The Shura Council held on Monday its weekly meeting at Tamim Bin Hamad Hall under the chairmanship of its Speaker HE Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanim. At the outset of the meeting, HE Al Ghanim welcomed, on his behalf and on behalf of the council's members, the results of the state visit paid by Kuwait's Amir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah to the country last Tuesday, stressing that the discussions held by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and the Kuwaiti Amir will undoubtedly contribute to deepening the bonds of brotherhood and joint co-operation between the two sides.
The council appreciated the keenness of the two leaders to support the distinguished relations between the two countries and the two brotherly peoples, in a way that contributes to supporting and strengthening joint Gulf action, noting that the great popular welcome for the visit reflects the strength of the deep-rooted historical relationship between the two sides.
The council welcomed the country's hosting of the Web Summit Qatar 2024 that brings together thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, technology sector leaders and experts from all over the world to discuss the latest developments in technology and innovation. The council praised the country's keenness to host such events, which contribute to launching many new initiatives aimed at developing the business environment in the technology sector in the country, and opening new horizons to attract international companies wishing to expand in this sector, while hailing the participation of 100 local startup companies in the summit.
The council expressed its disappointment that the UN Security Council failed to issue a resolution for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, stressing that the credibility of international law is at stake and is facing a test that depends on the Security Council's position regarding the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian territories.
The council also expressed deep regret at the failure of the international system to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip, denouncing the double standards in dealing with the tragic situation in the Strip, and warning of the consequences of its continuation on security and stability in the region and the world.
After reading the items of agenda and assenting to the minute of the previous meeting, HE the Council Speaker and the members welcomed the presence of HE the Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ibrahim bin Ali bin Issa al-Hassan al-Mohannadi and HE Assistant to the President of the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) Mohammed Abdul Aziz al-Nuaimi to apprise the Council of the prominent strategic priorities and the national outcomes of the third National Development Strategy which is considered the final phase towards achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030.
The council lauded the efforts being made by the esteemed government, alongside other state authorities to enforce the national development strategies and achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030, based on the directives of His Highness the Amir.
Within this context, HE the Speaker of the Shura Council commended the top priority the wise leadership gives to planning to achieve stability and development and live up to its obligations towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, underscoring the outstanding position of Qatar at the regional and global levels.
For their part, HE the Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and HE the Assistant to the president of the PSA discussed the core priorities of the third National Development Strategy, its objectives and goals, methodology and mechanisms for its implementation and interim evaluation, as well as the expected results to ensure the achievement of the Qatar National Vision 2030 goals, in addition to figuring out the nature of challenges that faced the implementation of the first and second national development strategies, along with the efforts made to address them and the lessons learned.
In this framework, HE the Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs highlighted the legislative system prepared by the Council of Ministers General Secretariat in coordination with a number of ministries to implement the third National Development Strategy, indicating it is divided into major themes and outcomes of the plan, chiefly the themes of economic development, financial sustainability, manpower and community cohesion.
The presentation before the Council included the core underpinnings of the Qatar National Vision 2030. The presentation focused on the fact that empowering the citizens and qualifying them for the business market are one of the major pillars the strategy intends to achieve through supporting the education sector and upgrading the training programs by drawing high talents to meet the requirements of the business market.
The presentation stated that the strategy seeks to ensure that highly skilled workers make up 46% of the total workforce with Qataris constituting no less than 20 % in the private and joint sectors.
It stressed the strategy's interest in preserving authentic values, strong family ties and cohesion, enhancing national identity, responsible citizenship and cultural enrichment, and building a harmonious local society capable of facing the challenges imposed by external factors and developments, highlighting the strategy's support for all societal groups.
The presentation explained that creating a high-quality life is achieved through excellent health care, security, public safety and ease of life, making Qatar one of the best countries for family life.
Regarding the strategic goal of 'distinguished government institutions', the presentation explained that the strategy aims for Qatar to become a world-class government services provider to citizens, residents, companies, and institutions, and a leader in the field of effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency of governance, indicating that at least 90 % of government services had been completely automated.
The presentation also discussed the State of Qatar's achievements in the Second National Development Strategy 2018-2022, despite the abnormal circumstances it faced at the beginning, most notably, the oil prices fluctuation and the economic repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Council members appreciated the country's efforts under His Highness the Amir's leadership to achieve development goals in accordance with Qatar National Vision (QNV) 2030, noting the tireless efforts of all state agencies aiming to achieve this.
They also praised the wise leadership's vision in developing strategies and systematic plans to achieve development goals and enhance the well-being of citizens, in accordance with best practices, and the positive impact of planning and follow-up, which contributes to achieving goals, preserving gains, and supporting the optimal use of resources.
