Qatar Economic Forum opens in New York as Qatari PM sets out regional security stance

The Bloomberg-backed Qatar Economic Forum opened in New York on Sunday, where Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said security cannot be achieved through escalation or threats between states.

• The forum, held alongside UN General Assembly high-level week, convened in New York on Sunday; its next sessions are set for Doha in April.
• Al Thani said the region needs a framework respecting sovereignty in which no state threatens another, ruling out permanent security through cycles of escalation and response.
• Al Thani said Qatar remains a committed mediation partner, a reliable energy supplier and a long-term investment partner, and predicted $38 billion in private-sector investment over five years.
• Al Thani said the region had witnessed what he described as an "earthquake" that put security and stability assumptions to a real test.
• Qatar's Energy Minister al-Kaabi said at the forum that gas production is gradually recovering but remains below normal, with full output expected within weeks.
• He said force majeure has been declared for some export commitments.
• He warned that continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz could push European gas prices higher.
• Qatar's Finance Minister Ali Al-Kuwari told the forum the revenue decline is temporary and the country is capable of recovery.
• He said first-quarter GDP fell 70% and energy exports 25%, but pre-prepared fiscal policies helped manage the crisis.
• Commerce Minister Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani said negotiations are underway with four major institutions planning to invest about $50 billion in Qatar.
• He said the Strait of Hormuz closure created supply chain challenges, reinforcing Qatar's strategy to diversify income and boost local production.
• He emphasized Qatar's neutral stance in the US-China artificial intelligence competition, focusing on consumer needs.