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He said Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar and former Minister of Energy and Industry, said it is a journey Qatar To achieve its economic miracle by exporting liquefied gas to the world until it became the largest in this field, it was full of challenges and difficulties, pointing out that its leadership pays attention to preparing for the post-oil and gas era.
In an interview with the “Beyond Oil” podcast on the “Atheer” platform on Al Jazeera Network, Al-Attiyah touched on important milestones in his life, starting with his upbringing, which witnessed severe challenges, all the way to the stage of his assuming ministerial positions and the tasks, projects, and achievements that included it. He also highlighted the milestones. A major figure in the history of Qatar’s economic renaissance.
Al-Attiyah points out that the beginning of Qatar as a petroleum country was in 1949, when the first oil shipment came out of it and its economic recovery began, while before that it was one of the poorest countries in the world as it was a dry country without effective economic resources, and its people’s dependence at that time was on pearl fishing. Which was later influenced by the Japanese discovery of a method for growing pearls.
The Gulf before oil
The country’s conditions were harsh, forcing many to migrate to neighboring countries such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait since the beginning of the twentieth century in order to work and seek a livelihood, while Qatar was devoid of any service institutions such as hospitals and schools, and 95% of Qataris were illiterate.
According to Al-Attiyah, these difficult conditions were not limited to Qatar, but rather most of the Gulf countries suffered from them, before they discovered oil, which appeared in successive eras in them, so each country was working to improve its conditions after the discovery of “black gold” as it was known at the time and the development of Its infrastructure.
The difficult situation in Qatar was exacerbated by the fact that the countries that were importing foodstuffs from it stopped exporting due to the war, causing the country to enter a stage of “hunger.” Root disease also spread in the country, which killed a third of Qatar’s population.
Al-Attiyah looked at the history of oil discovery in the Gulf and the region, with the entry of international companies that moved between Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq, and reached their station in Qatar. The first well was discovered in the city of smoking On the west coast of Qatar in 1939, but after the outbreak of World War II, it was closed by the implementing company and left the country.
Building modern Qatar
In this context, Al-Attiyah points out that after the oil companies returned to extract it in Qatar, many Qataris who had immigrated to their country returned and settled there, and the matter began with their work in those companies. The year 1949 witnessed the first shipment of oil leaving the country, and that is when the state decided to establish the first small hospital. The first primary school in its history.
Meanwhile, as the situation stabilized, some residents faced problems and difficulties that they saw as requiring some public and social reforms to preserve rights, which prompted them to meet at his father’s house to discuss the matter. This was in 1963, and these demands were not against the state or called for changing the regime.
The injustice of British colonialism
Al-Attiyah mentions that the British, who were controlling the state at the time, as they were in control of the army, police, and traffic, did not like the matter, so they arrested his father and a number of Qatari notables, then they exiled most of them outside the country, except for his father and Mr. Nasser bin Abdullah Al-Misnad, because they rejected the matter. .
Since then, when Al-Attiyah was about 10 years old, he took responsibility for his family, which was strengthened by the death of his father in prison two years later. His mother and paternal grandmother played a major role in educating him and his seven siblings (4 boys and 3 girls) until they all graduated from universities.
Al-Attiyah talked about his move in 1970 to the United States of America for university studies, but after he learned of changes taking place in the country (the corrective movement) in 1972, he returned to Qatar with the intention of visiting, so he asked his friend, the “Father Emir.” Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa He asked him to stay in Qatar to help him serve and develop it, and he insisted on the matter.
Friendship of the father-prince
In this context, Al-Attiyah spoke about the history of his relationship with the Father Emir, which began since childhood and was strengthened at different age stages. He pointed out that the beginning of his roles in the state was his appointment to the Ministry of Finance and Petroleum, and he continued to work there for 17 years, where his personality and experience were formed. He also joined the University of Beirut. To finish his university education.
After that, Al-Attiyah moved to the Ministry of Interior when Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani took over, and he asked him to manage his office, pointing out that he benefited greatly from that period and enjoyed it, even though it was initially contrary to his desires, which were formed during his work in the Ministry of Finance and Petroleum.
Al-Attiyah took over the Ministry of Energy and Industry in 1992 after the nomination of the Father Emir – who was Crown Prince at the time – and the Gulf was facing a severe economic crisis, as oil prices collapsed to less than $10 per barrel, after its price was $85, and the State of Qatar at that time could not cover salaries. The wages of its employees, which was a difficult challenge for him.
Gas export trip
Regarding that difficult period, Al-Attiyah narrates how they were able to overcome that difficult stage and implement huge projects that achieved economic renaissance, including the gas-to-liquid conversion project, and the success in concluding the first long-term contract to export it to Japan, which lasted 25 years, and the subsequent challenges that they faced. Get over it.
After this “miracle” occurred with the export of the first batch of liquefied gas in late 1997, Qatar’s contracts continued with other countries, first of all South Korea, then China and India. Contracts were also concluded with European countries such as Italy, France, Spain, Britain and Poland, and a contract was also signed with Kuwait.
The largest source of gas
In this context, Al-Attiyah pointed out that Qatar has established the largest gas transport companies in the world, and has become the largest exporter of gas in 2010. It has also become the largest exporter of helium gas since 2013, and it has not limited itself to exporting, but has developed the chemical fertilizer industries, tampon production, and other approved industries. On the gas.
The former Qatari minister referred to the role of the Father Emir in this renaissance, and his comprehensive view that did not ignore the post-oil and gas phase, and his work to ensure that the state is viable for continued life by focusing on investment in the education sector, as he believed that science came before quarantine, so he established the Qatar Foundation. For education, science and community development.
In this context, Al-Attiyah points out that Qatar now embraces branches of the world’s largest universities in various specializations, and Qatar University has been developed until it has become one of the best universities in the world.
The relationship of economics and politics
In the context of talking about the impact of this economic renaissance on foreign policy, Al-Attiyah stressed that Qatar was adopting a separation between the two matters, which raised its credibility with various countries of the world, pointing out in this context that mixing them produced unfortunate experiences for a number of Arab countries.
But at the same time, he highlighted Qatar’s political role, which was represented by performing successful mediation roles, which increased its international weight until it became the ideal mediator in various crises, pointing in this context to the mediation experience between the Taliban and the United States of America.
Regarding the war in the Gaza Strip, Al-Attiyah believes that it is “the largest genocide in modern history,” stressing that the Arab countries could have been influential if they agreed on a unified position.
But at the same time, he does not believe that the Gulf oil and gas ban could be a factor of pressure on the United States and European countries, stressing in this context that the Netherlands and America were not affected by the oil embargo at all in 1973, despite what is commonly said about that effect.
The Gulf beyond oil and gas
Regarding the Gulf’s readiness for the post-oil and gas era, Al-Attiyah pointed to Qatar’s move towards investing in sustainable and renewable energy, and exploiting the solar energy available to the Gulf countries, as Qatar built one of the largest power stations in the world, with a capacity of 800 megawatts.
In this context, he also stressed the need to pay attention to the educational sector, focus on areas related to industries and technology, and address the causes of the migration of Arab minds, which are exploited by America and European countries, as he believes that these countries built themselves with these migrating minds.
In this context, Al-Attiyah pointed out the advanced focus in Qatar on the field of technical education and research centers, and that this comes within the framework of interest in infrastructure and superstructure to face the future after oil and gas, pointing out in this context that Qatar has benefited greatly from Arab engineers who have distinguished themselves after their migration to countries. Western countries, then they preferred to move to Arab countries such as Qatar.
