# Qatar Partners with Microsoft to Expand Azure Cloud Data Centres
Qatar is accelerating its push to become a regional AI leader, with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) announcing a significant expansion of the Microsoft Azure cloud data centre region in Doha — marking two years since the facility first opened.
MCIT and Microsoft Deepen AI Partnership
Microsoft established its Qatar cloud data centre region in 2022, making it one of more than 60 such regions it operates worldwide. The expansion was announced at a Microsoft event held under the theme "Lead the Era of AI," celebrating the second anniversary of the Doha facility.
Sami Al Shammari, Assistant Undersecretary for Infrastructure and Operations Affairs at MCIT, said the expansion reflects the ministry's commitment to equipping government institutions with cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence.
"The further extension of the cloud data centre region is a testament to the ministry's unrelenting commitment to providing all governmental institutions with modern technologies, including Artificial Intelligence," Al Shammari said.
143 Government Entities Now on Azure
The partnership has delivered measurable results. To date, 143 government and semi-government organisations have migrated to Microsoft Azure cloud, while 43 of those entities are actively using Azure's data analytics and AI services.
Over the past three years, 1,393 individuals have been trained in AI and data techniques through the initiative — a figure that underscores the scale of Qatar's investment in building domestic technology capacity.
Aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030
Al Shammari highlighted that the Microsoft partnership directly supports both the Qatar Digital Agenda 2030 and the broader Qatar National Vision 2030. The goals centre on embedding AI across public and private sectors to position Qatar as a hub for technology and innovation in the Gulf.
Microsoft's growing collaboration with OpenAI — the company behind ChatGPT — has contributed to a sharp rise in Azure consumption across the region, as demand for AI-powered cloud services continues to climb.
National Skilling Program Targets 50,000 Residents
Alongside the infrastructure expansion, MCIT and Microsoft launched the National Skilling Program, which aims to equip 50,000 people in Qatar with advanced digital skills — including cloud computing and artificial intelligence — over the coming years.
The program reflects Qatar's broader strategy to build a technology-enabled workforce capable of driving innovation from within.
