* Cabinet decision comes into effect from Thursday
* MoCI also issues notification in this regard
* All precautionary and preventive measures to be implemented

The Cabinet on Wednesday decided that all commercial activities in the country will resume and shops will remain open on weekends, the Qatar News Agency (QNA) reports.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), too, has issued a notification in this regard. The decision comes into effect on Thursday.

After HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani chaired yesterday's regular Cabinet meeting, held using video-conferencing technology, HE the Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Dr Issa bin Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi gave the details of the proceedings.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Cabinet heard a presentation by HE the Minister of Public Health on the latest developments regarding the steps taken to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the country. The Cabinet affirmed the continued implementation of the precautionary measures taken to combat the pandemic.

As part of the plan to gradually lift the restrictions imposed as a result of Covid-19, the Cabinet decided to revoke its earlier decision on closing shops and all commercial activities on Friday and Saturday of every week, according to QNA.

The decision comes into effect on Thursday.

The MoCI notification issued following the Cabinet decision said stating the decision "to cancel Circular No 16 on the suspension of all commercial activities in shops and offices on Fridays and Saturdays, and to allow the resumption of all commercial activities".

This is "in line with the regulations adopted as part of the second stage of the gradual lifting of restrictions on commercial activities across the State", it added.

The MoCI stressed that "all precautionary and preventive measures set by the Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs in previous decisions should be implemented".

Meanwhile, the Cabinet on Wednesday approved a draft law amending some provisions of Decree Law No 11 of 2012 on government regulation of the buying and selling of chemical and petrochemical products that are produced in Qatar, QNA added.

The meeting also reviewed a report on Qatar's population in 2019 and the outcomes of a study by the permanent population committee and its remarks on the report. The Cabinet then took the appropriate decisions regarding the matter.


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