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A Qatar Chamber delegation headed by board member Dr Mohamed bin Jawhar Al-Mohammed participated in the Global Halal Summit 2026 that opened in Kuala Lumpur under Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The group included Qatar’s ambassador to Malaysia Salah bin Mohamed Al-Sorour and focused its engagements on activating the Qatar-Malaysia Joint Business Council while identifying fresh opportunities in food industries, logistics, technology and investment. According to Gulf Times, the chamber used the platform to highlight Qatar’s incentives and position the country as a potential regional hub for food production and halal products.
Dr Al-Mohammed met Mohamed Razeek Hussain, who chairs the Malaysian side of the joint business council, to review bilateral economic relations and mechanisms for deepening private-sector collaboration. The two sides agreed to schedule regular meetings, exchange information on regulations and promising sectors, and facilitate joint ventures between Qatari and Malaysian companies. Gulf Times reported that the discussions also covered ways the council could promote trade and investment ties more effectively between the business communities of both countries.
MATRADE figures show bilateral trade reached QR402.6 million in the first two months of 2026 after QR3.10 billion for all of 2025 and a peak of QR5.76 billion in 2024. Dr Al-Mohammed told summit participants that Qatari businesses are increasingly interested in the global halal economy, which now spans pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, tourism, logistics, technology and packaging in addition to food and beverages. A Qatar Chamber statement quoted him as saying the summit offered a platform to connect producers, exporters, investors and buyers worldwide.
The delegation toured exhibition halls at the related Malaysia International Halal Showcase and held separate meetings with Malaysian business leaders from the food industry as well as officials from MATRADE and the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia. Dr Al-Mohammed emphasised the strong existing economic relations between Qatar and Malaysia while stressing significant untapped potential for private-sector partnerships. He invited Malaysian firms to explore investment opportunities in Qatar, citing incentives designed to attract foreign capital into strategic sectors.
Further talks with S Jay Shankar, deputy chief executive of MATRADE, examined ways to boost trade volumes, strengthen private-sector engagement and open new channels for Qatari and Malaysian enterprises. The chamber’s participation forms part of a broader effort to diversify cooperation beyond traditional areas into the expanding halal value chain. Gulf Times noted that these engagements build on earlier meetings, including one with Malaysia’s Malacca governor that similarly targeted halal industries, tourism and healthcare collaboration.
