A new report found that Qatari investment has contributed more than £1.3 trillion to the United Kingdom’s economy over the past 15 years.
A new report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) found that Qatari investment generated more than £1.3 trillion and supported hundreds of thousands of jobs across the United Kingdom.
The report, The Economic Contribution of Qatari Investment in the UK, reviewed the impact of Qatar’s long-term investments in British companies and how they have helped shape the UK economy between 2008 and 2022.
“This report demonstrates just how deep and valuable our economic ties truly are,” Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani, Qatar’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Iceland told yesterday’s Qatar’s International Media Office news about the report.
“As trading partners of such magnitude, we can mutually support economic development; sharing skills, research, and the significant benefits of our joint success in an ever-changing world,” the ambassador added.
Cebr, which provides economic forecasting and analysis for over 190 countries, found that in 2022 alone, businesses in the UK backed by Qatari investment brought in £127.2 billion in revenue, almost matching the entire turnover of the country’s food and drinks manufacturing sector.
The report also found that Qatari investment helped support over 600,000 jobs that year alone, which comes out to about one in every 44 full-time jobs across the UK. Adding to the nationwide impact, a third of the overall economic value from Qatari-backed companies came from areas outside of London.
“Cebr’s research shows the many ways in which the UK economy has benefited from close bilateral ties with Qatar,” Nina Skero, Cebr’s CEO, told Qatar’s International Media office. “The continued stream of investment is set to support growth in the years to come, which will enhance the UK’s overall economic prospects.”
The report also highlighted several milestones in the UK’s economy, finding that the UK’s imports from Qatar hit a “historical peak” of £7.8 billion in 2022. Also in 2022, businesses owned by Qatar contributed £3.4 billion in taxes. At the time, Qatar had committed to investing £10 billion over five years.
By 2023, Qatar had become the UK’s 23rd biggest market for exports, which directly supported more than 20,000 full-time jobs across the UK.
Recent commitments include Qatar’s £1 billion promise in December 2024 to support a UK-Qatar clean energy partnership, backing projects focused on climate innovation.
On April 7, the British Department for Business and Trade revealed that Qatar was the UK’s 45th largest trading partner towards the end of 2024, accounting for 0.3 percent of its total trade.
On Sunday’s second Qatar-UK Strategic Dialogue, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said: “We consider the UK as one of the most important partners in the field of investment. Also, the Qatari investments help the British economy and create a lot of jobs.”
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy echoed Sheikh Mohammed, saying Qatar and the UK share “a long, standing and enduring partnership.”
