Day: 9 September 2023

The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) has completed its preparations for convening the second national forum which will begin on Tuesday and will run for two days at Ritz-Carlton Hotel, under the theme of ‘Human rights of persons with disabilities, protection and empowerment’.

In a statement today, the committee stated that an accompanying exhibition will also be held in which the works, activities and events of organizations, companies and institutions in charge of persons with disabilities in the State of Qatar will be organized. The exhibition aims to introduce the public to the issue of disability from a human rights perspective.

The exhibition will display these entities’ documents and works on the protection of people with disabilities over the past twenty years since its establishment.

HE NHRC Secretary-General Sultan bin Hassan Al Jamali said that the forum and the accompanying exhibition aim to provide a national dialogue platform for exchanging knowledge and experiences, building capabilities, and reviewing legislation, policies, plans and programs concerned with protecting the rights of persons with disabilities in Qatar, as well as enhancing their integration into society, an implementation of its national and international obligations related to the rights of persons with disabilities, which will shed light on the reality of their rights and examine the extent to which they actually enjoy them.

Al Jamali added that the forum will enhance the participation of persons with disabilities in all areas of political, economic, social and cultural life in order to integrate them into society to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030 and to involve them, their families, the organizations that represent them and all stakeholders in developing and implementing legislation, policies, plans and programs aimed at protecting people with disabilities and their rights, and making decisions related to them.

He stressed the forum organizers’ keenness on urging the authorities concerned with disability in Qatar to develop recommendations that would provide appropriate solutions to the challenges and problems faced by persons with disabilities on the basis of a human rights-based approach.

Al Jamali pointed out that the forum will focus on highlighting, documenting and promoting best national practices in the field of protecting the rights of persons with disabilities to overcome the challenges of disability and ensure their independence and integration into society as active elements like other members of society, as well as drawing on international best practices in this field and studying the possibility of applying them at the national level.

He pointed out that the forum will be an opportunity to raise awareness and educate Qatari society about the rights of persons with disabilities and to encourage all its institutions to pay attention to the issue of disability as a human rights issue and not a medical or a charitable one, with the importance of changing the stereotypical image about them.

Al Jamali noted that the forum will give priority to the participation of people with disabilities, their families, and the organizations that represent them in presenting papers as the primary stakeholders concerned with the challenge of disability, and in implementation of the provisions of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which calls for their effective participation in developing and implementing legislation, policies, plans and programs aimed at implementing its provisions, and making decisions related to them in other issues and matters.

The forum will also provide prominent participation for those with disabilities in order to talk about their experiences, the challenges they faced, and the solutions they created on the path to success.

Al Jamali revealed that the NHRC will publish the forum’s work in an electronic and printed document after its end, and will also send the forum’s recommendations to all governmental and semi-governmental agencies and civil society organizations concerned with disability, as a national road map for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, empowering them, and integrating them into society.

He pointed out that the forum will highlight the efforts of the State of Qatar in the field of protecting the rights of persons with disabilities after years of organized work in this field, adding these efforts were made by all parties concerned with disability in the health, educational, cultural, economic, and other fields.

HE NHRC Secretary-General said that the forum will also consolidate cooperation in creating scientific solutions based on a human rights perspective to direct the energies of people with disabilities and integrate them into society, in implementation of the sustainable development goals and leaving no one behind.

Source: Qatar News Agency

The Seventh edition of the Katara’s International Hunting and Falcons Exhibition (S’hail 2023) features a wide gulf participation in a variety of fields related to falconry and land trips.

In remarks to Qatar News Agency , a host of participants hailing from GCC states lauded the good organization and arrangement of the current edition of (S’hail 2023), along with the facilitations they have received from the committee organizing the event.

Plant (Project) Manager at the Saudi El-Sief Engineering Contracting Company, Abdul Rahman Al-Sunaidi, hailed the huge public turnout the exhibition is witnessing from all community segments, including segments from various GCC states and Arab region. He pointed out that the event expresses authenticity and offers the heritage and culture of the gulf region in a mazing manner.

Al-Sunaidi said the outstanding organization of the exhibition manifests the overwhelming efforts made by Qatar to preserve the cultural heritage of the region to be attractively and incredibly presented to the world. He pointed out that El-Sief Company provides equipment for desert tourism and hiking whose participation in the exhibition was successful, he added.

Owner of Al-Boury for Weapons & Hunting Ammunitions Co. in Kuwait, Ali Mazyad Al-Zayed, said this was his sixth participation in S’hail 2023, pointing out that it is one of the pioneering exhibitions in the gulf and Arab region, and an attractive global hub for hunting- lovers, breeders of falcons and snipers from all countries of the world.

He said the exhibition represents an outstanding opportunity to view the state-of-the-art weapons, equipment, and products in the world of hunting and falconry trips.

Director of Barari Hunting in the United Arab Emirates, Saif Al Saleh, lauded the ingenuous organization of S’hail 2023, along with the facilitations offered to participants, pointing out that when he wanted to participate in the event, all doors were open before him. He added that Barari Hunting was committed to participating in the event to brief the public on its activities, especially that the exhibition draws a substantial number of participants from Qatar and GCC states who are deeply interested in falconry.

Source: Qatar News Agency

The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), in cooperation with the Middle East regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO, organized a workshop on the 2005 International Health Regulations.

Held at Itqan Centre in Hamad Medical City, the three-day workshop gathered 138 participants from MOPH, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) and other related government bodies. The participants came from different related disciplines including the fields of monitoring and responding to communicable diseases, medical laboratories, vaccination, pharmaceuticals, supply&logistics, infection control, antimicrobial resistance, risk communication, planning, finance, human resources, and emergency preparedness and response.

Director of the Health Emergency Department at the MOPH Dr. Soha Al Bayat said that the joint external evaluation is part of the monitoring and evaluation framework for the 2005 International Health Regulations, and represents a voluntary, multi-sectoral process to evaluate the countrys ability to prevent, monitor and respond to public health risks.

She explained that the joint external evaluation process allows countries to identify the most demanding needs and opportunities, within the framework of the health security system, to enhance emergency preparedness, monitoring and response, through consensus on national priorities, in order to develop and update the national action plan for health security with the allocation of the required resources.

Dr. Al Bayat added that the State of Qatar, like other countries in the world, faced many challenges during previous years, especially with the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, through the successful holding of the FIFIA World Cup Qatar 2022.

She added that Qatar, like any other country, constantly needs initiatives and best practices to ensure effective preparedness and management of any type of emergency that may occur, and to commit to the process of continuous development of capabilities and competencies in order to optimally prepare for emergency situations and raise the ability of health systems to withstand and respond to any type of emergency.

The purpose of the International Health Regulations 2005 is to prevent, protect against, control and respond to the international spread of diseases by taking public health measures proportionate to the potential risks.

Source: Qatar News Agency

HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani expressed his sincere condolences to HM King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Moroccan people on the victims of the earthquake that struck several Moroccan regions and cities.

In a post on social media platform X, HH the Amir extended sincere condolences to his brother HM King Mohammed VI and the brotherly people of Morocco on the victims of the earthquake that struck various cities across the country, praying to Allah Almighty to bestow his mercy on the victims, grant the injured a speedy recovery, and protect Morocco and its people from all harm.

Source: Qatar News Agency

HE Prime Minister of the sisterly Federal Republic of Somalia Hamza Abdi Barre praised the supporting position of the State of Qatar to his country in various circumstances, affirming that the Somali people will remember and appreciate these noble Qatari positions.

In an interview with Qatar News Agency , Somali Prime Minister said Qatar has never been reluctant in extending the hand of aid and support to all issues at all regional and international levels and forums. He added that history will record the outstanding and pioneering role of Qatar and its people in the growth and development in Somalia which is demonstrated in supporting development projects and infrastructure such as roads, rehabilitation of government facilities, as well as cooperation in countering a variety of crises and responding to humanitarian appeals.

Qatar’s hosting of the third meeting of the quint group on Somalia last June underscores Qatar’s constructive role in supporting the tracks of development and stability in Somalia both at the regional and international levels, along with Qatar’s commitment to standing with the Somali people and marshalling the efforts of the international community to provide full support to address the root causes of extremism, end and prevent armed conflict and boost regional and international cooperation in alignment with the international laws, Abdi Barre noted.

He added that Somalia does not see Qatar as a mere partner, but rather a strategic ally and reliable friend, adding that he aspires to further cooperation and achieve more integration in a variety of fields in quest of accomplishing the joint interests of the two sisterly countries and brotherly peoples.

Abdi Barre asserted that Somalia works to solidify the existing cooperation with Qatar at bilateral level and looks forward to expanding this cooperation to encompass significant fields such as education, culture, development of human wealth, combating extreme and radical ideology, as well as country- building efforts to promote peace, stability and supporting sustainable development steps.

He pointed out that the Republic of Somalia looks forward to further cooperation in trade and investment in a variety of sectors to take advantage of the Somali rich wealth, including 3330km of the coasts rich in fish wealth, roughly 8.5 million hectares of fertile arable land, and nearly 40 million heads of camels, sheep, and cows, in addition to other opportunities in energy sectors and various industries.

He said his country looks forward to activating and strengthening joint committees between the two countries and implementing all agreements and memoranda of understanding signed between the two sides to double coordination and cooperation towards issues that concern Arab and Islamic peoples and the whole world.

At the regional and international levels, Somalia aspires to political coordination and consultations in issues of common concern and reaffirms its commitment to deepening partnership in joint political and regional interests, along with the mechanisms of defeating threats besetting Somalia to ensure overcoming climate change risks and food security, he said.

Regarding his visit to Doha, HE Prime Minister of the sisterly Federal Republic of Somalia outlined that such a visit comes in the context of upgrading and consolidating fraternal ties between the two sisterly countries, in addition to strengthening the course of the existing close relations between them, pointing out that the visit reflects the depth of the outstanding and solid relationship, as well as the close fraternal ties between Somalia and the State of Qatar.

He pointed out that there is a well-established relationship between the two countries as a model of outstanding relations among nations, adding that such relationship was reflected on promoting the degree of confidence and shared support, in addition to increasing the pace of cooperation between the two countries in economic, security and development areas.

HE Hamza Abdi Barre said the relationship between the two sisterly countries witnessed a remarkable progress during the past years, adding that his visit to his brothers in Qatar confirms the commitment to deepening partnership in all fields to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in Arab and Islamic nations.

The Republic of Somalia has made long strides and today it is getting out of the cycle of recurrent calamities and impediment of insecurity and instability, he added, highlighting that such a moment is precious opportunity in the history of Somalia to consolidate myriad efforts for the sustainability of development and progress in the country.

He pointed out that Somalia is on the verge of overcoming three challenges, mainly defeating Al Qaeda-affiliated elements of Al-Shabaab, suppressing their existence in Somalia, implementing the plan for the exit of the African Union peacekeeping forces from the country, regaining sovereignty and continuing the process of financial and economic reforms, as well as completing the process of relief debt.

The current government in Somalia embarked on intensive efforts to counter terrorism whether ideologically, physically, or militarily through cleaning up a roughly 900 km of strategic roads and the liberation of 80 towns, equivalent to half of the areas in which Al-Shabaab group was stationed, Abdi Barre pointed out.

He added that Somalia focused its efforts on achieving a real reconciliation to create the essential political conditions required for achieving stability, outlining that the country had heretofore organized many consecutive meetings of the National Consultative Council in which radical agreements were reached, chief among which are separation of the authorities’ powers at various government levels, justice system and independence of judiciary authority.

Somali Prime Minister affirmed that the achievement of security and stability in Africa requires an overarching effort and international cooperation to attain motives of security and stability, adding that bolstering economic growth and providing job, education and health opportunities can largely reduce the rate of poverty and support stability. He highlighted that investment in infrastructure and boosting a variety of economic sectors, along with regional trade can help achieve economic growth, in addition to supporting local efforts aimed at promoting dialogue and resolving political disputes through peaceful means. He said international mediations and regional institutions can contribute to this aspect.

He stressed the need to enforce anti-corruption measures in a resource-management approach and provide public services that considerably foster people’s confidence in government leading to stability, pointing out that cooperation among African nations plays a critical role in bolstering security and stability, along with sharing expertise and resources to address joint challenges.

Bolstering security capabilities and regional cooperation to counter terrorism and organized crimes plays an important role in achieving stability, as well as education and culture which play a vital role in building robust and sustainable communities, he added.

Source: Qatar News Agency

The State of Qatar expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the two attacks that targeted a riverboat and a military site in the Republic of Mali, resulting in the deaths and injuries of numerous civilians and military personnel.

In a statement on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated Qatar’s firm position on rejecting violence, terrorism, and criminal acts, regardless of their motives or reasons.

The ministry expressed the State of Qatar’s condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and people of the Republic of Mali and its wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured.

Source: Qatar News Agency