Dena Lewerke, Programs and Initiatives Coordinator and Amjad Said, Business Opportunities Committee member attended Project Qatar 2009 on behalf of the Council and all its members. This was the 6th International Trade Exposition for Construction and Technology, Building Materials, and Equipment and Environmental Technology for Qatar and the first international exposition hosted by the Council for its members with support from USAID Jordan Economic Development Program (SABEQ). Project Qatar provided excellent exposure for the members to both the Qatar market and international market. A number of important regional and international consulting firms, investors, and developers were present at the event and visited the Council booth. Visitors appreciated the unique idea of an association made up of competitors in the same sector and many recognized the names and logos of our members. Dena and Amjad met with his Excellency Ahmad J. Mufleh, the Jordan Ambassador to Qatar, who stated that there is a renewed commitment to improve business relationships between the countries and an official document was recently signed to this affect. Although private project development has slowed, there is still a planned 60 billion dollar investment in roads and infrastructure, housing and real estate and health medical and sanitation projects. The country is specifically in need of qualified designers and engineers for these types of projects. One alternative way to enter the market is to partner with a large internationally recognized A/E firm. A full presentation was given on the outcomes and highlights of the event on May 27th. A report and CD which includes contacts, an overview of the event, and market research is available for each member company at the Council. Several of the members stated that the information collected from Project Qatar will be very useful to their firms.
