Today, Qatar celebrates the National Day, which falls on December 18 each year, under the slogan:
“Ten years embraced glory and arts,
Obtained all excellence and manliness,
The path of excellence is difficult”.
This poetic line is of the Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani, in which he talked about his martyr son Sheikh Joaan, enumerating his venerations, as he was of a young age, a student of knowledge, and a cavalier knight, and these are the values that were brought up in his Qatari environment.
The slogan expresses the faith of successive generations of Qatari youth, that the path of the excellence is difficult, and to reach it you will need morality and science.
On this day in the glorious history of Qatar, we remember the biography of the founder, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani, who, approximately 140 years ago, upon assuming the reins of power in the country (on December 18, 1878), laid down the foundations of our modern state, preserved its sovereignty and the dignity of its people, and made Qatar a united, coherent and independent country with foundations and values and principles on which it was founded.
Thanks to this, Qatar went on the paths of glory, achieving accomplishments, caring for rights, helping the needy, championing the oppressed, observing the right of neighbourliness, adhering to values and morals, offering the world a bright example of a safe and stable country capable of achieving the highest levels of development, and providing the finest quality of life for its people and residents.
As Qatar celebrates its National Day this year, the country is proud of its past glory, present accomplishments and filled with hope, optimism and confidence of a bright tomorrow and a future full of giving, building, renaissance and progress under the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and his wise government.
Perhaps the most prominent progress of the country’s accomplishments this year is the political, economic, military and defence successes achieved by its foreign relations and strategic alliances open to various countries and peoples with active and calm diplomacy based on mutual respect and common interests.
The year 2019 was marked by the Amir’s foreign visits that included Korea, Japan, China, Kuwait, Austria, Rwanda, Nigeria, Pakistan, the United States, France, and Britain.
In an affirmation of the respect and appreciation of the leaders of the brotherly and friendly countries of Qatar, the heads of Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Bulgaria, Botswana, Palestine, Angola, Gambia, Brazil, Rwanda, Armenia, Turkey, and Malaysia visited Qatar.
The country’s interests and bilateral relations with these countries were at the top of the agenda of the discussions that took place during these visits.
Within the framework of external interaction, the Amir participated in the 2019 Arab Economic and Social Development Summit in Beirut and the Arab Summit in Tunisia.
He also participated in the Munich Security Conference, and the 5th Summit of the Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures Conference in Asia held in Kyrgyzstan, and in the meetings of the General Session of the 134th IOC held in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Last September, the Amir, participated in the opening session of the general discussion of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 74) in New York, and the Amir delivered a speech, in which he tackled the most prominent international issues on the agenda of the session, the positions of Qatar regarding it and its vision towards the various challenges and current crises.
The Amir pointed out that Qatar announced the provision of support for the basic resources of the United Nations in the amount of $500mn, in addition to the support previously provided, so that today it is considered among the largest partners supporting the international organisation in various fields.
The Amir in New York also participated in the session of the Alliance on Financing Climate Activities and Carbon Pricing, and delivered a speech which dealt with the phenomenon of climate change as one of the serious challenges of our time, and an ever increasing problem.
The Amir affirmed Qatar’s commitment to its responsibility as an active partner in the international community to confront this phenomenon, enumerating its actions, steps and initiatives in this regard internally and externally, including the commitment of Qatar as a host to the FIFA World Cup in 2022, to organise an environmentally friendly championship, and the first “carbon neutral” championship by using solar energy in stadiums, and using energy and water-saving cooling and lighting technology.
The Amir also announced Qatar’s contribution of $100mn to support small island developing states and least developed countries to deal with climate change, natural hazards and environmental challenges, and build capacity to face their devastating effects.
In December, the Amir and President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, presented the prizes of the fourth edition of ‘Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani Anti-Corruption Excellence Award’, at a ceremony held in the Rwandan capital Kigali.
Economy
Qatar has been able to record tangible achievements in a short time as a result of good planning and following a tight strategy in which all the influential sectors in the country are integrated, and it has succeeded in overcoming the effects of the unfair blockade imposed for the third year in a row and after it became more powerful, preventive and coherent, and more self-reliant, and achieved the highest rates of economic growth, while major projects and projects related to the 2022 FIFA World Cup are being completed, infrastructure development in the free, economic, industrial and logistical areas has taken place, and the national economy has witnessed a great recovery with the opening of more than 800 Qatari companies in the field of manufacturing food, service and manufacturing industries, as well as the expansion of several industrial cities to provide land for more investment projects and promising opportunities in various sectors.
The country’s economic wheel is supported by Qatar Airways fleet, which includes more than 250 aircraft connecting Qatar through Hamad International Airport to more than 160 destinations around the world.
Likewise, Hamad Port, which is one of the largest ports in the Middle East, and which contributed to connecting Qatar to more than 40 ports on the continents of the world.
Hamad International Airport announced that it received 10.7mn passengers during the third quarter of 2019, making it the busiest quarter that the airport has witnessed so far, while Hamad Port received this year more than 3,700 ships, and more than 1,200,000 containers.
The Port entered the Guinness World Records, as the deepest artificial basin being constructed on the surface of the earth.
Defence
In the context of the defensive policy aimed at protecting the homeland, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, honoured last June officers, non-commissioned officers and members of the Qatari Rafale fighter (Al Adiyat) that Qatar will receive in implementation of the deal concluded with the French company Dassault Aviation SA.
The Amir witnessed a live air show of the Rafale aircraft carried out by the pilots of the Qatari Amiri Air Force upon arrival at Dukhan Airbase. On the occasion, the Amir listened to a briefing on the airbase and the most prominent operations and combat and offensive capabilities that characterise the Al Adiyat squadrons.
Last January, the Amir sponsored the graduation ceremony for the first batch of police college candidates.
He also witnessed the graduation ceremony of the sixth batch of Al-Zaeem Air College candidates, and the 14th batch graduation ceremony for Ahmed bin Mohammed Military College candidates.
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, inaugurated Al Daayen Naval Base (the new building of the General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security) in the Sumaysimah region in northern Qatar.
Qatar received the first batch of Apache — QA aircraft, during a ceremony held at at the headquarters of Boeing Defence Systems in Arizona, USA.
The Qatar Amiri Naval and Air Force carried out several joint exercises with the forces of a number of brotherly and friendly countries.
During the year 2019, the Amir, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Economic Affairs and Investment chaired five meetings of the council held at the Amiri Diwan, where he was informed of the developments in energy affairs, the strategic plan, future development and organisational structure of the Investment Promotion Agency and the most important of its initiatives contributing to attracting investors.
During the meetings several issues were discussed, like the progress of the work of the second national development strategy (2018-2022), and the latest developments of the Free Zones Authority, in addition to adopting distinguished partnerships between the private sector and international companies from various fields.
Education
In the context of the state’s interest in the educational process, the Amir honoured, last May, during a ceremony, the 2019 batch of the 787 graduates of Education City universities, and he honoured the distinguished graduates from the 42nd batch of Qatar University students, while Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim al-Thani, wife of the Amir, honoured the female graduates from the same class in a separate ceremony.
The Amir honoured the winners of the Scientific Excellence Award in its 12th edition, during the ceremony held under the patronage of the Amir, under the slogan “Excellence, Build Generations” at the Doha Sheraton Hotel.
Public Health
In the public health sector, the Ministry of Public Health is keen to adopt the highest international quality standards in its services for patients, which enables them to reach the care they need in a timely manner.
Eight new public and specialised hospitals have been opened since 2016, including Sidra Medical Centre, which specialises in providing healthcare for women and children, the new Trauma and Emergency Centre, which is considered one of the largest emergency centres in the region, besides ten primary healthcare centres, of which seven belong to the Primary Health Care Corporation, and three health centres for single males, managed by Qatar Red Crescent based on an agreement with the Ministry of Public Health.
Qatar ranked fifth in the world in the health index issued by Legatum Institute and its head office in London, thanks to the improvement of life expectancy, health results for patients and the high rate of investment in the level of health infrastructure.
This progress is linked to being the first in the Middle East in terms of life expectancy, and among the list of 25 best globally in terms of quality of health services and access to healthcare.
The country’s spending in the healthcare sector is one of the highest in the Middle East.
Infrastructure
Within the framework of construction and infrastructure projects, the Amir, during March, inaugurated Umm Al Houl Power Station, His Highness made a field tour of the stations departments, where he listened to a summary of the work and production mechanisms there.
The production capacity of the plant reaches 136mn gallons of water per day, and 520 megawatts of electricity, at an estimated cost of approximately QR11bn, and the station represents a qualitative addition and a strong support to achieve water and electrical security, as it will secure 30% of the country’s electricity needs, and 40% of its desalinated water needs.
Under the guidance of the Amir, a corridor named after the Amir of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, was launched on the “Axis Road” project, which was inaugurated by HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, in the presence of Sheikh Nasser al-Mohamed al-Ahmad al-Sabah, representative of the Amir of Kuwait at a ceremony held at the Sheraton Hotel.
Energy
In 2019, Qatar witnessed a major development in the energy sector that will enhance the strength of the Qatari economy and Qatar’s position in the global natural gas market.
Qatar is preparing to achieve a qualitative and quantitative leap in the production and export of LNG.
HE Minister of State for Energy Affairs and President & CEO of Qatar Petroleum Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi announced that Qatar will raise the capacity of LNG production to 126mn tonnes annually, which is an increase of 64% from the current production level of 77mn tonnes annually.
He said that the technical tests showed that the quantities of proven gas contained in the North field exceed 1,760tn cubic feet of gas, in addition to more than 70bn barrels of condensate, and huge quantities of liquefied petroleum gas, ethane, and helium gas, which are very important results, that have positive dimensions to push the Qatari gas industry to new heights.
Qatar Petroleum also continued its march towards globalisation, and became involved in exploration and production in ten countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia, including two Arab countries, in the context of its endeavour to become one of the best national oil companies in the world.
Qatar Petroleum has also issued a call for bids to build up to more than 100 LNG tankers to cover its future needs.
Culture and Heritage
Last March, to preserve the heritage and folk heritage, the Amir inaugurated the National Museum of Qatar’s new building.
The Amir toured the museum accompanied by several Qatar’s guests, during which he viewed various galleries that include the beginnings of the geological development of the Qatar peninsula, natural environments in it, monuments and rock inscriptions in archaeological sites, the lives of the people of Qatar on land and coast, and the digital exhibition.
He was briefed on the most important pieces and holdings related to pearls and jewellery design, in addition to galleries of modern Qatari history since the discovery of oil and gas.
The National Museum of Qatar, thanks to its desert rose-inspired design, is one of the distinctive tourist destinations in Qatar and the region.
Global ranking
Furthermore, Qatar ranked third in the world in economic performance. Besides, Qatar ranked 29th in the world and second in the Arab world out of 141 countries in the Global Competitiveness Index.
Qatar was among the top 10 countries in many indicators, including the efficiency of the legal framework, the readiness of communications and information technology, the skills of graduates, the skills of the workforce in the future, the abundance of capital, and the financing of small and medium-sized companies.
Qatar was also among the world leaders in terms of protecting property rights, the performance of the state’s public sector, the quality of road infrastructure and air freight, the quality of seaport services, and communications and information technology services.
Qatar ranked seventh in the world with the Specter Index of the best investment destinations in the world in 2019.
Qatar surpassed major investment centres and topped the list of the highest countries in the per capita gross domestic product to occupy the first position globally by about USD134,600 per capita annually, followed by Luxembourg in the second place with a share of USD108,800 per capita annually, and in third place Singapore with USD103,700 per capita annually.
Qatar continued its global excellence according to the global security indicators for 2019 by obtaining the first Arab and global position in terms of security and safety among 118 countries according to the global annual report of the crime index for 2019.
The excellence of Qatar in this indicator comes as a result of the continuous efforts of the Ministry of Interior within the framework of its vision to achieve the highest levels of security and stability in society and to protect lives and property, based on its comprehensive strategy in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.
Also, Qatar ranked 33rd globally in the Corruption Perceptions Index for the past year out of 180 countries included in the index, where Qatar has achieved 62 points, while more than two-thirds of countries have obtained less than 50 points in the index for this year.
Sports
In the sports field, the Amir chaired, in 2019, three meetings of the Board of Directors of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), held at the Amiri Diwan, to follow up the development of work in all projects of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The year was full of Qatari sporting achievements, the most prominent of which was the victory of the Qatari national football team in the Asian Cup, and the victory of many Qatari champions of cups and medals of all kinds in international competitions and championships.
Qatar organised the World Athletics Championships Doha 2019, which was held for the first time in the Middle East and the ANOC World Beach Games 2019 in its first edition.
Also, Qatar organised the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup.
On September 27, the Fath Al Khair 4 marine voyage returned to Doha, after a nearly 80-day cruise that included Turkey, Greece, Albania, Croatia, and Malta to introduce Qatar’s civilisation and maritime heritage and promote Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In parallel with the great attention it gives to local affairs and internal construction, Qatar has continued its contributions in financing the activities of international organisations and institutions concerned with humanitarian affairs.
Qatar and its official and civil charitable organisations continued to extend their hands with generous giving, initiatives and participation in providing relief to millions of people from brotherly and friendly countries, providing humanitarian needs for the afflicted, and alleviating the suffering of the homeless due to wars and natural disasters.
Qatar directed its support to the Palestinians in besieged Gaza, Jerusalem, the West Bank, and refugee camps, as well as people in Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan, and the Rohingya.
The National Museum of Qatar
