WEATHERING THE STORM
Some of Doha’s businesses took a battering when the boycott was launched. Qatar Airways lost money in 2017 after losing access to airspace over boycotting states.

Yet the economy has weathered the protracted dispute and is expected to grow 2.6 percent this year and closer to 3 percent in 2019, according to the finance ministry.

The world’s largest liquefied natural gas exporter quickly deployed its massive sovereign wealth fund, estimated to have about $320 billion of assets, to protect its banks and currency after the boycotting states withdrew deposits.

“Our biggest mission as Qataris during the blockade was to maintain the economy,” Yousuf Al Jaida, chief executive of the Qatar Financial Centre, told Reuters.

“A lot of focus was not about growth, it was about physically withstanding the blockade and whatever damage that may occur, because essentials, whether it’s food or logistics, were not being made available.”

Qatari officials say the crisis was a wake-up call for the country of 2.7 million to become more self-reliant and diversify.

“We want the world to see what this relatively small country can do with resilience and commitment,” Energy Minister Mohammed al-Sada told Reuters. “The only worry I have is that our team may not win the (2022) World Cup.”

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