2025 budget: 11 new schools, new hospitals and care centre for wildlife among major projects
Published: 17 December 2024
Minister of Finance HE Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari unveils highlights of public budget
Qatar News Agency
Doha
Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari unveiled the highlights of Qatar’s new public budget and financial plans for 2025. He provided details on revenue and expenditure figures, sector allocations, and significant economic indicators.
In a press conference held on Sunday to announce the 2025 state public budget, HE Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari pointed out that the budget’s total expenditure amounts to QR210.2bn. The education sector is allocated QR19.4bn, with plans to construct 11 new schools and renovate 7 existing ones. Additionally, new buildings for the College of Dentistry and the College of Nursing will be constructed, along with maintenance and development of some facilities to support an advanced educational environment.
The Minister added that the health sector is allocated QR22bn, which will be used to complete the construction of new hospitals and develop existing facilities for Hamad Medical Corporation and the Primary Health Care Corporation.
The Minister pointed out that the allocation for the municipality and environment sector is QR 21.9 billion. Projects include the establishment of a shelter and care center for wildlife, development and rehabilitation of the Al Maha Wildlife Reserve in Al Shahaniya, rehabilitation and maintenance of the central veterinary laboratories building, development of farm complexes in the state, and expansion of the Aquatic Research Center.
His Excellency explained that the sports sector is allocated QR 6.6 billion in the 2025 budget. The funds will be used to upgrade and develop Aspire Zone facilities, as well as the facilities of the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, the Qatar Equestrian Federation, and the Al Uqda Equestrian Complex (Phase 4).
Commercial affairs are allocated QR 3.9bn, transportation QR3.9bn, tourism and culture QR3.6bn, telecommunications QR3bn, social services QR2.7bn, and research and development QR1.1bn.
Finance Minister mentioned that the allocations for salaries and wages in 2025 have increased to QR67.5bn, a 5.5 percent rise from 2024. Current expenditure allocations increased by 6.3 percent and minor capital expenditures by 7.7 percent compared to the previous year.
Major capital expenditure allocations saw a slight increase of 1.4 percent to support the continued implementation of strategic and developmental projects.
Discussing key economic indicators for the current year, HE the Minister stated that the country’s GDP grew by 1.7 percent in 2024, with non-hydrocarbon GDP growth at 1.9 percent and hydrocarbon GDP growth at 1.4 percent.
He pointed out that the State of Qatar received 4.6 million tourists up to November, with a budget surplus of 0.3 percent of GDP, and public debt at 40.5 percent of GDP
