Make It Count

What are the substantial differences between the National Development Strategy (NDS) 2011- 2016 and the NDS 2017-2022?

The NDS 2017-2022 includes new priorities and faces different challenges, most notably in light of lower energy prices. However, it coincides with conditions more appropriate than the previous ones, in terms of capacities, acquired expertise, and learned lessons. In addition, there is an obvious commitment of the State of Qatar to invest these conditions positively via intensifying efforts to confront the challenges, in conformity with HH the Emir’s Advisory Council Speech last November 2016. The NDS 2017-2022 will be more focused in terms of the number of results and targets identified and planned to be implemented in the first NDS 2011-2016. Overall, there will be a focus on the most pressing and vital objectives in the next period.

What is MDPS’ role in providing data on which the FIFA 2022 World Cup future plans are based?

The State of Qatar implements multiple infrastructure-related projects in preparation for the host of many regional and international events, most notably the FIFA 2022 World Cup. Consequently, the statistical figures provided by the MDPS via censuses, surveys, and administrative registers are considered instrumental in the conduct and implementation of the plans of these development projects. It is noteworthy that there is ongoing cooperation between the MDPS and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy via a technical team that provides data on the population, their demographic characteristics, and their locations, especially the places where the FIFA 2022 World Cup stadiums and public facilities are located. In addition, there is data on the number of hotels, residential units, and their capacity. The technical team tackles a set of surveys and studies, which the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy intends to implement in terms of tickets and housing prices.

What types of statistics are more sought after by businessmen and investors in Qatar?

The stimulus of the private sector and its competitiveness require development data that stand as a guide for investors to provide logistical needs and catalytic legislation, simplify procedures, and grant further pieces of land. The supply of data facilitates the private sector’s and investors’ access to the most productive sectors, such as the food industry, tourism, IT and knowledge, renewables, and culture and sport facilities management. It also helps to identify private-sector controlling mechanisms, mainly its quality services and products in respect of the government projects. In this regard, the MDPS conducts a quarterly survey called the Business Confidence Index, in which it provides significant data and indicators on the government and private sectors in terms of production and exportation and the difficulties they confront. The survey findings, released within the areas of “Development Indicators” and “Confidence Indicators,” are published on our website.

What is the MDPS initial plan for the census in 2020?

The MDPS developed an initial plan to conduct an online census in 2020, which will substantially reduce the cost required by such projects. As a result, fieldwork that needs over 3,500 staff will be spared. Furthermore, data will be obtained from administrative registers available in the different government bodies and address directories. These registers will be supported by data available from sub-registers. The census preparation phase started by discussing the census-related concepts and statistical evidence which focused on the United Nations Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses. The GCC Statistical Center organized this panel discussion to prepare for the implementation of the unified census registration project at GCC level in 2020.The second phase, which will be implemented in 2017, features field visits to data providers and access to administrative registers in order to ascertain their suitability for census purposes. The third phase, which will be carried out in 2018, includes the conduct of an all-embracing assessment of quality and comprehensiveness of data to detect the register’s flaws, and develop appropriate solutions accordingly by relying on the successful practices in this domain.