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His Excellency the Minister of Municipality Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah al-Attiyah met Monday with Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Qatar Arman Issagaliyev. They discussed the two countries' bilateral relations and means to bolster them in the areas of agriculture, food security, and municipal twinning. 

Qatari families can now build higher, extend further and reshape their homes more freely under sweeping new rules approved by the Minister of Municipality.His Excellency Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah al-Attiyah has issued a decision overhauling the 1989 regulations on architectural standards for buildings, introducing more than 20 changes to the rules governing residential villas and palaces. The aim, the minister's ministry said Sunday, is to give citizens more flexible options for designing and expanding their homes while protecting family privacy and the country's architectural character.The ministry described the move as one of the most extensive reviews of villa and palace requirements in years, following a full study of what families need and the difficulties they face when building. The goal, it said, is greater family stability and better use of residential plots.The headline changes affect how high homes can rise. Villas may now reach 16 metres, including the rooftop structure, while palaces can stand between 17 and 25 metres depending on plot size and design. For the first time, owners may add a single internal mezzanine floor inside villas and palaces.The rules also free up how homes can be laid out. A villa's ground floor can now be extended right up to the neighbouring boundary, subject to controls, and a first floor may be built above the external majlis, the guest reception hall, or over annexes. Families may also create a self-contained internal suite for a relative, and a separate service staircase for domestic staff and maintenance.The external majlis itself can rise to between 7.5 and 10 metres, with the option of a mezzanine, and an external annex may gain a first floor of up to 7.5 metres.To make fuller use of plots, several setback rules have been eased: a villa's first floor may now project up to two metres into the front setback, with side and rear setbacks reduced under planning controls. Decorative architectural projections are also allowed.On privacy, villa boundary walls may now reach 3.40 metres and palace walls five metres. Homeowners may also fit mail and delivery boxes to their outer walls under set specifications.The ministry said the rules will apply uniformly across all municipalities and take effect once the decision is published in the Official Gazette. A workshop will be held for consultants and engineering firms to explain how the changes will be put into practice, in line with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.The Qatar Society of Engineers (QSE) welcomed the decision, numbered (108) of 2026, calling it a significant step towards improving the residential environment and offering families more flexible solutions in step with modern living.In a statement Sunday, the society said the higher villas, mezzanine floors, expanded annexes and reception areas, eased setbacks and regulated extensions would together help citizens make the best use of their land while balancing privacy, comfort and functionality.QSE said it supported all efforts to develop the construction and housing sector, and thanked the ministry for its work in keeping building regulations abreast of the country's urban growth.Its board chairperson, Eng Amna Mohammed al-Naama, said the changes reflected an advanced vision of urban planning attuned to the real needs of the Qatari family. The greater design flexibility, she said, would promote quality of life and family stability and spare residents complex or costly building solutions.Allowing mezzanine floors, ancillary structures and reception areas, along with an independent internal suite for a family member and the new rules on heights and setbacks, would let engineers and consulting offices produce more creative and efficient designs, al-Naama added. This, she said, would keep pace with the nation's urban development and raise both functional and investment value, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.The ministry said the rules will apply uniformly across all municipalities and take effect once the decision is published in the Official Gazette. A workshop will be held for consultants and engineering firms to explain how the changes will be put into practice. 

Qatar's food security situation is stable and its public services are running normally, the Minister of Municipality and Chairman of the Committee for Follow-Up on Food Security Policies, His Excellency Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, has said, crediting the country's preparedness to the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and the close oversight of His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.Speaking to Qatar TV from the Unified Operation Center of the Ministry of Municipality, al-Attiyah said the ministry is operating through a comprehensive system of digital and field operations to guarantee continuous service delivery around the clock. Pre-prepared emergency plans have been activated, public cleanliness and inspection teams are maintaining their normal schedules, and readiness levels are being continuously upgraded to handle any exceptional circumstances.On food security, the minister was unequivocal. "The food security situation in the country is very stable and indeed excellent," he said, stressing that the Qatar National Food Security Strategy 2024-2030 had anticipated a full range of scenarios, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Critically, the country's strategic food stocks remain intact and untouched, and additional shipments of rice and wheat are already en route.The strategy rests on three pillars. The first is self-sufficiency through local production — an area where Qatar has recorded notable success. Seasonal vegetables now meet close to 100% of domestic demand, with surplus volumes being exported, while poultry and dairy products cover approximately 99% of local market needs.The second pillar is the maintenance and continuous replenishment of strategic food stocks, managed through early warning systems that flag potential shortfalls and allow for immediate corrective action. The third is the securing of international supply chains through strategic partnerships, an area where Hassad Food Company has made significant investments to guarantee uninterrupted supply under all conditions.Al-Attiyah said he had personally conducted field visits to farms, private food companies, and border crossings to verify that supply chains were functioning and that production inputs were sufficient. He thanked customs officials, farm operators, and poultry and dairy producers for their efforts in keeping the market well supplied.On public services, the minister highlighted digital transformation as a key enabler of continuity, with more than 250 e-services available through the ministry's website and the Oun App. The ministry has processed over 77,000 electronic applications and handled 23,000 calls at its Control Centre, which he described as normal volumes managed efficiently.He closed with a direct message to the public: "Be confident and reassured — you are under a wise leadership that places your security and stability at the top of their priorities." 

HE the Minister of Municipality Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah al-Attiyah met Tuesday with a host of fishermen to explore the challenges facing the fishing sector and ways to advance this sector in pursuit of increasing domestic production and achieving self-sufficiency. The ministry highly prioritizes the fishing sector as part of its strategy to achieve sustainable development and is working to execute integrated plans and programs to optimize fishermen's working environment, in addition to having infrastructure and services in place to back these activities, al-Attiyah highlighted. Al-Attiyah further outlined that the ministry has been committed to constantly reaching out to fishermen and listening to their suggestions and feedback onsite to ensure the enforcement of practical solutions that help elevate domestic production efficiency from fish and enhance the quality of national products in alignment with the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030. The meeting was part of a series of the ministry's meetings with a variety of partners in the food security system within an all-hands-on-deck approach that promotes integration between public and private sectors to achieve self-sufficiency from farm, livestock, and seafood products.

HE the Minister of Municipality Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah al-Attiyah inaugurated Sunday the Qatar International Facility Management Conference and Exhibition (QIFMCE), and the LED Power and Renewable Energy Expo (LEPEX).Organised by the Qatar Society of Engineers, the conference brought together government agencies, national institutions, and companies specialising in facility management and sustainable energy.During the opening, HE al-Attiyah toured the exhibition's pavilions, where he was briefed on the latest innovations and technologies in facility management and renewable energy, including smart lighting technologies and sustainable building solutions, which mark the significant progress Qatar is witnessing in this field.In her opening remarks, Qatar Society of Engineers chair engineer Amna Mohammed al-Naama emphasised that this global engineering event represents an integrated scientific platform that combines engineering thought and technical innovation, enabling the exchange of practical expertise between local and international engineers and experts.She added that the conference aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030), aiming to develop innovative and sustainable solutions for smart energy and facility management, while enhancing the national capacity to design engineering projects that meet the highest standards of sustainability and efficiency.Al-Naama said that the conference marks the beginning of a new phase of collaborative work.Over the coming days, scientific papers, recommendations, and discussions will lay the foundation for a roadmap to develop the facility management sector across the region.Al-Naama affirmed that the Qatar Society of Engineers will adopt the conference's outcomes and transform them into practical programmes and initiatives aimed at advancing professional practices, preparing national talent, and instilling a culture of innovation and sustainability in engineering workplaces.According to the themes and working sessions of the QIFMCE and the LEPEX, which will run for three days and feature the participation of a select group of experts and specialists from Qatar and abroad, a wide range of vital topics will be discussed that reflect global and local trends in the development of the facility management sector.Among the main topics on the agenda is the role of facility management in achieving QNV 2030.This includes a focus on the integration of facility management with sustainable urban planning, with contributions from chief executives of major real estate companies in Qatar such as Qatari Diar, Barwa, Msheireb Properties, and Al Waab.Other sessions will address the importance of digital transformation in facility management, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve operational efficiency, and evaluating facility readiness for transformation through structural equation modeling.The conference will also tackle legal and regulatory challenges facing the sector, with a dedicated session on discussing new laws and their role in stimulating the facility management sector.Representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Municipality, and the Real Estate Regulatory Authority will also participate in the session.Additionally, topics such as cybersecurity for automated buildings, digital crisis management strategies, and the experiences of GCC countries in enhancing the resilience of critical facility infrastructure will be explored.Another theme is linking engineering performance to the human experience.One session will discuss how facility management can be a driver for enhancing the well-being of individuals in the built environment by improving indoor air quality, implementing sustainable architecture strategies, and connecting technical data to tangible health and psychological outcomes.The conference will also explore sustainability, environmental and social governance, and the role of facility management in supporting smart cities and empowering the national workforce in this vital sector.The participation of experts and specialists from over 11 countries in the conference sessions will add special significance, making it a global platform that brings together engineering thought and technical innovation in the heart of Doha.