Doha: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced that the cumulative investment volume in the industrial sector reached QR 270 billion during the first quarter of 2026, marking a 0.13 percent increase compared to the same period in 2025. This announcement was made during the ministry's first quarterly meeting of 2026, which was chaired by HE Minister Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al-Thani and attended by other ministry officials.
According to Qatar News Agency, the meeting highlighted the ministry's significant achievements and initiatives during the first quarter of 2026. These included the launch of 36 new electronic services on the ministry's website, the activation of the national intellectual property strategy committee, the issuance of a guide for Gulf National Product Certificates for factories, the publication of a draft law regulating public-private partnerships on the "Sharek" platform, and the signing of a contract with "Hassad" Company for the management, operation, and provision of services in central markets.
The meeting also discussed the activation of the "Operations Center" to monitor markets amid geopolitical conditions, the announcement of a draft law regulating competition in coordination with the Council of Ministers Secretariat General, a memorandum of understanding with Kuwait on competition protection, the launch of the electronic suppliers portal service (iSupplier), and the activation of 30 specialized licensing services through a unified digital platform.
The commerce sector saw 6,328 new commercial registrations during the first quarter of 2026, an 18.5 percent increase from the previous year. The Single Window platform developed 12 services, a 300 percent increase compared to the first quarter of 2025. The number of transactions submitted through the platform reached 109,284, with 94 percent submitted electronically, indicating progress in digital transformation.
Customer satisfaction with electronic application services reached 93 percent, 99 percent with services in the ministry building, and 95 percent with applications in government service centers. The first quarter of 2026 also saw the establishment of 3,295 non-Qatari companies, reflecting a 66 percent increase from 2025, highlighting the favorable investment environment in Qatar.
In intellectual property rights, 1,661 trademarks, 145 patents, and 43 copyrights were granted in the first quarter of 2026, with significant increases compared to the same period in 2025. The industrial affairs sector registered 17 new factories, a 112 percent increase, and assessed the readiness of 32 factories, a 191 percent increase from 2025.
The consumer affairs sector issued 1,897 type licenses and received 6,895 complaints, marking a 323 percent increase from 2025. The sector handled complaints within specific timeframes, with consumer protection complaints resolved in 8 days, supply complaints in one day, and type license complaints in two days. Additionally, 74,766 inspection visits were conducted, an 89 percent increase from 2025, and violations reached 9 percent, focusing on market control and consumer protection.
The number of food support beneficiaries rose to 453,694, a 3.11 percent increase, while feed support beneficiaries reached 8,638, a 3.6 percent increase from 2025. The meeting concluded with a commitment to ongoing monitoring of targets and performance indicators, and enhancing inter-sector coordination to support the implementation of plans and initiatives as scheduled.