America News Agency

Al Thani said Qatar faced economic difficulties when it began investing in natural gas, adding, “People forget that Qatar borrowed money in 1996 and 1997 to pay the salaries of public-sector employees.”

Al Thani said that following the decision to invest in natural gas, Qatar became one of the world's leading suppliers, stating, “Qatar is now a leader in LNG supply and a reliable partner for many markets, particularly in Asia and Europe.”

Al Thani also said Qatar had made building resilience to the challenges it faced part of its strategy and policy, comparing the process to an earthquake and saying that the strength of the country's foundations had been tested.