Qatari businessmen call for greater support for national products

A number of businessmen in Qatar have called for greater support for national products and for products from boycotting countries not to be imported.

The businessmen said the unjust sanctions imposed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on Qatar were a harsh lesson about the importance of supporting national products, whether during the boycott or after the crisis.

Businessman said the national products are very competitive and of high quality that match international standards.

He stressed the importance of supporting national industries to maintain their competitiveness in the local market and called on all citizens and residents to maintain solidarity, cooperation and national spirit even after the dispute is resolved.

Read: The Arab rift with Qatar

Chairman of the Qatar Engineers Association, Ahmad Al-Jolo, said in a statement quoted by Qatar’s Al-Arab newspaper that if the blockade is lifted, it is assumed that no one will accept the products imported from the four countries that caused the crisis.

“Personally I will not buy products from the boycott countries again,” he said, pointing out that the products imported from Kuwait, Oman and Turkey are preferred because of their quality and competitive prices.

“Qatar has no problem in providing alternatives, especially with the number of options and friendly countries,” he added.

According to Al-Jolo, the four Arab countries which boycotted Qatar have lost a huge market which had previously relied heavily on their products.

Businessman Saad Al-Tawah Al-Hajri stressed that the crisis has created a new spirit for citizens and residents alike to rely on national products and support them.

On 5 June Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar claiming it supports terrorism. They imposed an air, land and sea siege on the small Gulf state. Doha denies their accusations saying it is being targeted by “fabrications”.