PM unveils ‘Tawteen’ initiative to enhance localization in Qatar’s energy sector

His Excellency The Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani yesterday officially inaugurated Qatar Petroleum’s (QP) localization program, Tawteen, which is expected to serve as a major impetus to increased participation of local firms in the area of supply chain within Qatar’s energy sector.

A significant milestone for the country, the drive aims to augment the existing faction of small and medium sized local businesses involved in the energy sector’s supply chain operations and increase their representation from 15 to 40 percent in the next five years.

The program is said to raise the country’s GDP by 1.6 percent and offer as many as 100 investment opportunities in Qatar’s energy sector, according to the Gulf Times.

Complementing the initiative, the PM also launched the initiative’s website, www.tawteen.com.qa fashioned to serve as an “important link” to the different components of the energy sector’s supply chain.

H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Prime Minister & Minister of Interior, launched Qatar Petroleum’s Localization Program for Services & Industries in the Energy Sector “TAWTEEN” –an initiative to enhance localizing the sector’s supply chain and expand SMEs pic.twitter.com/ifrdNTsU1D

— Qatar Petroleum (@qatarpetroleum) February 18, 2019

Tawteen’s launch came amid a two-day conference and exhibition that convened distinguished persons and officials in the energy sector and other service providers and their associated industries.

During his speech at the event, HE the Minister of State for Energy Affairs and the President and CEO of QP, Saad Sherida Al Kaabi said, “As part of our national duty to develop the industry in Qatar and to promote self-reliance, we saw the need to localize many of the supporting industries in our sector to help enhance our independence as well as support the private sector through Tawteen,” he is quoted to have said by the Gulf Times.

“This programme provides local alternatives to exports with a value of between QR8bn and QR9bn a year, which would raise GDP by about 1.6%,” he highlighted.

He further outlined that the implementation of the program will be in two stages. The first part would offer about 100 new investment opportunities while the “second part would be an in-country value policy, which would reward suppliers and contractors that execute their contracts and agreements by maximizing local content,” he said, reported Qatar Tribune. 

HE The Energy Minister also shed light on QP’s initiatives to ensure optimal use of Qatar’s natural resources carried out with an ambition to increase efficiency and allow the best growth and expansion.

QP’s recent decisions and achievements, including cutting operational cost by QR4bn annually, adopting a strategy to raise QP’s production output from 4.8mn to 6.5mn barrels of oil equivalent per year, raising Qatar’s LNG production from 77 to 110mn tonnes per year by 2024, were highlighted at the event.

Other activities at the event, have been designed to offer a unique opportunity for private sector companies to learn more about Tawteen and its incentives to allow effective participation in the energy sector’s supply chain and to generate high quality job opportunities.

Some 15 major companies on board with the Tawteen program increasing the support extended to the country’s oil and gas industry.  

The initiative further consolidates Qatar’s position as a leading, reliable, and trustworthy supplier of clean energy and high quality hydrocarbon products to the world.

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Cover Image Credit: Qatar Tribune