC under a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at fostering evidence-based dialogue, strengthening private-sector engagement, and identifying practical investment opportunities that support Qatar’s national development priorities and economic diversification agenda.

By promoting commercially viable agrifood investments in emerging and developing markets, the partnership seeks to position Qatar as an active contributor to global food security while simultaneously enhancing the resilience of its own food supply chains and creating new avenues for economic growth and private-sector participation.