Doha: The Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities (RACA) today launched the National Forum for Empowering the Third Sector in Qatar Towards International Indicators, as part of the 2025 edition of its Tamkeen program. The forum serves as a platform for communication, innovation, dialogue, problem analysis, and the design and development of solutions that advance humanitarian and development work.
According to Qatar News Agency, the forum is held in partnership with the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council. The three-day event is one of the key activities accompanying the national research project titled Building the Capacity of the Third Sector (NGOs) for Collaborative Policymaking to Achieve Qatar National Vision 2030.
The forum aims to support the transformation of the third sector in Qatar and the GCC region toward a more professional and strategically aligned role in line with national visions. It seeks to analyze the sector’s origins and development, understand its relationship with governments, map its institutions, activities, and societal roles, and assess its readiness to collaborate with government entities in planning and implementing public policies.
The opening day of the forum featured an official ceremony attended by a distinguished group of officials, academics, and representatives of third-sector organizations. It also witnessed active participation in workshops and panel discussions addressing key issues related to the development of charitable and humanitarian work in the region.
On this occasion, Director of Licensing and Support at RACA, Rashid Mohammed Al Nuaimi affirmed that this national forum is a continuation of the 2025 Tamkeen program’s series of events, acting as a platform for engagement, innovation, dialogue, and solution-building to support the progress of humanitarian and development work.
For his part, President of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Dr. Abdelwahab El-Affendi emphasized that empowering the third sector is no longer a secondary option but a national necessity to enhance its role in sustainable development and to elevate its performance in line with global best practices. He stated that the forum provides a strategic platform to develop accurate indicators and effective measurement tools, placing Qatar’s third-sector institutions in a leading position on the global stage. He added that the sector is a cornerstone for social solidarity, innovation, and the building of social capital.
Dean of the School of Economics, Administration and Public Policy at the Institute, Aihab Saad stressed that the forum offers a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences and build practical strategies that will make third-sector institutions more efficient, effective, and competitive regionally and internationally. He highlighted that empowering the sector is an investment in the future and a proactive response to evolving challenges, underlining the importance of research partnerships in shaping a robust working environment for the third sector and supporting evidence-based development policies.