Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 251287 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AEMR ASEC AMGT AE AS AMED AVIAN AU AF AORC AGENDA AO AR AM APER AFIN ATRN AJ ABUD ARABL AL AG AODE ALOW ADANA AADP AND APECO ACABQ ASEAN AA AFFAIRS AID AGR AY AGS AFSI AGOA AMB ARF ANET ASCH ACOA AFLU AFSN AMEX AFDB ABLD AESC AFGHANISTAN AINF AVIATION ARR ARSO ANDREW ASSEMBLY AIDS APRC ASSK ADCO ASIG AC AZ APEC AFINM ADB AP ACOTA ASEX ACKM ASUP ANTITERRORISM ADPM AINR ARABLEAGUE AGAO AORG AMTC AIN ACCOUNT ASECAFINGMGRIZOREPTU AIDAC AINT ARCH AMGTKSUP ALAMI AMCHAMS ALJAZEERA AVIANFLU AORD AOREC ALIREZA AOMS AMGMT ABDALLAH AORCAE AHMED ACCELERATED AUC ALZUGUREN ANGEL AORL ASECIR AMG AMBASSADOR AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL ADM ASES ABMC AER AMER ASE AMGTHA ARNOLDFREDERICK AOPC ACS AFL AEGR ASED AFPREL AGRI AMCHAM ARNOLD AN ANATO AME APERTH ASECSI AT ACDA ASEDC AIT AMERICA AMLB AMGE ACTION AGMT AFINIZ ASECVE ADRC ABER AGIT APCS AEMED ARABBL ARC ASO AIAG ACEC ASR ASECM ARG AEC ABT ADIP ADCP ANARCHISTS AORCUN AOWC ASJA AALC AX AROC ARM AGENCIES ALBE AK AZE AOPR AREP AMIA ASCE ALANAZI ABDULRAHMEN ABDULHADI AINFCY ARMS ASECEFINKCRMKPAOPTERKHLSAEMRNS AGRICULTURE AFPK AOCR ALEXANDER ATRD ATFN ABLG AORCD AFGHAN ARAS AORCYM AVERY ALVAREZ ACBAQ ALOWAR ANTOINE ABLDG ALAB AMERICAS AFAF ASECAFIN ASEK ASCC AMCT AMGTATK AMT APDC AEMRS ASECE AFSA ATRA ARTICLE ARENA AISG AEMRBC AFR AEIR ASECAF AFARI AMPR ASPA ASOC ANTONIO AORCL ASECARP APRM AUSTRALIAGROUP ASEG AFOR AEAID AMEDI ASECTH ASIC AFDIN AGUIRRE AUNR ASFC AOIC ANTXON ASA ASECCASC ALI AORCEUNPREFPRELSMIGBN ASECKHLS ASSSEMBLY ASECVZ AI ASECPGOV ASIR ASCEC ASAC ARAB AIEA ADMIRAL AUSGR AQ AMTG ARRMZY ANC APR AMAT AIHRC AFU ADEL AECL ACAO AMEMR ADEP AV AW AOR ALL ALOUNI AORCUNGA ALNEA ASC AORCO ARMITAGE AGENGA AGRIC AEM ACOAAMGT AGUILAR AFPHUM AMEDCASCKFLO AFZAL AAA ATPDEA ASECPHUM ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
ETRD ETTC EU ECON EFIN EAGR EAID ELAB EINV ENIV ENRG EPET EZ ELTN ELECTIONS ECPS ET ER EG EUN EIND ECONOMICS EMIN ECIN EINT EWWT EAIR EN ENGR ES EI ETMIN EL EPA EARG EFIS ECONOMY EC EK ELAM ECONOMIC EAR ESDP ECCP ELN EUM EUMEM ECA EAP ELEC ECOWAS EFTA EXIM ETTD EDRC ECOSOC ECPSN ENVIRONMENT ECO EMAIL ECTRD EREL EDU ENERG ENERGY ENVR ETRAD EAC EXTERNAL EFIC ECIP ERTD EUC ENRGMO EINZ ESTH ECCT EAGER ECPN ELNT ERD EGEN ETRN EIVN ETDR EXEC EIAD EIAR EVN EPRT ETTF ENGY EAIDCIN EXPORT ETRC ESA EIB EAPC EPIT ESOCI ETRB EINDQTRD ENRC EGOV ECLAC EUR ELF ETEL ENRGUA EVIN EARI ESCAP EID ERIN ELAN ENVT EDEV EWWY EXBS ECOM EV ELNTECON ECE ETRDGK EPETEIND ESCI ETRDAORC EAIDETRD ETTR EMS EAGRECONEINVPGOVBN EBRD EUREM ERGR EAGRBN EAUD EFI ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ETRO ENRGY EGAR ESSO EGAD ENV ENER EAIDXMXAXBXFFR ELA EET EINVETRD EETC EIDN ERGY ETRDPGOV EING EMINCG EINVECON EURM EEC EICN EINO EPSC ELAP ELABPGOVBN EE ESPS ETRA ECONETRDBESPAR ERICKSON EEOC EVENTS EPIN EB ECUN EPWR ENG EX EH EAIDAR EAIS ELBA EPETUN ETRDEIQ EENV ECPC ETRP ECONENRG EUEAID EWT EEB EAIDNI ESENV EADM ECN ENRGKNNP ETAD ETR ECONETRDEAGRJA ETRG ETER EDUC EITC EBUD EAIF EBEXP EAIDS EITI EGOVSY EFQ ECOQKPKO ETRGY ESF EUE EAIC EPGOV ENFR EAGRE ENRD EINTECPS EAVI ETC ETCC EIAID EAIDAF EAGREAIDPGOVPRELBN EAOD ETRDA EURN EASS EINVA EAIDRW EON ECOR EPREL EGPHUM ELTM ECOS EINN ENNP EUPGOV EAGRTR ECONCS ETIO ETRDGR EAIDB EISNAR EIFN ESPINOSA EAIDASEC ELIN EWTR EMED ETFN ETT EADI EPTER ELDIN EINVEFIN ESS ENRGIZ EQRD ESOC ETRDECD ECINECONCS EAIT ECONEAIR ECONEFIN EUNJ ENRGKNNPMNUCPARMPRELNPTIAEAJMXL ELAD EFIM ETIC EFND EFN ETLN ENGRD EWRG ETA EIN EAIRECONRP EXIMOPIC ERA ENRGJM ECONEGE ENVI ECHEVARRIA EMINETRD EAD ECONIZ EENG ELBR EWWC ELTD EAIDMG ETRK EIPR EISNLN ETEX EPTED EFINECONCS EPCS EAG ETRDKIPR ED EAIO ETRDEC ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ERNG EFINU EURFOR EWWI ELTNSNAR ETD EAIRASECCASCID EOXC ESTN EAIDAORC EAGRRP ETRDEMIN ELABPHUMSMIGKCRMBN ETRDEINVTINTCS EGHG EAIDPHUMPRELUG EAGRBTIOBEXPETRDBN EDA EPETPGOV ELAINE EUCOM EMW EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM ELB EINDETRD EMI ETRDECONWTOCS EINR ESTRADA EHUM EFNI ELABV ENR EMN EXO EWWTPRELPGOVMASSMARRBN EATO END EP EINVETC ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID ELTRN EIQ ETTW EAI ENGRG ETRED ENDURING ETTRD EAIDEGZ EOCN EINF EUPREL ENRL ECPO ENLT EEFIN EPPD ECOIN EUEAGR EISL EIDE ENRGSD EINVECONSENVCSJA EAIG ENTG EEPET EUNCH EPECO ETZ EPAT EPTE EAIRGM ETRDPREL EUNGRSISAFPKSYLESO ETTN EINVKSCA ESLCO EBMGT ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EFLU ELND EFINOECD EAIDHO EDUARDO ENEG ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EFINTS ECONQH ENRGPREL EUNPHUM EINDIR EPE EMINECINECONSENVTBIONS EFINM ECRM EQ EWWTSP ECONPGOVBN
KFLO KPKO KDEM KFLU KTEX KMDR KPAO KCRM KIDE KN KNNP KG KMCA KZ KJUS KWBG KU KDMR KAWC KCOR KPAL KOMC KTDB KTIA KISL KHIV KHUM KTER KCFE KTFN KS KIRF KTIP KIRC KSCA KICA KIPR KPWR KWMN KE KGIC KGIT KSTC KACT KSEP KFRD KUNR KHLS KCRS KRVC KUWAIT KVPR KSRE KMPI KMRS KNRV KNEI KCIP KSEO KITA KDRG KV KSUM KCUL KPET KBCT KO KSEC KOLY KNAR KGHG KSAF KWNM KNUC KMNP KVIR KPOL KOCI KPIR KLIG KSAC KSTH KNPT KINL KPRP KRIM KICC KIFR KPRV KAWK KFIN KT KVRC KR KHDP KGOV KPOW KTBT KPMI KPOA KRIF KEDEM KFSC KY KGCC KATRINA KWAC KSPR KTBD KBIO KSCI KRCM KNNB KBNC KIMT KCSY KINR KRAD KMFO KCORR KW KDEMSOCI KNEP KFPC KEMPI KBTR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNPP KTTB KTFIN KBTS KCOM KFTN KMOC KOR KDP KPOP KGHA KSLG KMCR KJUST KUM KMSG KHPD KREC KIPRTRD KPREL KEN KCSA KCRIM KGLB KAKA KWWT KUNP KCRN KISLPINR KLFU KUNC KEDU KCMA KREF KPAS KRKO KNNC KLHS KWAK KOC KAPO KTDD KOGL KLAP KECF KCRCM KNDP KSEAO KCIS KISM KREL KISR KISC KKPO KWCR KPFO KUS KX KWCI KRFD KWPG KTRD KH KLSO KEVIN KEANE KACW KWRF KNAO KETTC KTAO KWIR KVCORR KDEMGT KPLS KICT KWGB KIDS KSCS KIRP KSTCPL KDEN KLAB KFLOA KIND KMIG KPPAO KPRO KLEG KGKG KCUM KTTP KWPA KIIP KPEO KICR KNNA KMGT KCROM KMCC KLPM KNNPGM KSIA KSI KWWW KOMS KESS KMCAJO KWN KTDM KDCM KCM KVPRKHLS KENV KCCP KGCN KCEM KEMR KWMNKDEM KNNPPARM KDRM KWIM KJRE KAID KWMM KPAONZ KUAE KTFR KIF KNAP KPSC KSOCI KCWI KAUST KPIN KCHG KLBO KIRCOEXC KI KIRCHOFF KSTT KNPR KDRL KCFC KLTN KPAOKMDRKE KPALAOIS KESO KKOR KSMT KFTFN KTFM KDEMK KPKP KOCM KNN KISLSCUL KFRDSOCIRO KINT KRG KWMNSMIG KSTCC KPAOY KFOR KWPR KSEPCVIS KGIV KSEI KIL KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KQ KEMS KHSL KTNF KPDD KANSOU KKIV KFCE KTTC KGH KNNNP KK KSCT KWNN KAWX KOMCSG KEIM KTSD KFIU KDTB KFGM KACP KWWMN KWAWC KSPA KGICKS KNUP KNNO KISLAO KTPN KSTS KPRM KPALPREL KPO KTLA KCRP KNMP KAWCK KCERS KDUM KEDM KTIALG KWUN KPTS KPEM KMEPI KAWL KHMN KCRO KCMR KPTD KCROR KMPT KTRF KSKN KMAC KUK KIRL KEM KSOC KBTC KOM KINP KDEMAF KTNBT KISK KRM KWBW KBWG KNNPMNUC KNOP KSUP KCOG KNET KWBC KESP KMRD KEBG KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KPWG KOMCCO KRGY KNNF KPROG KJAN KFRED KPOKO KM KWMNCS KMPF KJWC KJU KSMIG KALR KRAL KDGOV KPA KCRMJA KCRI KAYLA KPGOV KRD KNNPCH KFEM KPRD KFAM KALM KIPRETRDKCRM KMPP KADM KRFR KMWN KWRG KTIAPARM KTIAEUN KRDP KLIP KDDEM KTIAIC KWKN KPAD KDM KRCS KWBGSY KEAI KIVP KPAOPREL KUNH KTSC KIPT KNP KJUSTH KGOR KEPREL KHSA KGHGHIV KNNR KOMH KRCIM KWPB KWIC KINF KPER KILS KA KNRG KCSI KFRP KLFLO KFE KNPPIS KQM KQRDQ KERG KPAOPHUM KSUMPHUM KVBL KARIM KOSOVO KNSD KUIR KWHG KWBGXF KWMNU KPBT KKNP KERF KCRT KVIS KWRC KVIP KTFS KMARR KDGR KPAI KDE KTCRE KMPIO KUNRAORC KHOURY KAWS KPAK KOEM KCGC KID KVRP KCPS KIVR KBDS KWOMN KIIC KTFNJA KARZAI KMVP KHJUS KPKOUNSC KMAR KIBL KUNA KSA KIS KJUSAF KDEV KPMO KHIB KIRD KOUYATE KIPRZ KBEM KPAM KDET KPPD KOSCE KJUSKUNR KICCPUR KRMS KWMNPREL KWMJN KREISLER KWM KDHS KRV KPOV KWMNCI KMPL KFLD KWWN KCVM KIMMITT KCASC KOMO KNATO KDDG KHGH KRF KSCAECON KWMEN KRIC
PREL PINR PGOV PHUM PTER PE PREF PARM PBTS PINS PHSA PK PL PM PNAT PHAS PO PROP PGOVE PA PU POLITICAL PPTER POL PALESTINIAN PHUN PIN PAMQ PPA PSEC POLM PBIO PSOE PDEM PAK PF PKAO PGOVPRELMARRMOPS PMIL PV POLITICS PRELS POLICY PRELHA PIRN PINT PGOG PERSONS PRC PEACE PROCESS PRELPGOV PROV PFOV PKK PRE PT PIRF PSI PRL PRELAF PROG PARMP PERL PUNE PREFA PP PGOB PUM PROTECTION PARTIES PRIL PEL PAGE PS PGO PCUL PLUM PIF PGOVENRGCVISMASSEAIDOPRCEWWTBN PMUC PCOR PAS PB PKO PY PKST PTR PRM POUS PRELIZ PGIC PHUMS PAL PNUC PLO PMOPS PHM PGOVBL PBK PELOSI PTE PGOVAU PNR PINSO PRO PLAB PREM PNIR PSOCI PBS PD PHUML PERURENA PKPA PVOV PMAR PHUMCF PUHM PHUH PRELPGOVETTCIRAE PRT PROPERTY PEPFAR PREI POLUN PAR PINSF PREFL PH PREC PPD PING PQL PINSCE PGV PREO PRELUN POV PGOVPHUM PINRES PRES PGOC PINO POTUS PTERE PRELKPAO PRGOV PETR PGOVEAGRKMCAKNARBN PPKO PARLIAMENT PEPR PMIG PTBS PACE PETER PMDL PVIP PKPO POLMIL PTEL PJUS PHUMNI PRELKPAOIZ PGOVPREL POGV PEREZ POWELL PMASS PDOV PARN PG PPOL PGIV PAIGH PBOV PETROL PGPV PGOVL POSTS PSO PRELEU PRELECON PHUMPINS PGOVKCMABN PQM PRELSP PRGO PATTY PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PGVO PROTESTS PRELPLS PKFK PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PARAGRAPH PRELGOV POG PTRD PTERM PBTSAG PHUMKPAL PRELPK PTERPGOV PAO PRIVATIZATION PSCE PPAO PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PARALYMPIC PRUM PKPRP PETERS PAHO PARMS PGREL PINV POINS PHUMPREL POREL PRELNL PHUMPGOV PGOVQL PLAN PRELL PARP PROVE PSOC PDD PRELNP PRELBR PKMN PGKV PUAS PRELTBIOBA PBTSEWWT PTERIS PGOVU PRELGG PHUMPRELPGOV PFOR PEPGOV PRELUNSC PRAM PICES PTERIZ PREK PRELEAGR PRELEUN PHUME PHU PHUMKCRS PRESL PRTER PGOF PARK PGOVSOCI PTERPREL PGOVEAID PGOVPHUMKPAO PINSKISL PREZ PGOVAF PARMEUN PECON PINL POGOV PGOVLO PIERRE PRELPHUM PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PBST PKPAO PHUMHUPPS PGOVPOL PASS PPGOV PROGV PAGR PHALANAGE PARTY PRELID PGOVID PHUMR PHSAQ PINRAMGT PSA PRELM PRELMU PIA PINRPE PBTSRU PARMIR PEDRO PNUK PVPR PINOCHET PAARM PRFE PRELEIN PINF PCI PSEPC PGOVSU PRLE PDIP PHEM PRELB PORG PGGOC POLG POPDC PGOVPM PWMN PDRG PHUMK PINB PRELAL PRER PFIN PNRG PRED POLI PHUMBO PHYTRP PROLIFERATION PHARM PUOS PRHUM PUNR PENA PGOVREL PETRAEUS PGOVKDEM PGOVENRG PHUS PRESIDENT PTERKU PRELKSUMXABN PGOVSI PHUMQHA PKISL PIR PGOVZI PHUMIZNL PKNP PRELEVU PMIN PHIM PHUMBA PUBLIC PHAM PRELKPKO PMR PARTM PPREL PN PROL PDA PGOVECON PKBL PKEAID PERM PRELEZ PRELC PER PHJM PGOVPRELPINRBN PRFL PLN PWBG PNG PHUMA PGOR PHUMPTER POLINT PPEF PKPAL PNNL PMARR PAC PTIA PKDEM PAUL PREG PTERR PTERPRELPARMPGOVPBTSETTCEAIRELTNTC PRELJA POLS PI PNS PAREL PENV PTEROREP PGOVM PINER PBGT PHSAUNSC PTERDJ PRELEAID PARMIN PKIR PLEC PCRM PNET PARR PRELETRD PRELBN PINRTH PREJ PEACEKEEPINGFORCES PEMEX PRELZ PFLP PBPTS PTGOV PREVAL PRELSW PAUM PRF PHUMKDEM PATRICK PGOVKMCAPHUMBN PRELA PNUM PGGV PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PBT PIND PTEP PTERKS PGOVJM PGOT PRELMARR PGOVCU PREV PREFF PRWL PET PROB PRELPHUMP PHUMAF PVTS PRELAFDB PSNR PGOVECONPRELBU PGOVZL PREP PHUMPRELBN PHSAPREL PARCA PGREV PGOVDO PGON PCON PODC PRELOV PHSAK PSHA PGOVGM PRELP POSCE PGOVPTER PHUMRU PINRHU PARMR PGOVTI PPEL PMAT PAN PANAM PGOVBO PRELHRC

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07DOHA1043, INFLATION, HOUSING COSTS TAKING TOLL ON QATARI

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07DOHA1043.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07DOHA1043 2007-11-05 12:35 2011-08-30 01:44 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Doha
VZCZCXRO7985
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHDO #1043/01 3091235
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051235Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY DOHA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7207
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 DOHA 001043 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/EX FOR WILLIAM J. HAUGH AND THOMAS QUINZIO 
NEA/ARP FOR ASHLEY BAGWELL AND SANJAY RAMESH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AFIN AFSN ALOW AMGT APER ECON ELAB QA
SUBJECT: INFLATION, HOUSING COSTS TAKING TOLL ON QATARI 
LABOR MARKET, EMBASSY STAFF 
 
1. SUMMARY: Double-digit inflation in Qatar has become the 
norm, with increases in the housing sector felt most 
acutely. The high cost of living dominates public and 
private discourse. The government has begun to take steps 
to address inflation, though they have been ineffective 
thus far, and the private sector is taking matters into its 
own hands by dramatically increasing compensation packages 
and building private housing complexes for its employees. 
One negative outcome of the nationwide rise in costs is 
that Post's LES are demoralized and severely stretched 
financially by the increase in housing and other costs. As 
elsewhere in Qatar, absent a significant increase in funds 
to help LES salaries keep pace with inflation, the economic 
hardships of working in Qatar will soon be reflected in 
staff attrition. END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Double-Digit Inflation the New Norm 
----------------------------------- 
 
2. The IMF reported Qatar's inflation at 11.8 percent in 
2006, with a projected rate of 12 percent in 2007. 
According to Qatar's Planning Council, inflation reached 
12.8 percent in the second quarter of 2007 after reaching 
14.8 percent in the first quarter. These levels of 
inflation have outpaced Qatar's impressive real GDP growth, 
which was 6.3 percent in 2005 and 8.8 percent in 2006. 
During the second quarter of 2007, the overall Consumer 
Price Index reached 147.86 compared to 2001 prices, while 
the CPI for rents reached to an astronomical 279.38 
compared to 2001 levels. Qatar's inflation is the highest 
among GCC countries, with the next highest level 9.3 
percent in the UAE. 
 
3. The oil and gas sector accounts for over 60 percent of 
Qatar's economy, and the sustained increase in these 
commodities' prices, coupled with sharp rises in the volume 
of Qatar's energy exports, has caused a dramatic increase 
in inflows and public expenditures. Moreover, the decline 
of the U.S. dollar-pegged Qatari riyal has increased the 
cost of imports, including many basic consumables. The 
rapid expansion of the Qatari economy has lured hundreds of 
thousands of new workers to Qatar in the past few years, 
further stressing demand for housing, services, and 
products. Qatar's population was only 522,000 in 1997 but 
has grown to over 900,000 this year, with a native 
population of just over 200,000. 
 
4. Residents, and particularly expatriates, have felt the 
increase in costs most acutely in the housing sector. 
Reliable statistics are hard to find, but the Qatari 
Planning Council reported that rents increased by 116 
percent from 2001-2007. Minister of Finance Yousef Hussain 
Kamal recently stated, however, that rents had increased by 
168 percent in the last two years alone. (Note: 
Anecdotally, Emboffs regularly hear stories of 100 percent 
annual rental increases.)  According to a report released 
in October by the Kuwait Financial Center, Doha has 
experienced the highest growth in rental prices among major 
GCC cities over the past two years. The sharp increase in 
demand coupled with a steep increase in the cost of 
building materials -- 70 percent since 2003 by some 
estimates -- is reportedly to blame for inflation in the 
housing sector. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Cost-of-Living Dominates Mocktail Circuit Talk 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
5. The high cost-of-living has dominated local press in 
recent weeks and is the main topic of conversation among 
locals, long-time residents, and expatriates in Qatar. Many 
expatriates are reportedly rethinking living in Qatar due 
to inflation. The steep cost of housing and the weakness of 
the dollar-pegged riyal (making repatriation of salaries to 
other currencies less advantageous) are the main reasons 
given in the press and anecdotally to Emboffs. 
 
6. Even Qatari citizens, generally regarded as very 
well-off with one of the highest per capita incomes in the 
world, are not exempt from feeling inflationary pressures. 
The National Human Rights Committee has noted an increase 
in requests from Qatari citizens to help them find housing. 
The Committee's legal advisor said that many of the 
requests are from Qatari women who are divorced from 
non-Qatari men. One of the local Arabic dailies recently 
published a letter from a Qatari citizen attacking remarks 
 
DOHA 00001043  002 OF 004 
 
 
on inflation by the Finance Minister. The unusually frank 
public rebuke included the accusation that: "In developed 
countries ministers resign their seats when they fail to do 
their jobs, while our minister procrastinates and denies 
the reality and defends greedy merchants." 
 
---------------------------------------- 
Government Response Minimal, Ineffective 
---------------------------------------- 
 
7. In November 2006, the Amir issued a decree giving civil 
servants a 40 percent salary increase. Government human 
resources officers have signaled that another 
across-the-board salary increase is likely soon, indicating 
the GOQ recognizes the effects of price increases in Qatar. 
The GOQ has floated several ideas to combat inflation and 
taken some action to try and ease supply pressures, though 
these measures have been ineffective thus far. For example: 
 
-- The government is planning to build a new port south of 
Doha which will have a capacity several times larger than 
the current port of Doha, which is running at capacity. The 
construction contracts have not even been tendered yet, 
however, and construction will take a minimum of five 
years. 
 
-- Under Qatari law, landlords are not allowed to raise 
rents more than 10 percent a year, but the law and practice 
is fraught with loopholes, and examples abound of Doha 
residents (including the Embassy's LES) facing annual rent 
increases substantially higher than 10 percent. 
 
-- The GOQ removed the customs duties on imports of cement 
and steel. As an incentive to importers, the government is 
also reportedly importing cement in its name and paying the 
fines in case a ship carrying cement is stuck at the port. 
 
-- In early October, the Finance Minister announced a 
two-year moratorium on housing demolitions (in order to 
keep the housing supply as high as possible). This 
moratorium is not being implemented evenly, however, and it 
is unclear if this will alleviate the supply shortage. 
Examples abound of housing units being readied for 
demolition to make way for other housing or commercial 
developments. 
 
-- The General Secretariat for Development Planning website 
will soon post prices of essentials and the government has 
reportedly begun to subsidize some basic food items. 
 
-- In early October, the GOQ formed a Central Rents 
Committee to be housed under the Ministry of Finance. The 
Committee will fix lease and rent prices for properties 
used by government agencies. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Private Sector Adjusting to New Cost of Business 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
8. Not able to wait for effective government action, the 
business community in Qatar is taking matters into its own 
hands. Salaries in Qatar's private sector rose 10.6 percent 
over the last year, according to a study by a Dubai-based 
online recruitment firm, Gulf Talent. Several large 
companies, including many Western energy firms and the 
semi-private Qatar Foundation, have built their own housing 
compounds to avoid having their employees suffer in the 
broader market. Unfortunately, these projects have only 
increased demand for construction services in the 
short-term, thereby putting small and medium-sized 
enterprises (SMEs) and their employees at a disadvantage. 
 
9. According to Stephanie Carvell at the American Business 
Council in Qatar, large U.S. companies have been able to 
adjust to the price increases by augmenting their salary 
and benefits packages accordingly. SMEs are having a harder 
time coping with the rise in prices, and inflation has 
affected their recruitment. Carvell stated that Qatar is 
"no longer a market to enter into lightly" and companies 
will need to put out "serious capital" to start up 
operations. For example, she's noted that many companies 
can no longer afford temporary office and living space for 
employees researching business opportunities, and will now 
fly staff in for short trips to do market research. Since 
most established U.S. companies in Qatar are large 
multi-national corporations, however, the U.S. business 
community as a whole appears to be able to adjust for now 
 
DOHA 00001043  003 OF 004 
 
 
without suffering employee attrition. For example, 
ExxonMobil's solution to high housing rental costs was to 
build their own compound for employees. 
 
10. Amy Nikiel, head of Compensation for the Qatar 
Foundation's Human Resources Department, noted that the 
foundation's private compounds (it has built one compound 
with 640 units and is building two more compounds) enables 
them to adopt to inflationary pressures without losing 
expatriate expertise. The foundation is also in the process 
of raising its entire pay scale to adjust to the cost 
increases in Qatar. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Post's Local Employees Feel Burden Acutely 
------------------------------------------ 
 
11. In July 2006, a State/HR Comprehensive Wage Survey 
revealed that the Embassy lagged far behind in salary and 
benefits for its employees, compared to the local 
comparators surveyed. The evidence suggests that other 
employers in Qatar are responding faster to demands for 
higher salaries because of their greater flexibility to 
respond to market forces. Post employs 95 LES from 21 
countries, but not a single Qatari. Many LES have lived in 
Qatar for years, whereas others came more recently, lured 
by financial opportunities. However, what seemed a 
profitable opportunity several years ago has turned into a 
financial burden with many employees in debt and struggling 
to make ends meet. 
 
12. Local staff report that the cost of housing and the 
general increase in prices is their number one concern. A 
survey by Post's Financial Management office revealed that 
from 2005-2006, LES paid an average of 167 percent of their 
housing allowance for housing, or two-thirds more than they 
receive from Post. Likewise, inflation over the same period 
caused a 15 percent rise in the costs of other expenses 
beyond salary increases. A separate analysis revealed that 
from 2001-2007, LES salaries increased between 9-24 percent 
(depending on grade), with an average increase across all 
grades of 17 percent. At the same time, however, Qatar's 
inflation was over 50 percent during the same time period, 
while rents increased by at least by 116 percent, as noted 
earlier. 
 
13. Some specific examples of hardships being endured by 
our LES, which are representative of Qatar as a whole 
include: 
 
-- Notices from landlords of imminent evictions so that the 
land can be used for commercial development, and requests 
from landlords for cash advances of up to two-years for 
rental costs. One senior employee is taking a month of 
leave to look for a new apartment after being given an 
eviction notice from the building he has lived in for 24 
years. Another employee who received an eviction notice has 
spent weeks searching for new accommodation and only found 
apartments that are renting for more than double the amount 
he receives for his housing allowance. A third longtime 
employee was recently given an eviction notice by her 
landlord who wants to build a shopping complex on the site 
of her apartment bilding. With a son leaving for college, 
she consders herself lucky that she can now search for and 
live in a smaller apartment. 
 
-- Many employee have had to take out bank loans to pay 
for basicliving requirements, such as housing and 
educatin for their children. 
 
-- Seven percent of Embasy employees have had to send 
their families back home and move to shared accommodation 
because the cost of living is too high. 
 
-- One employee in ten is sharing accommodation with other 
families, and 12 percent are sharing kitchens. 
 
14. American staff have noted with growing concern the 
burden the housing situation has placed on our LES 
colleagues. This has also created a host of new management 
problems, as employee morale is low, anxiety about the 
future is high, and employee productivity is down, as many 
local staff need lots of time during work hours to look for 
new accommodation. Local employees continue to carry out 
their work professionally but there is palpable anger that 
the U.S. government and "the system" are not listening to 
their valid concerns or adequately addressing their very 
 
DOHA 00001043  004 OF 004 
 
 
real needs. Uncertainty over housing places a large 
psychological distress on employees and detracts from 
overall mission cohesion and performance. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
--- 
COMMENT: Qatari Labor Market Being Squeezed, Embassy Not 
Immune 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
--- 
 
15. Qatar's booming economy is caught between the need to 
import foreign workers at every level - from managers to 
laborers - who provide the human capital for the country's 
development, and the disincentives to life here posed by 
the high cost of living. No one comes to a conservative 
desert country for the social life, and as inflation in the 
housing and broader market erodes expatriate 
quality-of-life, Qatar will find it harder to attract and 
retain skilled workers in particular. 
 
16. More immediately worrying for Post, we are reaching a 
"tipping point" for retaining our LES, many of whom have 
served here for years, enjoy their work, and would like to 
continue employment with the Embassy. With no Qataris on 
the payroll and only expatriate LES employed throughout the 
Embassy, however, working in Doha has stopped being 
financially profitable for most of our LES. The only thing 
saving Embassy Doha from a mass exodus of LES to other 
employers is the difficulty of transferring sponsorship 
under Qatari law and the fear of deportation if a 
sponsorship transfer request is denied by Qatar labor 
authorities. As one senior employee put it, "we all would 
have left a long time ago," were it not for the sponsorship 
system. Ironically, pressing for modification of the 
sponsorship system - which locks employees in to one job 
and causes labor market rigidity and encourages abusive 
employment practices - is one of Post's main areas of 
engagement with the GOQ. Even if the sponsorship system 
does not change, Post believes that absent a significant 
increase in salaries and/or funds committed for housing 
allowances, we will begin to see employee attrition. 
RATNEY