DOHA, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Qatar's economy minister said his country's economy performed better than expected last year despite the ongoing embargo imposed on it by its Gulf allies, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported Thursday.
In an interview with Bloomberg TV in Davos on Wednesday evening, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Jassim Bin Mohammed Al Thani said that "minimal" government support is required to overcome the sanctions of a trade and diplomatic embargo imposed by the Saudi-led blockading countries.
The Qatari economy, which has the highest growth rates in the region and the highest per capita income, has succeeded to defeat the siege, the Qatari official said.
"We opened new routes, we opened new markets, and we are trading with the whole world. The world is not only these four countries," he added. "We can live forever without those countries."
When asked about possibilities of resolving the ongoing dispute, the minister said that there are no signs of a resolution to the crisis.
Earlier, Qatar issued many decisions to promote the national economy for all investors in the Economic Zones such as exemption of the rental fees.
On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt cut their air and sea routes to Qatar, and closed its only land border with Saudi Arabia, accusing Doha of backing extremism, a charge that Qatar denies.
Since the crisis erupted, Iran and Turkey have sought to help break Qatar's isolation, including by increasing food exports to Qatar.
