UPDATE 2-France wins Qatar tram deal, discusses Rafale jets

US sells $11bn worth of arms to Qatar Published time: July 15, 2014 09:46 Get short URL US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel (L) and Qatar's Minister of State for Defense Affairs Hamad bin Ali al-Atiyah (C) arrive for a weapons sales signing ceremony at the Pentagon on July 14, 2014 in Washington, DC. (AFP Photo / Mandel Ngan) US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel (L) and Qatar's Minister of State for Defense Affairs Hamad bin Ali al-Atiyah (C) arrive for a weapons sales signing ceremony at the Pentagon on July 14, 2014 in Washington, DC. (AFP Photo / Mandel Ngan) Share on tumblr Tags Air Force, Arms, Army, Big deal, Military, Qatar, USA Washington and Doha have signed the largest arms deal of the year, preparing to enhance Qatar’s military capabilities with $11 billion-worth of Apache assault helicopters, PAC-2 missile defense complexes and Javelin man-portable anti-tank missiles. The deal has been signed on Monday in Pentagon by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Qatari Defense Minister Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah. Altogether Qatar is buying 10 batteries of Patriot missile defense systems and 500 Javelin anti-tank missiles manufactured by US defense industry giants Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, and 24 Apache helicopters made by Boeing, an anonymous US official told the AFP. A U.S. military AH-64 Apache assault helicopter (Reuters / Erik De Castro) The Patriot complexes with 247 PAC-3 missiles cost over $7 billion, the Apache helicopters and related gear are worth over $3 billion, and the Javelin anti-tank missiles cost additional $100 million. “Today's signing ceremony underscores the strong partnership between the United States and Qatar in the area of security and defense and will help improve our bilateral cooperation across a range of military operations,” said in a statement Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby. Qatar is the key US ally in the Persian Gulf region and home to the US Al-Udeid Air Base, with the headquarters of US Central Command (USCC) and US Air Force Central Command (USAFCC) stationed there. Patriot Advanced Capability-2 anti-missile launcher (Reuters / Richard Chung) Last December US and Qatar signed a 10-year Defense Cooperation Agreement ensuring presence of American troops at the military installations in the area, including the Combined Air Operations Center at Al Udeid Air Base, and closer interaction between American and Qatari armed forces. The agreement was signed in Qatar by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Qatari Defense Minister Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah. “This is a critically important relationship in the region,” Kirby said. “And the secretary is pleased to be able to continue to make it stronger.” Pentagon claims that new order from Qatar will create 54,000 jobs in the US. A U.S. soldier explains the Javelin anti-tank missle (Reuters / Lee Jae-Won) A U.S. soldier explains the Javelin anti-tank missle (Reuters / Lee Jae-Won) It has been a priority for the US in recent years to improve the air defenses of American allies in the Persian Gulf, remaining “the defense provider of choice” for Qatar and other Gulf States, the same anonymous official informed the AFP. Qatar is investing in missile defense systems because of the missile arsenal of Iran across the Persian Gulf, the official said. Tehran possesses multiple missiles capable of reaching Qatar in case of a regional conflict. Qatari authorities have been acting as intermediary when it comes to organizing negotiations between the Taliban in Afghanistan, and American and Afghan governments after a Taliban office opened in Qatar last summer ahead of renewed talks. In January this year, another set of secret negotiations between the Karzai government and Taliban took place in the United Arab Emirates. Qatar also contributed to the US-Taliban deal that ended in release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl on May 31 this year. Bergdahl, who spent five years as a Taliban POW, was delivered to Qatar in exchange for the release five Taliban commanders imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay US detention facility in Cuba. There have been reports that Qatar has been actively participating in a number of conflicts in recent years, such as ousting Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and the ongoing civil war in Syria. ========================= Mon, Jun 23 15:58 PM EDT * Alstom, Vinci win 2 bln euro tram deal * Talks continue on sale of Rafale jets (Adds defence analyst quote, background) By Elizabeth Pineau and Tim Hepher PARIS, June 23 (Reuters) - French conglomerates Alstom and Vinci signed a 2 billion euro ($2.72 billion) deal with Qatar on Monday to build a tram system in the future Lusail City, while the two countries also discussed a possible defence contract. The deal, which will see the light rail system starting to operate in 2018-20, was signed in front of journalists during a visit to Paris by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. One of the Gulf's largest real estate developments, Lusail City is expected to house up to 200,000 people and contain commercial districts including the $275 million Marina Mall project, 22 hotels, four islands and two golf courses. The estimated $45 billion development will also feature the 80,000-seat Lusail Stadium, where the championship match of the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament will be played. Qatar has been under fire for its treatment of migrant workers, many of whom are reported to have died on the country's infrastructure projects, but has announced stricter measures for contractors involved in building work for the 2022 tournament. Asked whether France had raised the issue of worker conditions during the emir's visit, a French official said, "We talk about everything with Qatar. There are no forbidden topics." Leaders of the two countries also discussed the possible sale of French Rafale fighter jets, built by Dassault Aviation , to Qatar but there was no immediate conclusion. "They discussed it. Negotiations are continuing," a source close to French President Francois Hollande said following a meeting held during the emir's first official visit to France. Qatar is planning a significant increase in the size of its air force as the energy-rich Gulf state forges a wider international role after taking part in the 2011 Libya conflict. Its air force operates a squadron of 12 Dassault Mirage-2000 jets, but is now looking to buy 72 jets in two equal tranches. "Qatar has always chosen French technology for its armed forces," Hollande said in a speech toasting the visiting Qatari head of state before an official dinner. The emir made no reference to the Rafale during his remarks, delivered in French. "FRENCH STRONGHOLD" France is anxious to secure its first export buyer for the Rafale as it also tries to close a long-awaited $15 billion deal with India for a purchase of 126 of the multi-role jets. In Qatar, Dassault Aviation is competing with the Eurofighter Typhoon - offered by a European consortium of Airbus Group, BAE Systems and Finmeccanica - and the F-15 fighter built by U.S. planemaker Boeing. "Traditionally, Qatar is a French stronghold in arms exports but they have been buying from elsewhere," said Douglas Barrie, senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, noting speculation that Qatar might split the order and go for a mixed fleet despite incurring extra training costs. "I would be surprised if the French walk away from this empty-handed. Is it beyond the bounds of possibility that someone else gets all 72 aircraft? No, but unlikely," he said. Qatar is among a number of Gulf states looking to renew air power but also seen as playing a waiting game with Washington for the newer Lockheed Martin F-35. The United States has not so far decided whether to offer its latest radar-evading combat jet to the Gulf, but arms sales experts say it could become available to the region about five years after Israel receives its first F-35 fighter jets in 2016. U.S. policy guidelines call for Israel to maintain a competitive military edge. "The key question is whether the Americans will release the F-35 and if so when," Barrie said. That, he said, would influence whether Qatar feels it can buy something in the interim and then make the case in Washington to release the F-35 into the region. Even then, competition for any interim deals is expected to be fierce. (Editing by Maya Nikolaeva, Alexandria Sage and David Evans)

MIDEAST STOCKS - Factors to watch - March 12

MIDEAST STOCKS - Factors to watch - March 12 Tue, Mar 11 23:00 PM EDT DUBAI, March 12 (Reuters) - Here are some factors that may affect Middle East stock markets on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified the press reports and does not vouch for their accuracy. INTERNATIONAL/REGIONAL * GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian stocks give ground, copper takes a spill * U.S. oil falls to $100 on China bond concern, stockpiles * Gold holds gains near 4-month high on safe-haven demand * MIDEAST STOCKS-Egypt climbs on talk of Sisi presidential bid; Qatar drops as IQ goes ex-div * India to slash Iran oil imports to meet nuclear deal parameters- sources * Libyan parliament sacks PM after tanker escapes rebel-held port * Ukraine appeals to West as Crimea turns to Russia * Rouhani has not increased freedoms in Iran, UN chief says * Shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles flow abroad from Libya -UN * Syrian forces advance to edge of rebel border town * Israel says regrets killing of Jordanian judge * Lebanon's snow-free ski resorts push economy downhill * Anti-corruption chief appointed to head Cyprus central bank * Al Qaeda hijacks spirit of Syria revolt three years on * U.N. anti-drugs chief praises Iran fight despite executions TURKEY * Death of Turkish boy hurt in protests rekindles unrest across country * Swiss to ask European court to review genocide denial case * Turkish lira weakens, dollars hoarded ahead of elections * Turkish central bank sells $50 mln in forex auction, bids $70 mln * Turkish central bank sells 1 bln lira in repo, bids 1.97 bln * RESEARCH ALERT-Coca Cola Icecek: Nomura cuts price target * RESEARCH ALERT-Anadolu Efes: Nomura cuts price target EGYPT * Bomb explodes near Israeli embassy in Cairo, no one hurt * Egyptian security forces kill "terrorist" in Cairo shoot-out * Egypt's Moussa: political future possible for Brotherhood * Egyptian court drops verdict against Juhayna Food Industries UNITED ARAB EMIRATES * UAE's NBAD predicts loan growth of 8-10 pct in 2014 * Emirates REIT to raise $135 mln in first Dubai IPO since 2009 * TABLE-Abu Dhabi Feb inflation at 2.6 pct, highest since Jan 2011 * UAE's NBAD picks banks for five-year Aussie bond-IFR SAUDI ARABIA * Saudi Aramco to produce gas for phosphate project, power plant * Saudi Arabia's Feb crude oil output inches up to 9.849 mln bpd - source QATAR * Consortium led by Spain's FCC gets Doha Metro contract * Reuters Insider - Qatar's ambitious World Cup goal * Qatar sells Q2 condensate at lower premiums -sources KUWAIT * Kuwait Petroleum eyes stake in IOC's Paradip refinery-PTI in Economic Times BAHRAIN * Bomb wounds two policemen in Bahraini Shi'ite village OMAN * Mill in Oman tenders for 60,000 tonnes wheat * Oman c.bank tells lenders to avoid conflicts of interest ============== Doha Metro contract awarded to construction consortiumPosted about 16 hours ago by QatarNews in News FCC has been awarded a contract by the Qatar Railways Company to build a section of Doha Metro red line (Qatar) for 506 million euro. The winning consortium led by FCC, the Citizen Services Group, also comprises Archirodon (Greece), Yüksel (Turkey) and Petroserv Ltd. (Qatar). This is FCC's first major project in this Arab Emirate. The execution period is 31 months and the project will create more than 1,000 jobs. In the bidding process, the FCC-led consortium competed with groups from South Korea, Germany, Italy and India, among other countries. The contract includes building three elevated stations (Barwa Village, Al Wakrah and Qatar Economic Zone) and a 6.97-kilometre section, plus tunnelizing the road at the entrance to Al Wakrah. The total budget for the Doha Metro project exceeds 20 billion euro. This project comes just six months after FCC obtained the largest international contract in its history: the construction of three lines of the Riyadh Metro, for over 6 billion euro. In that project, FCC heads the FAST consortium, which comprises Samsung (Korea), Alstom and Setec (both from France), Strukton (The Netherlands), Freyssinet Saudi Arabia, Typsa (Spain) and Atkins (UK). The total budget for the Riyadh Metro is more than 16.3 billion euro. As FCC executives discussed with Saudi authorities and the Spanish Development Minister, Ana Pastor, during an official trip, construction of lines 4, 5 and 6 will begin in the second quarter of the year, employing over 15,000 people from 15 countries. Thus far, geological studies and terrain surveys have been completed, in line with the proposed calendar. The consortium team in Riyadh numbers some 160 people, around 40 of whom are FCC employees from Spain. Another 220 people are located in Madrid, Paris, London, New Delhi and Dubai to provide support for the project. The execution period is five years. ======================== Qatar issues tender for Doha Metro trains, tracks - sources Wed, Mar 19 08:23 AM EDT By Praveen Menon DOHA, March 19 (Reuters) - Qatar has issued a new tender for phase one of its Doha Metro, a key infrastructure project in the Gulf country as it prepares to host the 2022 World Cup. Three sources, who did not wish to be identified since the information is not public, said the tender, issued earlier this month, is for the rolling stock, systems, depot facilities, trackwork and other aspects of Doha Metro. The project has been under scrutiny due to delays in giving contracts and starting work. The tender, which could go over 8 billion riyals ($2.2 billion) according to one source, would be the final one for phase one of the metro. "It's a big one and all major global companies are bidding for the deal," said one industry source. The Qatari authorities are expected to award the contract in the next five months. Qatar awarded four design-and-build contracts worth about $8.2 billion for phase one of the Doha Metro last year. The contracts were given to local and international companies including Italian construction firm Impregilo S.P.A and France's Vinci Construction among others. Many projects have been slower to get started than the business community expected, apparently because of bureaucratic and planning problems. In the fiscal year that ended last March, actual government spending rose only 2.2 percent, undershooting the budget plan for the first time since 1990. The ambitious $15 billion airport has yet to open for commercial operations, despite plans for a launch last year. However, the government appears determined to pick up the pace, and a planning ministry report in December said state spending would climb 11.6 percent in calendar 2014. It said on Tuesday that contracts for construction projects worth as much as $50 billion would be signed this year, an indication that the Gulf country is stepping up infrastructure spending sharply this year. After it won the right to host the 2022 World Cup four years ago, Qatar announced plans to spend some $140 billion on projects including a new airport, port facilities, railways, stadiums and other infrastructure. ($1 = 3.6415 Qatar Riyals) (Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Stephen Powell)

Will graft claims hurt German affair with Qatar?

Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation - Wed, 1 Jun 2011 10:28 AM Author: Reuters Corrects value of Deutsch Bahn contract to 17 billion euros in section 2 PDF version: http://link.reuters.com/zub89r * 2022 Qatar World Cup should boost German companies * German building firms already working on infrastructure * Qatar taking strategic stakes in German companies * Political ties boost commercial opportunities By Josie Cox and Regan E. Doherty FRANKFURT/DOHA, June 1 (Reuters) - Crowds in Doha exploded in jubilation when Sepp Blatter announced Qatar had won the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup last December. Almost 3,000 miles away, a much smaller group also celebrated the surprise win. On the third floor of a grey office building in an upmarket residential district of Frankfurt, a team from German architecture firm Albert Speer & Partner GmbH (AS&P) popped champagne bottles and screamed with delight. Founded by the son of Nazi party official Albert Speer, AS&P designed eight of the 12 stadiums Qatar plans to use for the event, as well as the hulking 743-page, 5 kg (11 pound) bid book the country presented to football's governing body FIFA. "We were speechless and had a spontaneous party. It was just before Christmas and the best present any of us ever could have hoped for," AS&P partner Axel Bienhaus told Reuters. The architects were not the only Germans rejoicing that day. Dozens of German companies stand to benefit from Qatar's World Cup win; the successful bid should also help cement growing economic and political ties between Germany and Qatar. "Qatar's victory is in many ways a victory for Germany too," Bienhaus told Reuters. But now allegations by football officials that Qatar bribed FIFA members to give it the World Cup -- claims Qatar has denied -- might spoil the party. On Wednesday, the head of Germany's football federation Theo Zwanziger called for FIFA to re-examine how Qatar won the Cup. "There is a considerable degree of suspicion that one cannot simply sweep aside, and I must expect that awarding this World Cup under these conditions needs to be examined anew," he told German television, referring to Qatar. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ TAKE A LOOK-FIFA corruption scandal [ID:nL3E7GU0IE] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> A PIPELINE OF BILLIONS However it won host rights for the world's biggest sports event, Qatar's ambitions are, by any measure, extraordinary. The government in the gas-rich state has allocated a whopping 40 percent of its budget between now and 2016 to infrastructure projects, including ${esc.dollar}11 billion on a new international airport, ${esc.dollar}5.5 billion on a deepwater seaport and ${esc.dollar}1 billion for a transport corridor in the capital, Doha. It will spend ${esc.dollar}20 billion on roads. Much of that was bound to be built anyway. But according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch estimates, Qatar will spend about ${esc.dollar}65 billion preparing for the tournament, including building nine new stadiums and renovating three at an estimated cost of about ${esc.dollar}2 billion apiece. Much of that is expected to be designed and built by German companies. Deutsche Bahn is already at work on a 17 billion euro, 320-km (200 mile) train line system in Doha, the capital. The project, one of the biggest foreign deals in German industrial history, will link the World Cup stadiums and won't wrap up until 2026, four years after the Cup. Germany's largest builder Hochtief will also construct the country's flagship project, Lusail City. The development, named for a desert flower, is the largest ever in Qatar. Owned by Qatari Diar, the real estate arm of the country's sovereign fund, it will transform a small mountain of sand alongside a highway in dusty northern Doha into a verdant 38-sq km (15 sq mile) city for 200,000 people. Hochtief will also build a separate rail network for Lusail City with 27 train stations, as well as Barwa Commercial Avenue, an 8.5-km (5.3 mile) shopping arcade with around 600 new retail units, 1,300 residential units and offices. Valued at ${esc.dollar}467 million, the project is due to be completed by the end of this year. And Hochtief has provided planning services for a 40-km Qatar-Bahrain causeway, linking the country to neighbouring Bahrain. Though the project has been long delayed, Qatar's successful World Cup bid may provide new momentum, with nearby Bahrain absorbing some of the tourist inflow in its hotels. Other contractors for the project include French group Vinci. When bids to build the new stadiums open, Hochtief "would certainly be interested", a spokesman for the construction group said. In December, Herbert Luetkestratkoetter, then Hochtief's Chief Executive, told Spiegel magazine that there was a "declaration of intent" that the company will be involved in the World Cup. German conglomerate Siemens and steel group ThyssenKrupp are also tipped by analysts and traders to be frontrunners in the race for contracts, up against everyone from South Korea's Daewoo to Luxembourg-based Arcelor Mittal. DOWN THE CHAIN And it's not just the big names. At an industrial trade exhibition in Qatar last month, German firms were the second most numerous after those from Qatar's Gulf neighbour United Arab Emirates. Many were small- and mid-sized companies from the country's famed "Mittelstand" -- firms like Weka, a tiny Stuttgart-based specialist manufacturer of aluminium door handles and locks. "There is huge potential in Qatar, obviously," said Weka's sales manager Matthias Imber, standing behind the counter at the company's exhibit at the mammoth expo. "We met this week with a hotel that will have 600 rooms. All of these rooms will need to be fitted with door handles. This is a great amount to start off with, and hopefully we will move on to bigger projects." At a stand touting the hair and hand dryers made by a company called Starmix, based in the state of Baden Wuerttemberg, sales manager Katrin Kotthaus sketched out the opportunity: to meet FIFA requirements, Qatar will need to increase hotel room capacity to 95,000 from 10,000 by 2022. The new stadiums, which will host an estimated 500,000 visitors, will also need thousands of dryers. "Wherever there is a public toilet, you need an electric hand dryer," she said, adding that Starmix had already supplied hair dryers for Qatari hotels including the Kepinski and the Grand Hyatt. "Everybody wants to come into this market. Everyone knows what is coming up for stadia and projects here. They have big plans," she said. German companies are there to help sell those plans, too. When the FIFA delegation visited Qatar last September to assess the strength of the country's bid, it was Berlin-based event planning firm Atkon that created the 39-minute interactive show to wow the visiting inspectors. Slogan: "Expect Amazing". Little wonder that trade between the two countries has boomed. Up until a little more than a decade ago, Germany lagged in terms of exports to Qatar. Since then it has passed Britain, France and other rivals. Two weeks after the FIFA vote in December, German magazine Der Spiegel predicted Germany AG could see an even bigger financial boost from the Qatar World Cup than it did from its own World Cup in 2006. A few weeks after the host nation decision was announced, remembers AS&P's Bienhaus, a colleague got a phone call from Qatari Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani "with a single message: 'I love my Germans!'"

Factbox: Lusail City Development by LRECD, Qatar

UPDATE 1-Qatar's Barwa Real Estate Q3 net profit jumps

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Tue, Oct 23 02:05 AM EDT BRIEF-Qatar's Barwa Real Estate 9-month net profit falls - statement Tue, Oct 23 01:08 AM EDT DUBAI, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Barwa Real Estate Co : * Qatar's Barwa Real Estate 9-month net profit 779.1 million riyals versus 833.3 million riyals year-ago - statement * Q3 net profit 185.4 mln riyals vs 80.8 mln yr-ago * Profit boosted by gain on investment properties * Barwa is looking at asset sales to repay loans (Adds details) DUBAI, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Barwa Real Estate, Qatar's largest listed property developer, said third quarter net profit more than doubled, as gains booked on the fair value of investments offset higher operating and finance costs. Barwa, which is eyeing asset sales worth $4.4 billion to pay down loans, made a net profit of 185.4 million riyals ($50.92 million)in the third quarter, compared with 80.8 million riyals in the same period of 2011, it said in a bourse filing on Tuesday. The profit was boosted by net fair value gain taken on investment properties, which soared to 125.3 million riyals from just 20.4 million riyals in the prior year period. This offset increase in operating expenses which nearly doubled to 119.8 million riyals in the quarter and finance costs that grew three times to 125 million. Barwa is 45-percent owned by Qatari Diar, the property arm of the country's sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority. It has properties in France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom and focuses on retail, office, hospitality and residential developments. Total revenue and gains for the quarter was 527 million riyals compared with 359.7 million riyals a year ago, the company's statement showed. Earlier this month, Barwa said it plans to sell assets worth 16 billion riyals ($4.4 billion) in Qatar and Egypt to pay down loans. The assets being sold include land in the Gulf Arab state as well as the Barwa New Cairo project in Egypt and will be reflected in fourth-quarter results. The company also laid off laid off about 90 employees in a restructuring move last year. In May, Barwa's chief executive said it planned to launch an 18 billion riyal mixed-use Golf City project ahead of the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament. Located within the planned coastal Lusail City north of the capital Doha, the project will include 4,000 residential units and a golf course, and is expected to be ready by 2018, group CEO Abdulla al-Subaie said. It will be financed through a combination of off-plan sales and subdevelopment. Barwa shares have fallen 3.5 percent year-to-date on the Doha bourse. ($1 = 3.6410 Qatar riyals) (Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Dinesh Nair) == Bombardier may build train plant in Qatar Wed, Oct 19 04:18 AM EDT * Company poised to set up train plant in Qatar * Bidding for $1.8 bln Lusail Light Rail project * Considering bid for $41 bln Doha Metro project DOHA, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Canadian train maker Bombardier , a unit of the world's third-largest civil aircraft maker, is set to build a plant in Qatar if it wins a billion-dollar rail contract it is bidding for, a company executive said. The company is bidding for the $1.8 billion Lusail Light Rail Project, a planned rail system linking parts of Qatar's yet-to-be-built Lusail City, director of marketing and business development Mickey Raviv said, declining to disclose the value of Bombardier's proposal. "If we do win the project, we will build an assembly plant here for the vehicles. The government here can offer many incentives to manufacturers able to set up here, such as free land, taxation. These incentives are quite attractive," Raviv said. Raviv said the plant would take about six to eight months to assemble, and would be done during the project's design process so as to not delay delivery. He said the company was also considering bidding for the $41 billion Doha Metro project, a planned four-line rail system linking stadia for the 2022 World Cup and expected to go to tender in the first quarter of next year. The firm is also awaiting a decision about whether it can submit another tender for the $1.4 billion West Bay Automatic People Mover, which was canceled last week but kept the door open for another bidding opportunity. "We assume they are just cancelling the technology they chose three years ago, which is an underground people mover. They might retender it in a different way," he said. Raviv said he expects a decision on the Lusail Light Rail project by the end of this year, but that there are indications it may be delayed until early 2012. "Qatar is a prominent market, but there is no experience yet in terms of rail projects. It's not rare that you'd see delays. It happens also in big countries with lots of experience." The tiny Gulf Arab state, which last December won the rights to host the 2022 soccer tournament, has allocated 40 percent of its budget between now and 2016 to infrastructure projects, including $45 billion on rail projects. It will also spend $11 billion on a new international airport, $5.5 billion on a deep-water seaport and $1 billion for a transport corridor in the capital, Doha. ========== News Corp out of race for Turkey's ATV TV-sources Thu, May 24 04:12 AM EDT By Seda Sezer and Asli Kandemir ISTANBUL, May 24 (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's News Corp has dropped out of the race to buy ATV television from Turkish group Calik Holding, but Time Warner Inc and Dubai-based Abraaj Capital remain interested in bidding, sources close to the process have told Reuters. Calik, which also has interests in energy and finance, appointed Goldman Sachs in January to manage the sale of a controlling stake in its entire media unit, which includes the Sabah newspaper and is partly owned by Qatar. But while the ATV-Sabah unit could be worth over $1 billion, ATV and Sabah were also being offered separately, sources close to the process said in February. "Only Abraaj and TNT (Time Warner) are left in the process. They are only negotiating over the television," one of the sources said on Thursday. "Abraaj wants to buy a majority stake but they want Calik to still have some shares, while TNT wants the whole in a deal in which the Qataris will keep their stake," he added. A unit of the Qatar Investment Authority, Lusail International Media Co, owns a 25 percent stake in ATV-Sabah, according to Calik's website. News Corp, Time Warner, Abraaj and Calik all declined to comment. The Qataris are not selling their stake, the sources said previously, which means they would have to be involved in any move to separate out the TV and newspaper businesses. However, the sources said it was possible the sale process could also fail due to the declining value of media assets, the time it would take to earn a return on the investment and concerns about political influence on the media in Turkey. News Corp already owns Fox TV in Turkey and Murdoch told Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan at a meeting late in March that News Corp aimed to increase its investment in the country, according to government sources. Calik Holding paid $1.1 billion in 2007 for ATV-Sabah, one of Turkey's largest media groups. Ahmet Calik, chairman of the holding company, is regarded as close to the ruling AK Party's leadership, and that deal gave the socially conservative, economically liberal government an influential friend in the media. Erdogan's son-in-law, Berat Albayrak, is the chief executive of Calik Holding, and his brother Serhat Albayrak is the general manager of the media unit. ========== Samsung awarded two contracts for Qatar's Lusail City Sun, Apr 08 10:55 AM EDT DOHA, April 8 (Reuters) - Qatar's Lusail Real Estate Development Company (LREDC) has signed two agreements with Samsung C&T Engineering and Construction Co, a subsidiary of Samsung Group, to build bridges, highways and electricity plants. The first package consists of the building of six bridges, including two suspension bridges. The second package will include the construction of highways, underground motorways and electricity distribution plants on Lusail City's planned Qetaifan Islands, LRECD said in a statement Sunday. It did not give the value of the deal or a timeline on the projects which are part of Qatar's planned Lusail City development. (Reporting By Regan Doherty, Editing by Mike Nesbit) ============ UPDATE 1-Vinci wins construction contract in Qatar Wed, Aug 03 12:36 PM EDT * Contract worth 374 mln euros * Qatari unit of Qatari Diar and Vinci wins the contract (Adds details from statement) PARIS, Aug 3 (Reuters) - The Qatari sovereign wealth fund's property investment arm Qatari Diar and France's Vinci have won a 374 million euro deal as part of a Light Rail Transit System project in the new city of Lusail, near Doha. QDVC, which is 51 percent owned by Qatari Diar and 49 percent by Vinci Construction Grands Projets landed the contract, Vinci said in a statement. The deal notably covers civil engineering works in eight underground stations and the construction of a viaduct over the motorway between Doha and the northern part of the country (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Will Waterman) ======== Al Jaber wins Lusail City highways contract . By Andy Sambidge Monday, 8 October 2012 5:30 PM Lusail City, which will have 200,000 residents and capacity to accommodate twice that many people, is scheduled to be completed by 2019 Lusail Real Estate Development Company (LREDC) on Monday said it has awarded a contract for highways and associated utility networks for Qatar's Lusail City. The deal has been awarded to Al Jaber & Partners (AJP), the company said in a statement without disclosing the value of the contract. Lusail City aims to attract 80,000 visitors, 200,000 residents and 170,000 workers. With 37 sq km of waterfront land that will be divided into 19 mixed-use districts. Essa Mohammed Ali Kaldari, CEO of LREDC, said: "I am extremely proud to oversee one of the world's most visionary single developments. Lusail City represents the hopes and aspirations of the people of Qatar. "The new extension to Doha is a meticulously planned urban development unlike anything seen before." He added that the Al Jaber & Partners contract is set to be completed within 18 months. The project's scope of work includes the construction of highways, highway structures, intersections and utility networks. Mohammad Jawhar, Al Jaber & Partners managing director, said: "We are delighted to be awarded a second project at Lusail. We are very proud of the exceptional safety record we achieved for the first project we completed." Last month, LREDC said it has completed infrastructure on the first phase of the flagship development and has begun handover of plots to investors. The arm of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund said the 1.8m sqm Marina District would be the first of 19 districts at the Lusail City development. Marina District will be home to an estimated population of 30,000 residents and 50,000 workers and will be serviced by a light-rail transit network that will connect to the rest of Lusail city and underground stations. Lusail City, which will include man-made islands, an entertainment district, an office park for energy companies, a golf course and five stadiums, is slated for completion by 2019. ============ Qatar’s Lusail City starts first phase handovers The Master developer at Lusail City – Qatar’s largest real estate project – has completed infrastructure on the first phase of the flagship development and has begun handover of plots to investors. When fully complete it will include waterfront residential units, mixed-use, commercial, and hotel spaces with large open areas leading to the waterfront promenades. LREDC has now begun infrastructural work at the Fox Hills district, a 1.7m sqm area designed for medium density inner-city residential neighbourhoods. German consultancy firm Dorsch Gruppe was awarded a contract for construction supervision consultancy services at the project, it was announced in April. ========== Lusail to complete Qatari city in 10 years By Bloomberg Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:19 PM NEW CITY: Lusail City, which will accommodate 200,000 people, will be in place by the third quarter of 2015.(Getty Images) Lusail Real Estate Development Co, an arm of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, expects construction of its new residential district north of the capital Doha to be completed within a decade. Infrastructure for Lusail City, which will accommodate 200,000 people, will be in place by the third quarter of 2015. Its buildings and homes, most being constructed by outside developers, may be finished five years later, Magdy Youssef, a company director, told reporters in Doha today. Lusail City was first announced five years ago. Rental prices for Qatari commercial and residential real estate fell 20 percent to 30 percent last year, according to property adviser DTZ Research, as new units entered the market and demand dropped following the world financial crisis. On the development from the real estate slowdown, Youssef said: “At the moment, there is no impact.” The population of the emirate, which became the world’s biggest producer of liquefied natural gas in the past decade, has more than doubled in six years to about 1.6 million people, according to government figures. It’s expected to grow by a further 1 million during the Lusail construction, Youssef said. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that Qatar’s economy will expand 19 percent this year, faster than any other country. Youssef spoke as representatives of the Federation Internationale de Football Association toured Qatar to evaluate the country’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament. Lusail’s infrastructure will cost $7.4 billion. A total of 75 percent of the city’s land has been sold to developers so far, Youssef said. The district will include 37 square kilometers (14 square miles) of residences, offices and hotels, as well as three marinas and an offshore island with 500 villas, Youssef said. Lusail plans to develop four high-rises in the centre of the city, Youssef said. Work on one of the towers, which will have 55 floors, will begin next year. Citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council countries can own properties in Lusail, while others can lease them for 99 years, Youssef said. Lusail Real Estate is part of Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Co, the development arm of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund. ========= Qatari Diar in talks over Vietnam investments

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By Andy Sambidge Wednesday, 30 September 2009 10:01 AM VIETNAM LINK: Qatari Diar is in talks with officials regarding possible investment opportunities in Da Nang City. Qatar's property investment arm is in talks to explore opportunities in Da Nang City, Vietnam, officials from both countries confirmed in a statement on Wednesday. Qatari Diar CEO Ghanim Bin Saad Al Saad said Vietnam was "central to Qatari Diar'S continual expansion and delivery of world beating developments" following discussions with an official delegation from the country's Communist Party. The delegation headed by the central committee member NguyenBa Thanh, visited the Lusail headquarters of the real estate investment company. The visit focused on detailed discussions exploring investment opportunities in Da Nang City, a statement said, adding that talks will be ongoing between officials from Qatari Diar and Da Nang City. Thanh said: "I believe in the prosperity of Qatar and its influential voice in the region and hope that relationships between the State of Qatar and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam will be further developed in the future." In March it was reported that Qatar and Vietnam were in talks about setting up a $1bn fund to invest in sectors including agriculture and tourism. Qatar Rail awards QR30bn deals Thursday, 06 June 2013 DOHA: Qatar Railways (Qatar Rail) announced awarding of four ‘design and build’ (D&B) contracts worth a whopping QR30bn ($8.24bn) for Phase-1 of the ‘Doha Metro Project’, a press statement said yesterday. These four D&B contracts for the first phase of Qatar’s ambitious metro rail include Red Line North (RLN), Red Line South (RLS), Green Line (GLN) and Major Stations (MS). The Red Lines will connect Hamad International Airport with Qatar University via Al Matar, Musheireb, Corniche, West Bay, Katara Cultural Village, Lusail; while the Green Line will connect Musheireb Downtown with Al Rayyan Stadium via Qatar National Convention Centre and Education City. These contracts are being seen as a milestone in the development of Qatar Rail Development Programme, with the construction of Phase-1, scheduled to begin later this year, and expected to be completed by 2019. The RLN project has been awarded to a consortium led by Impregilo SPA, and comprising SK Engineering & Construction Co Ltd, and Galfar Al Misnad Engineering & Contracting Co. The RLS project went to a consortium led by QDVC and includes GS Engineering and Construction Corp, and AI Darwish Engineering. The contract for the GLN has been bagged by a consortium led by PORR Bau GmbH and includes the Saudi Binladin Group Company Ltd and Hamad bin Khalid Contracting Co. The contract to build Major Stations which include two key stations (one at Msheireb and the other at the Education City) has been awarded to a consortium led by Samsung C&T Corporation and comprises Obrascon Huarte Lain SA (OHL) and Qatar Building Company. According to Qatar Rail, the tenders witnessed high competition which enabled Qatar Rail to get competitive bidding. “There are 20 consultancy companies working on these vital projects under the supervision of Qatar Rail which has succeeded in engaging Qatari contracting companies in all consortiums of the awarded contracts,” said the statement. Once operational the ambitious ‘Doha Metro’ will be one of the most modern rail networks in the world. The scope of work for the RLN comprises the design and construction of 13km twin bored tunnel, including seven underground stations. The tunnels will be built at an average depth of 20 metres below ground. Similarly, the scope of RLS contract comprises the design and construction of 13.8km twin bored tunnel at an average depth of 25 metres below ground with six underground stations. The maximum depth point will approximately reach 50m below ground level. The GLN will have eight underground stations, in addition to a 16.6km twin bored tunnel. The rail tunnels will be built at an average depth of 20 metres below ground, while Major Stations are a standalone package to focus efforts for what is considered to be the two key stations for the whole integration of the Metro project. The Peninsula ==================== Hyder Consulting contributes to success of MEED Qatar Transport Conference 2013 Qatar: Wednesday, June 05 - 2013 at 09:23 Riyadh metro's ultra-modern designs revealed » DHL named Official Logistics partner of Formula 1 » Abu Dhabi introduces new bus routes » Qatar mulling restrictions on driving licences for... » The recent MEED Qatar Transport conference explored the opportunities associated with Qatar's $70bn transport investment programme. The conference, encompassing a Traffic Management Focus Day and broader transport discussion, saw valuable input from Hyder on a variety of topics, including: rail infrastructure, roads, drainage and strategic highways. Much discussion focused on Qatar's long-term infrastructure requirements moving forward, to meet the Qatar National Vision 2030 and in time for the FIFA World Cup 2022. A host of topics were explored, ranging from intelligent transport systems, road drainage requirements, to air and maritime ports in Qatar, together with updates on focal projects such as the Lusail City Development (presented by Keynote Speaker Mr. Waleed Al Saadi). The Traffic Management Focus Day was chaired by Sameer Daoud, Managing Director of Hyder's Transport and Infrastructure sector, and involved a comprehensive analysis of key elements pertaining to roads and traffic in Qatar which stimulated informative discussion and debate. The conference's second day saw Geoff Leffek, Hyder's Regional Rail Director, participate in the 'Rail Roundtable' panel discussion. General regional and company discussion was followed by more technical analysis, tackling issues such as procurement and rolling stock, asset management, recruitment and intelligent transport systems in the rail sector. Hyder's involvement in the conference concluded with a presentation made by John Spiers, Project Director and Member of the company's Executive Board, on the development of Qatar's roads and expressways. Integrated interfacing and logistics planning was explored by way of reference to the Singaporean model, and was then applied to Doha. Implications for utilities and safety were considered, and attention given to surface water runoff and landscaping; with a closing summary of the challenges facing Qatar's transport network. Sameer Daoud, Managing Director Transport and Infrastructure, said: "The MEED Qatar Transport conference provided Hyder with a great opportunity to meet with experts from across the industry. We were delighted to contribute to such a successful event and to be part of the discussion about Qatar's transportation infrastructure which is so crucial to the success of the country's ambitious development plans. Later this year, Hyder will celebrate its half a century presence in Qatar and we are proud to support our Qatari clients in achieving their goals." ========== Barwa to build $ 5.5 billion island off the coast of Doha . | | A A REUTERS Tuesday 28 May 2013 Last Update 28 May 2013 12:29 am . DOHA: Qatar has unveiled plans to build a $ 5.5 billion island off the coast of Doha with floating hotels to house soccer fans expected to flock to the country for the World Cup in 2022. Plans for Oryx Island, which would feature luxury villas, a water park, and five floating hotels using cruise ships, were unveiled by Qatari developer Barwa Real Estate, part-owned by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund. The hotels would be able to house as many as 25,000 soccer fans, Barwa CEO Abdulla Al-Subaie said at the sidelines of a real estate conference in Doha. Demand for residences and hotel rooms are expected to increase in the state as projects for the 2022 World Cup tournament come on stream. Qatar, the world’s top liquefied natural gas exporter, has allocated 40 percent of its budget to 2016 to infrastructure projects. “We anticipate that there will be a short-term demand for hotel rooms, so maybe it is not wise to offer all these hotel rooms for only a short time,” Subaie said. “Oryx Island can accommodate 20,000 to 25,000 people. Cruise ships can be docked for one week, two weeks. It can be mobilized and demobilized for a short time.” Oryx Island will cost 20 billion riyals ($ 5.5 billion) to build, he said, adding that the project was only in the conceptual phase. Subaie said the company had agreed to sell one million square meters of land to Qatar’s 2022 Supreme Committee to build Lusail Stadium, where the closing match of the tournament will take place. Barwa, the Gulf state’s largest listed property developer, has properties in France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom and focuses on retail, office, hospitality and residential developments. Last year it announced plans to launch a $ 4.9 billion mixed-use Golf City project in its coastal Lusail city development, which will house 4,000 residential units and a golf course. The company has no plans to issue any bonds this year, he added. =============