Doha: Qatar may allow Arab businessmen to obtain a visa upon arrival in a bid to improve mobility and encourage commercial relations, the country's foreign minister said here on Wednesday evening.
Addressing participants at the Ninth Arab Business Forum at the closing ceremony, Shaikh Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani, first deputy premier and foreign minister, said despite a number of trading and economic multiparty agreements have been signed between Arab countries, economic integration has not lived up to the expectations.
"We are considering allowing Arab businessmen to obtain visas upon arrival, as a unilateral initiative to encourage intra-Arab investment," he said.
The obstacles posed to the free movement of businessmen, investments and goods within the Arab region was one of the main issues raised by the Arab Business Federation that organised the event.
At the opening ceremony, participants had accused Arab governments of not doing enough to encourage the private sector and ignoring the need for higher mobility.
Shaikh Hamad criticised Arab countries for penalising the commercial relations and the private sector whenever a political quarrel or debate erupted between two Arab states.
He said that bilateral trade agreements have achieved modest results in comparison with other economic blocs in the world.
"The volume of intra-Arab trade is the lowest of any economic bloc," he noted.
Statistics showed that the Arab share of the world market in services, both in tourism and other sectors, was actually shrinking, he said.
He said differences in customs dues, the restrictions on the movement of people and goods and other trade barriers are discouraging integration.
Shaikh Hamad finally pointed the finger against Arab business associations and unions for failing who failed to work for the creation of an economic integration, thus hampering investments.
Speaking earlier at the event, Yousuf Hussain Kamal, Qatar's Finance Minister said regional and international investments in Qatar and the region, need the formulation of laws that are compatible with the requirements of the business sector.
He called for a stronger coordination between the business community and the authorities in reviewing the laws so as to improve the investment environment.
