Written by: Badr Ahmed

In just a few years, the Qatari Al-Khayyat family of Syrian origin has transformed from a prominent name in the contracting sector within Doha into an economic and political player whose influence extends from Africa to Washington, passing through the files of the reconstruction of Syria, and extensive relations with circles close to US President Donald Trump and his family.

The names of the brothers Moataz and Ramez Khayat, owners of Power International Holding, have become prominent in massive infrastructure projects and cross-border investment moves, amid growing questions about the extent of the family’s influence and the nature of its political and economic relationships extending from the Gulf to Africa and the United States.

Billions of dollars in African expansion

In recent years, Power International Holdings has intensified its presence within the African continent, taking advantage of the major boom in infrastructure, energy and airport projects.

The group, through its construction arm UCC Holding, is competing to implement the new Ethiopian airport project, which is estimated to cost about $12.5 billion and aims to transform Addis Ababa into the largest aviation hub in Africa.

The company is also seeking to win huge contracts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including a 400-kilometer highway project, in parallel with the implementation of other projects including Bugesera Airport in Rwanda, power stations and airports in Libya, and hospitals in Algeria.

The group’s investments are not limited to construction, but extend to agriculture and food industries, where it is working to transport tens of thousands of cows from the United States to Algeria to establish a huge dairy and cheese production plant, in a replication of the model used by the Qatari company Baladna following the Doha blockade crisis in 2017.

From Syria to Qatar: A rapid rise and lingering questions

Mutaz and Ramez Al-Khayat come from a Syrian family whose name has been associated for years with infrastructure projects inside Syria, where their father, Muhammad Raslan Al-Khayat, worked in the contracting sector, amid reports of ties to economic circles close to the Bashar al-Assad regime.

With the outbreak of the Syrian protests in 2011, the two brothers moved to Qatar, where they later obtained Qatari citizenship, before becoming one of the most prominent names in the construction sector within the Gulf state.

Their companies have carried out massive projects related to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Lusail City, shopping malls and infrastructure networks, giving the family enormous economic influence inside and outside Qatar.

Washington and Trump: Interests intersect

But the family's economic influence did not stop at contracting and investments.

According to Western media reports, the Khayat family has succeeded in building close relationships with circles close to Donald Trump, especially with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, through partnerships and real estate and tourism investments worth billions of dollars in Albania and other regions.

Reports indicate that the family participated in lobbying efforts within Washington to support lifting sanctions imposed on Syria, while simultaneously seeking to obtain huge contracts in reconstruction projects, including the development of Damascus International Airport, power plants, and energy projects.

Reports also spoke of proposals for Trump-branded projects inside Syria, including resorts and golf courses, at a time when the Khayat family was seeking to secure huge investments inside the country after the easing of sanctions.

Controversial accusations and funding

Despite the significant economic expansion, the family has been plagued by a series of controversial accusations in recent years.

In 2019, lawsuits in Britain included allegations of money being transferred to extremist groups in Syria through bank accounts linked to the family, allegations which were denied by those close to them at the time.

Other reports have also been raised about suspicions related to the financing of armed groups in Afghanistan and Syria, in addition to previous accusations within Qatar related to financial matters, without final judicial rulings convicting the family in those cases.

Africa, the new gateway to influence

Observers believe that Africa has become the most important arena for the influence of the Al-Khayat family, in light of the huge expansion of airport, energy, road and agriculture projects, in parallel with the growing Qatari, Turkish and Gulf presence within the continent.

Experts believe that the family’s ability to move between political and economic capitals, and to build partnerships with influential forces in Washington and Doha, gives it a leading position in the race to reshape the map of investments and infrastructure in Africa and the Middle East.

But on the other hand, questions remain about the nature of this influence, and the limits of the overlap between money and politics, especially with the connection of reconstruction projects and major investments to highly sensitive issues, from Syria to Africa, all the way to the White House.