Photo: VCG

DOHA, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Qatar Central Bank (QCB) on Tuesday issued treasury bills for three, six and nine months with a value of 600 million Qatari riyals (roughly 164 million U.S. dollars), the bank said in a statement.

"The step is part of the QCB's monetary policy initiatives and efforts to strengthen the financial system as well as to activate the tools available for the open market operations," according to the statement.

The treasury bills' value will be distributed as 300 million Qatari riyals for three months at an interest rate of 1.96 percent, 200 million Qatari riyals for six months at an interest rate of 1.98 percent and 100 million Qatari riyals for nine months at an interest rate of 2.01 percent.

The treasury bills are issued through auction for banks operating in Qatar.