QBWA Signs UNCTAD MoU at World Investment Forum in Qatar

The Qatari Businesswomen Association (QBWA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UNCTAD at the 9th World Investment Forum 2026, held in Qatar under the theme 'Investing in the Future'. The deal formalizes a framework for long-term collaboration on women's economic participation, extending well beyond the forum's three-day run.

QBWA served as a forum partner and co-organised the session 'Women Who Invest: Mobilizing Female Capital for the Future' together with UNCTAD. The session's premise: women should move past wealth creation and become active investors and capital allocators. That framing carries weight — but the source offers no figures on how much female capital the initiative aims to mobilize, nor any targets against which success will be measured.

Who spoke and what they discussed?

Manu G Parmar, founder and CEO of Business Leaders Magazine, moderated the session. The speaker lineup included:

• Fatma Ali al-Khater, founder of Torba Market and founder and board member of the Qatar Venture Capital Association
• Yulia Stark, founder and president of EWA Group
• Mariela Balbo, co-founder and CFO of Crofabiotech
• Dalia al-Khalaf, founder and managing partner of Rawdat Capital
• Rama Chakaki, president of QSTP

The speakers drew on backgrounds in entrepreneurship, venture capital, financial education, innovation and international investment. Discussions centered on strengthening investment knowledge, improving access to opportunities, mobilising capital for innovation and sustainable growth, and building trusted cross-border investment networks. The session also stressed collaboration among financial institutions, investment networks, private-sector organisations and policymakers to build a more inclusive investment ecosystem. In plain words: the ambition is structural, but the mechanism so far is dialogue and networking rather than committed capital.

What does the MoU actually commit to?

According to the source, the QBWA-UNCTAD partnership is designed to continue after the forum through cooperation in women's entrepreneurship, investment, capacity building and international business engagement. The MoU establishes a framework for joint initiatives supporting women's economic participation. No financial terms, timeline or governance structure were disclosed.

QBWA also hosted an exclusive networking dinner for international delegates, its own members and Qatar's wider business community, aimed at relationship-building and potential cross-market partnerships. The association acted as an in-kind sponsor of the UNCTAD Women in Business Awards.

What did QBWA pledge to award winners?

Vice chairwoman Aisha Alfardan committed to offering award winners complimentary membership in QBWA's business community, along with curated introductions to business leaders, potential partners and supporting organisations. Her stated reasoning: meaningful support must go beyond awards and recognition. The pledge is concrete in kind but carries no stated monetary value.

Board member Aysha Khalifa al-Romaihi sat on the awards panel, adding QBWA's perspective to the recognition of women entrepreneurs. QBWA framed both moves as part of a community-driven approach to connecting women with people and resources.

What did the leadership say?

Alfardan said: 'Hosting the World Investment Forum in Qatar has been a wonderful opportunity to bring people together, share ideas, and create meaningful connections.'

She added: 'At QBWA, we have always believed that empowering women is not only about helping them start or grow businesses. It is also about giving them the confidence, knowledge, and opportunities to become investors, leaders, and decision-makers.'

On the UNCTAD partnership, she said: 'We are proud of our partnership with UNCTAD and the opportunities it creates to connect women from Qatar with the wider world. For us, the true value of collaboration is not measured by the events we organise, but by the relationships we build, the doors we open, and the opportunities that continue long after the event ends.' Relationships, notably, are harder to audit than deals — and no metrics were offered.

What comes next?

QBWA says it will keep working with regional and international partners to advance women's participation in entrepreneurship, investment and economic decision-making, while supporting Qatar's position as a hub for international business collaboration. The immediate test is whether the MoU translates into measurable capital flows and capacity programs rather than continued convening.