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The heads of the Economy, Trade and Industry Committee under the Qatari-Saudi Coordination Council convened via video conference on September 28 with Qatari Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani and Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadl Al Ibrahim presiding over their respective delegations, Qatar News Agency reported. Several officials and representatives from concerned authorities in both countries attended the session, during which they examined priority areas of collaboration as economic relations continue to expand. A statement issued by the Qatari Ministry of Commerce and Industry outlined how the participants followed up on progress in implementing joint initiatives and projects that serve the shared interests of the two neighboring states.
Discussions covered indicators of the economic relationship, which reached a trade volume of approximately 1.98 billion U.S. dollars in 2025 for a 36 percent increase from the prior year, according to the ministry statement. Qatari exports to Saudi Arabia surpassed 1.42 billion dollars during that period while more than 977 Saudi companies operate inside the Qatari market. Growth in the first quarter of 2026 measured 18 percent, exceeding the 15 percent target that planners had set for the period.
The two sides reviewed mechanisms aimed at streamlining import and export processes to strengthen intra-trade flows, the Qatari Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in its statement. They also explored ways to activate the private sector along with small and medium-sized enterprises while deepening cooperation on consumer protection and procedures for establishing commercial businesses. Integration across supply chains received attention together with financial collaboration and the development of credit solutions.
Earlier sessions of the same committee, including the third working group meeting held in March 2026, had already assessed the full scope of activities completed throughout 2025 before setting targets for the current year, The Peninsula Qatar reported at the time. Those gatherings produced recommendations on overcoming obstacles that slow commercial exchanges between the two economies. Updates on ongoing joint projects formed a central element of the agenda in each round of talks.
The Qatari-Saudi Joint Business Council has reported that overall bilateral trade has tripled since 2022 while combined cross-border investments have reached roughly 4.8 billion dollars. Qatari investments in Saudi Arabia total approximately 12 billion Saudi riyals with Saudi investments in Qatar standing near 6 billion riyals according to the same council data. Such figures reflect sustained momentum that began after the eighth meeting of the Coordination Council at the leadership level in late 2025.
Five commercial agreements between Qatari and Saudi enterprises were concluded in a related September 2026 session of the Joint Business Council, Economy Middle East reported. Those pacts span furniture manufacturing, medical supplies, real estate services, advertising, exhibitions and international investment promotion. The council has also established follow-up structures to resolve investor obstacles, with 80 percent of previously identified barriers already cleared.
