Qatar’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce is preparing to submit the draft public-private partnership (PPP) law to the cabinet by the end of August this year.

“We will submit the draft PPP law to the cabinet in July or August,” said Saud Abdullah al-Attiyah, director of economic policies and research department, Ministry of Economy and Commerce, speaking at MEED’s Qatar Projects conference in Doha on 15 March.

Al-Attiyah said that the ministry hopes to have the PPP framework finalised by the end of 2016.

“We hope to have the framework completed and start implementing the [PPP] law by the end of the year.”

He told the conference that the initial PPP opportunities in Qatar in 2016 and 2017 will include “pure-PPP” projects for the construction of 10-12 public schools, plus the provision of land for health projects and sports venues.

Al-Attiyah said that the ministry had studied Kuwait’s PPP law and strategy, and other country’s PPP programmes, to assist formulate the draft law and framework.

Opening the MEED event, Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim al-Thani, had said that the PPP model offered promising opportunities to encourage and increase private investment and assist develop economic growth.