Qatar Emir opens session of first legislative term

Doha: Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, this week opened the second ordinary session of the first legislative term, corresponding to the fifty-first annual session of the Shura Council, in the Tamim bin Hamad Hall at the headquarters of the Council.

The opening was attended by His Highness the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, His Highness Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, the personal representative of the Emir, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani and His Excellency Sheikh Jassim bin Khalifa Al Thani.

The opening was also attended by Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and a number of Their Excellencies Sheikhs, ministers, heads of diplomatic missions accredited to the state and dignitaries.

His Highness the Emir of the country, delivered a speech on this occasion, the text of which follows:

“I am pleased to meet you at the beginning of the annual session of your esteemed assembly, and I fully appreciate your efforts in our national march with the right opinion and full care for the requirements of the common good and the All-Knowing,” he said.

He added: “Our meeting today is characterized by the fact that it is taking place in light of the state and the people’s preoccupation in preparing to host a historic event that constitutes one of our most important national projects, the World Cup. The global interest in this occasion and in the host country shows how important this event is for our country. It is the most important sporting event, but it is not only a sporting event, it is a major humanitarian occasion.”

The economic issue is still the greatest concern for all countries of the world, as the negative economic effects of the Corona pandemic on the economies of countries almost began to recede, until the Russian-Ukrainian crisis came to affect the global economy and international trade with damages that are increasing day by day.

He said: “We thank God that we were at the forefront of countries that succeeded, with the measures they took at the national level, in dealing with and mitigating these negative effects, not only at the governmental level and the public sector, but also at the level of paying attention to the private sector.”

The Qatari economy has continued to grow this year, after the decline that occurred in 2020. Preliminary data indicate that the GDP during the first half of the year increased by 4.3%, supported by the growth of the non-oil sector by 7.3% compared to the same period of the previous year, the leader said.

The rise in energy prices turned the expected budget deficit at the beginning of the year into a surplus of about 47.3 billion riyals in the first half of the year. The budget surplus will be directed to reducing the level of public debt and increasing the state’s financial reserves.

Qatar Energy has expanded its operations in sixteen countries around the world in partnership with a number of major international companies. The project to expand gas production in the North Field is one of the most important strategic projects that support our economy and the state’s public finances in the long term.

Qatar Energy is also working to contribute to the generation of renewable energy. We recently inaugurated the Al-Kharsaah solar energy project, which meets 10% of Qatar’s electricity consumption, he said.