Qatar Forum Highlights AI and Private Capital for Development

At the recent Doha Forum, leaders emphasized the importance of integrating private capital and artificial intelligence (AI) to address pressing global challenges. The forum, themed “Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress,” highlighted that technology alone cannot bridge the widening gaps in peace, climate resilience, and economic opportunity.

Private Sector Innovation as a Key Priority

During a high-level panel, Alexander De Croo, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), underscored the necessity of leveraging private-sector innovation. He outlined two primary goals for the collaboration between Qatar and UNDP, stressing the role of investments in digital infrastructure, AI-enabled public services, and green technology.

“First, we want to deepen our joint work on innovation and systems transformation,” De Croo stated. He noted Qatar’s investment in the UNDP’s Accelerator Labs Network has already uncovered over 6,500 grassroots development solutions worldwide, ranging from climate initiatives to new livelihood prospects.

The official also pointed to ongoing funding that is facilitating the transition into UNDP’s Digital, AI, and Innovation Hub, alongside the forthcoming Transformation Accelerator Network. These platforms are designed to test, scale, and finance innovative solutions to challenges such as extremism, displacement, and poverty.

Focus on Security through Development

De Croo’s second priority revolves around the concept that development represents one of the most effective investments in security, especially in conflict-affected areas. He mentioned the UNDP’s collaboration with the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) to enhance support for the Gaza Ceasefire Response Plan as conditions permit. This initiative aims to move beyond immediate relief efforts toward restoring livelihoods and employing financing strategies that stabilize the financial sector.

“This is about enabling a wider economic recovery and reconstruction,” De Croo explained. He added that ongoing support for basic services in Syria, particularly for civil service payrolls, remains a priority.

“More broadly, our goal is a more strategic Qatar-UNDP portfolio that links immediate relief to systems transformation, innovation, and economic empowerment, particularly for women and young people,” De Croo said. He aims to convert essential daily assistance into long-term systemic change.

De Croo reiterated UNDP’s operational ethos: “We listen, we partner, and we deliver. We listen closely to countries and communities, partner with a diverse range of entities, including governments and the private sector, and deliver tangible results.”

He emphasized that the Doha Forum served as a vital reminder of a fundamental truth: “Global commitments to peace, climate, and inclusive growth in isolation are not enough. People worldwide are not calling for more declarations; they want to see action and results.”

De Croo highlighted Qatar’s role in international mediation, stating that the forum reaffirmed Doha’s position as a platform for constructive dialogue on issues like Gaza, Syria, and Ukraine, focusing on de-escalation and problem-solving.

“For UNDP, this sends a clear message: Qatar is a strategic partner in advancing global conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and assisting countries in transitioning from crisis to recovery,” he remarked.

In closing, De Croo articulated his vision for the future, stating, “I want to put development back at the heart of geopolitics. The world must recognize that investing in sustainable development is the most effective way to tackle the root causes of instability, extremism, and forced migration, rather than merely responding to crises as they arise.”

He concluded, “Development is not an abstract ambition. It manifests as electricity in a clinic, a safer home, and a job that uplifts a family. That is what UNDP strives to deliver each day, in every place where people depend on our support.”