As many as 266 licenses for non-hydrocarbon manufacturing projects were given by Qatar’s Ministry of Energy and Industry last year, boosting the country’s economic diversification efforts, according a report.

These industrial projects are set to create about 12,000 jobs, said the Peninsula report.

The non-energy industries in the country have been growing and have a share of over 10 per cent in the national economy, it said.

The total investment in the non-oil industrial sector last year reached QR17.3 billion ($4.75 billionn), including in new and expansion projects and the legal status of some units was changed.

The non-hydrocarbon industries are being given more emphasis to transform the country into a well-diversified and more sustainable economy, said the report.

Qatar has made achievements in the non-oil industrial sector, which has enabled it to raise the contribution of this sector to a level higher than in the previous years, it said.

The investment in the manufacturing sector in the near future will represent about 20 per cent or even more, with real estate being the most attractive sector for local investors currently, it added.