Qatar participated in the14th meeting of heads of GCC Shura, Representatives, National and Ummah Councils, held via video conference on Monday. HE Speaker of the Shura Council Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud represented Qatar in the meeting.

At the outset, the heads of the GCC legislative councils recalled the legacy of late Kuwaiti Amir Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, praising his good career and great contributions as one of the founders and supporters of the cooperation council for the Arab states of the Gulf, his role in achieving welfare of his nation, and his efforts in laying the foundations of international peace and security and in defending the causes of the Arab and Islamic nations, praying to Almighty for Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, to guide him to continue the process of comprehensive development in all spheres.

They also recalled the significant contributions and sincere efforts of the late Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa.

During the meeting, the participants affirmed their keenness to support the process of co-operation and co-ordination among the member states in order to achieve the desired goals and objectives in support of the joint Gulf action.

They reviewed the memorandum of the General Secretariat of the GCC submitted to the meeting, on selecting the topic (Emergency Legislation to Reduce the Repercussions of the Covid-19 crisis on small and medium enterprises), as the common Gulf theme for 2021.

The heads of the GCC legislative councils also praised the efforts of the leaders and governments of the Gulf Cooperation Council states in addressing the (Covid-19) pandemic, and its health and economic implications, and in restoring normal life.

They emphasised the importance of expediting the establishment of an integrated system and mechanisms for food, water, medicinal and health security among the GCC countries, as well as of seeking to explore new sources of growth and economic sustainability.

The participants decided to continue exchanging visits with the European Parliament, and working to hold a meeting between the Member States' councils and the European Parliament, be it via video conferencing or on the sidelines of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meetings. They also decided to continue communication to hold meetings between the Gulf councils and the Latin American and Caribbean Group on the sidelines of the IPU meetings.