(QIIB) has won the ‘Al Dhameen Best Partner Bank Award’ instituted by Qatar Development Bank (QDB) for local banks that provide tremendous support to the indirect financing programme meant for SMEs and start up entrepreneurs.

This is the second year in a row that QIIB is securing the ‘Al Dhameen Best Partner Bank Award’.

QIIB Chief Executive Officer Dr Abdulbasit Ahmad al-Shaibei received the award at a ceremony organised by QDB in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Saud Al Thani, Governor of Qatar Central Bank (QCB), as well as senior bank officials associated with the Al Dhameen programme and QDB executives.

QDB presented QIIB with the award in view of the guarantees provided by the Bank through the Al Dhameen programme to SMEs.

This effectively contributed to enrichment of the Al Dhameen programme, which is a QDB initiative encouraging banks to offer financing to startups and SMEs that are unable to provide the necessary financing guarantees or collaterals.

"We are delighted to receive this award for the second consecutive year, which represents the depth of our partnership with QDB in this programme. This is in line with the vision and guidance of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani that sustainable development is key to overall national progress.”

"We, at QIIB, are honoured to contribute to the development of our country through local partnerships. There is no doubt that one of these fruitful and effective partnerships is with QDB, which supports SMEs or startups through the Al Dhameen programme that targets value added projects in industry, education, tourism and some other service sectors", he added.

"In fact, we have a lot to be proud of in view of our cooperation with QDB. Every effort and cooperation that contributes to the achievement of Qatar National Vision 2030 is much appreciated. Al Dhameen is a pioneering programme that has significantly contributed to the expansion of the SME landscape in country and supported entrepreneurs and helped them realise their goals and aspirations.”

The QIIB CEO confirmed that "Al Dhameen programme has stimulated the entrepreneurial and creative spirit in our country.”

He expressed his satisfaction that QIIB is among the leading local banks that extend ongoing support to the Al Dhameen programme. This reflects the Bank’s strategy that focuses on the local market and contributes to the financing of various projects, especially the SMEs".

He also pointed out that the total QIIB portfolio through Al Dhameen programme with more than 60 customers, distributed among various economic sectors.

“Nearly 70% of this is in the industrial sector, which highlights its importance in our economy’s sustainable development".

Dr Al Shaibei concluded by expressing his thanks to the Qatar Development Bankfor its excellent efforts in launching the Al Dhameen programme.

He also thanked Mr. AbdulAziz Bin Nasser Al Khalifa, CEO of the Bank, for his big support to the programme since inception".