New York poised to elect ex-cop Adams as mayor

Facebook ending facial recognition system

Emergency in Ethiopia as rebels advance

Lebanon seeks dialoguewith Saudi Arabia

Pfi zer hopes 2-yr vaccinesales to total $65bn

New Yorkers voted yesterday in a mayoral election that is virtually guaranteed to elect Black former policeman Eric Adams as the next leader of America’s biggest city. The centrist Democrat is expected to trounce Republican rival and volunteer crime fighter Curtis Sliwa in the liberal-voting bastion to become just the second African American to lead the Big Apple. Being New York’s mayor is often described as the most diff icult job in the United States after president. A victory for Adams would cap a remarkable rise for someone who was born in poverty in Brooklyn and worked for a gang as a teenager before a beating by police off icers spurred his determination to reform the NYPD from within.

Facebook is shutting down its facial recognition system and deleting a billion faceprints, its parent company said yesterday. The decision shuts down a feature that automatically identified people who appeared in users’ digital photos, and that was key to the company building a sprawling, global library of faces. However, the feature was also controversial. It was not clear when the changes would take eff ect, but they will be widely felt with Facebook noting that more than a third of its daily users have opted in to using the facial recognition system.

Ethiopia declared a nationwide state of emergency yesterday and ordered residents of Addis Ababa to prepare to defend their neighbourhoods amid fears that Tigrayan rebels were heading for the capital. The measures came after several days of reported advances by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rebel group, which is locked in a brutal year-long war against Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. Possible restrictions include a curfew, road closures and searches of “anyone suspected of collaborating with terror groups”. Officials in Addis Ababa announced new security measures for the city’s five million residents, requiring that all firearms be registered within two days.

Lebanon’s foreign minister said Saudi Arabia was dictating impossible terms by asking the government to reduce the role of Iran-backed Hezbollah, adding Beirut’s row with Riyadh could be resolved if the kingdom agreed to a dialogue with the new Lebanese cabinet. “If they just want Hezbollah’s head on a plate, we can’t give them that,” the minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, told Reuters in an interview yesterday. “Hezbollah is a component of politics in Lebanon. It has a regional armed dimension, yes, but this is beyond what we can resolve,” he said.

Pfizer Inc yesterday said it expected 2021 sales of the Covid-19 vaccine it developed with German partner BioNTech SE to reach $36bn and forecast another $29bn from the shot in 2022, topping analyst estimates for both years. The US drugmaker has the capacity to produce 4bn doses in 2022 and has based its projections on sales of 1.7bn doses. Still, Chief Executive Albert Bourla said he was concerned that low- and middle-income countries would not place orders for next year’s vaccine doses early enough, and could again end up behind wealthier countries.

GULF TIMES

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since 1978WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXXII No. 12086

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Battle of the giants as Sadd take on Duhail today

SPORT | Page 1BUSINESS | Page 1

Italy, Turkey record trade growth with Qatar in 2021

#QatarCreates launches 2 weeks of ‘aesthetic’ events

Dynamic leaders and rising stars from creative industries in Qatar and around the world

are converging in Doha for the second annual #QatarCreates: two weeks of cultural exchange, dialogue and col-laboration at the forefront of art, ar-chitecture, fashion, design and digital culture.

HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Ha-mad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Chairper-son of Qatar Museums, said: “The cultural innovation economy is one of the world’s greatest job providers for young people, ages 18-25, gener-ating more than $2.25tn US annually and growing rapidly. It is the key to a sustainable future — which is why we are so thrilled this year to welcome so many cutting-edge fi gures in fashion, design, and the arts to #QatarCreates, to enjoy the wide array of experiences we off er and meet with outstanding creative peers from Qatar.”

A global summit for the cultural innovation economy, #QatarCreates

brings together a range of exciting events and programmes throughout Doha. Taking centre stage this year is M7, Qatar’s new 312,000sq ft hub for innovation and entrepreneurship in fashion and design, built in the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha.

#QatarCreates includes the show-case and judging for the Fashion Trust Arabia Awards and presenta-tion of the exhibition, ‘Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams’ at M7. Fashion Trust Arabia will also host events at Culture Pass Club, Qatar’s fi rst members-only arts club, located in a suite of 14 townhouses designed by international artists and design-ers, including Diane von Furstenberg, India Mahdavi, Rossana Orlandi, and Qatari designers Aisha al-Sowaidi and Wahda al-Hajri.

Other highlights of the 2021 #Qa-tarCreates include major exhibitions dedicated to the work of Jeff Koons, the artist’s fi rst major survey in the Middle East, and artist and designer

Virgil Abloh, the fi rst large-scale ex-hibition dedicated to his pioneering artistic practice. A compelling set of public programmes — the #Qa-tarCreates Programming series and the Art for Tomorrow Talks, in asso-ciation with The New York Times — presents thought-provoking dialogue and expert analysis. The schedule is complemented by opportunities to experience recently installed works of public art, including major pieces by Tom Claassen, Bruce Nauman and Isa Genzken.

To celebrate the launch of #Qa-tarCreates, an opening reception took place yesterday evening with Maison Valentino at the Museum of Islamic Art. Twelve artworks fea-tured in the Valentino Des Ateliers Haute Couture Collection were ex-hibited during the reception, and British musician Cosima, who per-formed at the Valentino Show in Venice in July, will off er a special live performance. To Page 12

HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani with Naomi Campbell and Pierpaolo Piccioli at the Museum of Islamic Art yesterday. (Image courtesy of Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Qatar Museums)

World’s creative leaders in art, architecture, fashion, design converge in Doha

Ashghal begins works onMebaireek InterchangeBy Joseph VargheseStaff Reporter

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has started construc-tion works on the Mebaireek In-

terchange project and upgrade of Kha-lid Bin Ahmed Interchange, known as Industrial Intersection on Salwa Road, as part of the expressway programme.

The project aims to enhance traf-fi c fl ow on Salwa Road for commut-ers heading to the Industrial Area and surrounding areas such as Ain Khaled, Al Murrah, New Fereej Al Ghanim, Muaither, Al Sailiya, Mebaireek and Abu Nakhlah.

Ashghal had arranged a tour of the sites for the media and briefed them about the features of the project.

Speaking to the media, Noah al-Joof from the Highway Projects Depart-ment at Ashghal said: “The project includes distinctive construction methods such as the use of precast steel beams to reduce closure of the underpass at Al Furousiya and Salwa Interchange. The Mebaireek Bridge is also to be implemented in phases to avoid traffi c closure for Salwa Road us-

ers. The project is to be completed by the third quarter of 2022.”

For the Mebaireek Interchange, Ashghal will build a new two-level interchange between Al Sailiya In-terchange and Mesaieed Interchange, connecting Salwa Road and Mebai-reek Street. The proposed interchange includes two main bridges, each 330m long, with several exit points, loops and accesses to local roads connected

to the new interchange, facilitating traffi c movement in all directions.

According to the offi cial, works on the new intersection include con-struction of bypass roads and local roads with a total length of about 3km, in addition to the construction of 3km of pedestrian paths and 3km of bicycle paths, whereas the area of tree planta-tion on both sides of the intersection is about 41,000sq m. To Page 12

Qatar Airways off ers chance to become a $ millionaire

The new ‘Fly and Win’ campaign from Qatar Airways and Hamad International Airport, will of-

fer passengers fl ying with the award-winning airline “the opportunity to become a USD millionaire, experience the trip of a lifetime to the Maldives on a Qatar Executive private jet or win a brand-new Porsche car”.

To enter the raffl e, passengers need to have enrolled into Privilege Club, the Qatar Airways Loyalty programme, and fl y anywhere on the airline’s ex-panding network through Hamad In-ternational Airport, recently ranked as the ‘World Best Airport’ by Skytrax.

For every ticket purchased and used between November 1, 2021 and January 31, 2022 on qatarairways.com or through a travel agency, pas-sengers will have the chance to win one of the following prizes subject to certain terms and conditions. The prizes are $1mn, private jet experi-ence with Qatar Executive to the Maldives with accommodation and a new Porsche car.

“With these incredible prizes, there are even more reasons to fl y with Qatar Airways. In addition to being voted the ‘World’s Best Airline’ and the ‘World’s Best Airport’, both the airline and the airport have received Skytrax Five Star

Covid Safety Ratings in recognition of their biosafety eff orts to protect pas-sengers and staff during the pandemic,’ Qatar Airways said.

Enter now at qatarairways.com/win One winner for each prize will be drawn and announced in February 2022.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was announced as the ‘Airline of the Year’ by the interna-tional air transport rating organisa-tion, Skytrax, in addition to secur-ing fi ve additional awards including ‘World’s Best Business Class’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Seat’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Onboard Catering’ and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’.

Construction works in progress.

Global leaders pledge to end deforestation by 2030ReutersGlasgow

Leaders at the COP26 global cli-mate conference pledged yester-day to stop deforestation by the

end of the decade and cut emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane to help slow climate change.

The second day of the two-week summit in Glasgow, Scotland also saw some overdue moves by wealthy na-tions to provide long-promised fi nan-cial help for the developing countries worst hit by global warming.

The United Nations conference aims to keep alive a receding target of capping temperatures at 1.5C above pre-industrial levels to avert still

greater damage than has already been caused by greenhouse gases.

British Prime Minister Boris John-

son, host of the event attended by al-most 200 countries, said he welcomed the latest steps but urged caution.

“We must take care to guard against false hope and not to think in any way that the job is done, because it is not.

There is still a very long way to go,” he told a news conference.

Leaders of developing countries most at risk from the eff ects of climate change, such as heatwaves, droughts, storms and fl ooding, told delegates the stakes could not be higher.

“Let’s work for the survival of ours and all species. Let’s not choose ex-tinction,” said Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Keith Rowley.

Methane is more short-lived in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide but 80 times more potent in warming the planet. Cutting emissions of the gas, estimated to have accounted for 30% of global warming since pre-indus-trial times, is one of the most effec-tive ways of slowing climate change.Page 11

Kreta Kaingang, from Brazil, observer representing the Native Amazon Operation, takes part in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).

US President Joe Biden addresses a press conference at the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow yesterday.

Johnson speaks during a press conference at the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, yesterday.

QATARGulf Times Wednesday, November 3, 20214

Commercial Bank brings ‘Apple Pay’ to customersCommercial Bank is bringing its

customers ‘Apple Pay’, a safer, more secure, and private way to

pay. Apple Pay helps customers avoid handing their payment card to some-one else, touching physical buttons or most importantly exchanging cash, in addition to using the power of iPhone to protect every transaction.

Customers simply hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near a payment ter-minal to make a contactless payment. Every Apple Pay purchase is secure as it is authenticated with face ID, touch ID, or device passcode, as well as a one-time unique dynamic security code. Apple Pay is accepted in grocery stores, pharmacies, taxis, restaurants, coff ee shops, retail stores, and many more places.

Roya Khajeh, AGM and head (Cards and Payments) at CB, said: “Com-mercial Bank has always been a market

leader in introducing innovative pay-ment technologies as well as being a key infl uencer in setting new market trends in Qatar. The adoption of con-tactless payments on cards made it essential for us to bring this technol-ogy to more payment devices. We are proud to work with Apple and off er our customers a faster, safer, and more secure payment option in the form of Apple Pay.”

Security and privacy are at the core of Apple Pay. When customers use a credit or debit card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device or on Apple serv-ers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted, and securely stored in the Secure Element, an industry-standard, certifi ed chip designed to store the payment infor-mation safely on the device.

Customers can also use Apple Pay

on iPhone, iPad, and Mac to make faster and more convenient purchases in apps or on the web in Safari without having to create accounts or repeatedly type in shipping and billing informa-tion.

Apple Pay makes it easier to pay for food and grocery deliveries, online shopping, transportation, and park-ing, among other things. Apple Pay can also be used to make payments in apps on Apple Watch.

Apple Pay is easy to set up. On iPhone, simply open the Wallet app, tap +, and follow the steps to add Commercial Bank’s credit or debit cards. Once a customer adds a card to iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac, they can start using Apple Pay on that device right away.

Customers will continue to receive all of the rewards and benefi ts off ered by Commercial Bank’s cards.

Qatar, represented by the Armed Forces, took part in the ‘Dragon Group’ meeting which was held on Monday on board the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, docked off the coast of Oman. Qatar was represented at the meeting by HE the Chief of Staff of Qatar Armed Forces, Staff Lieutenant-General (Pilot) Salem bin Hamad bin Mohamed bin Aqeel al-Nabit. Qatar’s participation comes at the invitation of British Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nicholas Carter, who chaired the meeting in the presence of the Chiefs of Staff of the Gulf Co-operation Council, Jordan and Iraq. The meeting discussed issues related to the security of the Arab Gulf region and the Middle East, combating terrorism and building military capacities in the region, in addition to attending a show for the F-35 aircraft. Qatar’s Military Attache in Oman Brigadier General Ibrahim Khalifa al-Mannai attended the meeting. (QNA)

Qatar in ‘Dragon Group’ meeting

Amir condoles with Saudi King Salman

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani sent cables of condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia on the death of Prince Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud. (QNA)

Ministry of Endowments, EAA sign MoU to set up 3rd Assalam School

The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Aff airs, represented by the General Department of Endowments, and the Education Above All Founda-

tion signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the third Assalam School for the preparatory and second-ary stages for girls.

The MoU was signed by Director-General of the Gen-eral Department of Endowments Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Mohamed bin Ghanim al-Thani and CEO of the Educa-tion Above All Foundation Fahad bin Hamad al-Sulaiti, in the presence of President of the College of North Atlantic - Qatar Salem bin Nasser Al-Nuaimi, and Director of the Endowment Banks Department at the General Department of Endowments Mohamed bin Yaaqoub al-Ali.

Sheikh Dr Khalid said that the MoU comes in the frame-work of the strategic co-operation between the Ministry of Endowments and the Education Above All Foundation, and is part of the eff orts of the Endowment Bank for Scien-tifi c and Cultural Development at the General Department of Endowments in support of the education sector.

He added that the MoU is part of a series of memoranda of understanding and co-operation agreements with the Education Above All Foundation, noting that the fi rst As-salam School was inaugurated two years ago. Fahad bin Hamad al-Sulaiti thanked the General Department of Endowments for its constructive co-operation with the Education Above All Foundation in education and its pro-vision to all sectors of society, noting that this fruitful co-operation between the two sides has resulted in a number of projects, such as the fi rst Assalam School and the under-graduate scholarship project.

The school has about 300 students in the preparatory and secondary stages who have joined the school in its temporary headquarters. The permanent headquarters will be opened at the beginning of the new year, at an operating cost of QR6,600,000. (QNA)

Qatar attends general assembly of standards

Qatar participated yesterday in the 16th General As-sembly of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) in Madinah, Saudi

Arabia. Qatar’s delegation was represented in the meeting by assistant Chairman of Qatar General Organisation for Standards and Metrology (QS) engineer Nawaf Ibrahim al-Hamad al-Mana. The meeting was attended by 45 Islamic countries and 14 specialised regional and international or-ganisations.

The general assembly discussed a number of technical, fi nancial and administrative issues of importance and im-pact on the general policy of the institute, as well as pre-senting and discussing several reports on the performance and achievements of the institutes general secretariat, as well as the reports of the specialised technical councils for standardisation, accreditation and metrology.

It also discussed and approved the fi nancial statements for the previous year and the estimated budget for the fol-lowing year. (QNA)

The meeting was attended by 45 Islamic countries and 14 specialised regional and international organisations.

Doha Golf Club ("DGC") is pleased to announce the following tender:

LEASE OF OFFICE PREMISES FOR QATAR SHELL COMPANIESINVITATION TO TENDER (ITT)

Qatar Shell GTL Limited

Qatar Shell GTL Limited (QSGTL) has launched a tender for the leasing of office premises to be used as their head office in Qatar. Property Owners/Landlords/Developers are invited to partake in this tender. Please follow the instructions below carefully as failing to comply with these fully may lead to the exclusion of a counterparty from the tender process.

Further details and requirements are specified in the ITT document, which will be accessible, as part of the sourcing package, upon initial entry to the system on the tender issuance date.

For enquiries, requests and submission process regarding this ITT, kindly contact: Dawid Czernik dawid.czernik@shell.com

Tender no. WS553543205

1. Tender documents, detailing the scope of work and tender requirements, may be accessed, and viewed through the Qatar Shell e-sourcing platform – Ariba - where the tender is publicised as indicated above. All responses are required to be submitted online using Ariba. Tenderers, who intend to bid, are obliged to direct all questions and documents related to this ITT through Ariba. Any communication outside of this medium will not be taken into consideration.

2. In order to receive the invitation to tender, interested parties should e-mail the contact provided below with the following information, no later than November 7th, 2021 1700 hrs (AST), to register: a. Legal entity name with full address of residence; and b. Main focal point full name with e-mail address and direct phone number.

3. The invitation to tender will be sent via a web access link by the Ariba automatically following registration.

4. All queries and submissions in relation to this tender shall be in the English language.

TITLE

LEASE OF OFFICE PREMISES FOR QATAR

SHELL COMPANIES

TENDER ISSUANCE DATE

TENDER ACKNOWLEDGMENT SUBMISSION DATE

TENDER SUBMISSION DATE

November 1st, 2021 November 9th, 2021,1700 hrs (AST)

December 1st, 2021,1700 hrs (AST)

QATAR5Gulf Times

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Education ministry official meets WASC president

Assistant Undersecretary for Evaluation Aff airs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Khalid Abdullah al-Harqan met with President of US Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools & Colleges (ACS WASC) Dr Barry Groves. The meeting dealt with reviewing bilateral co-operation between the two sides, in line with the memorandum of understanding they signed. Groves praised the professionalism of the department’s employees, with the department’s evaluation specialists becoming accredited by WASC. (QNA)

O f f i c i a l

Xiaomi showcases smart products in roadshow

Global technology leader Xi-aomi recently unveiled an array of newly launched

smartphones and smart products at a roadshow in Doha Festival City. “The aim was to introduce especially the new fl agship, the feature-packed Xiaomi 11T series smartphones with 120w Hyper-Charge for the 5,000 mAh battery, 108 megapixel camera and 256GB storage,” said Asraf N K, COO of Intertec Group.

“The pre-booking for new smartphones Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro ended last week. Now the products are available at retail outlets across the country,” he ex-plained. Customers can also order through Intertec online store. Xi-aomi 11T and 11T pro smartphones are available in Qatar in three col-ours – Celestial Blue, Meteorite Gray and Moonlight White. The 11T pro is priced QR2,249 and 11T, QR1,899. Both Xiaomi 11T and Xi-aomi 11T Pro off er the innovative ‘Cinemagic’ fi lmmaking features. The DisplayMate A+ rated 6.67’’

FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED fl at display, equipped with TrueColor, Dolby Vision and HDR10+, off ers up to 480Hz touch sampling rate and is shielded by the strongest Corn-ing Gorilla glass to date – Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The display also features a number of eye care functions to protect users from eye

strain, such as True Display which automatically adjusts the colour temperature according to the sur-rounding conditions as well as Reading Mode 3.0. Xiaomi 11T Pro further tops that up with Dolby Vision as well as dedicated dual speakers with SOUND BY Har-man Kardon. The new Xiaomi 11T

Series, Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G Ne and smart products collection have evoked huge demand in the local market because of its aff ordabil-ity and user friendly features, the statement said. The roadshow also showcased other Xiaomi smart products such as the robot vacuum cleaner, air purifi ers and fans.

Xiaomi and Intertec off icials at the roadshow launch.

Qatar Airways Holidays unveils Italy packages

Qatar Airways Holidays has launched its latest touring holidays to Italy, off ering

exclusive benefi ts and signifi cant savings of up to 25% off the normal price, in a bid to inspire travellers to embrace a taste of ‘la dolce vita’ on their next adventure.

Qatar Airways Holidays off ers cu-rated fi ve-day touring packages that include incredible experiences such as shopping tours, cooking classes and ‘skip the line’ access to world-famous sites, as well as luxury ho-tel accommodations with break-fast, special hotel amenities, return fl ights, airport transfers and a slew of other extras.

With two exciting options to choose from, travellers can immerse themselves in a vibrant culture with postcard-perfect scenery and cities brimming with famous landmarks in the country loved by many all over the world as it packs a lot into its borders. Whether you choose the

‘Rome at a Glance’, or the ‘Taste of Italy’ tour in Florence and Milan, you can expect a one-of-a-kind vacation in the ‘Bel Paese’.

Florence, the cradle of the Renais-sance and one of Europe’s greatest art cities, has so much exquisite art and architecture within its ancient walls. But there is more to Florence than just museums and monuments ... it is bursting with quirky shops and quality crafts; a living city with an eclectic cultural life. Learn from the locals how to cook authentic Italian pizza and make gelato before you depart for two nights in Milan, Italy’s fashion and design capital. Enjoy the vibrant Lombardian cui-sine, and get ready to shop ‘til you drop at Serravalle Designer Outlet.

A unique village-style retail out-let, which is home to more than 180 designer stores. Prices start at QR4,975/- per person for packages including four-night luxury ho-tel accommodation with breakfast,

tours and excursions, return fl ights, and airport transfers for bookings up to 30 November. For those look-ing for a quick getaway, Qatar Air-ways Holidays also off ers three-day fl ight and hotel packages to Rome

including a number of complimen-tary amenities, hotel credit, and room upgrades. More details can be had from https://www.qatarairway-sholidays.com/qa-en/offers/italy-holidays/

Qatar Airways Holidays has launched its latest touring holidays to Italy, off ering exclusive benefits and significant savings of up to 25% off the normal price, in a bid to inspire travellers to embrace a taste of ‘la dolce vita’ on their next adventure.

Qatar Tourism participates in 58th edition of TTG Travel Experience

Qatar Tourism headed a del-egation comprising tourism stakeholders from hospitality

and destination management com-panies to attend the 58th edition of TTG Travel Experience in Rimini, It-aly, last month, promoting new tour-ism projects launched in the last 18 months.

Spread over 96sqm, the Qatar pavil-ion highlighted the destination’s new and undiscovered experiences, target-ing the Italian market in advance of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. During the three-day trade event, Qatar Tour-ism held meetings with Italy’s main long haul outbound tour operators to discuss partnership agreements that will promote and sell Qatar’s tourism products to the Italian market.

Qatar Tourism representatives also met with Italy’s main travel trade me-dia and conducted interviews on the 2030 Tourism Vision. Khaled Youssef al-Sada, Qatar’s ambassador to Italy, attended the show, meeting with the Qatar delegation and tourism part-ners. Qatar Tourism works closely with partners in the private sector to expand the country’s tourism off er-ing, and works to attract international visitation.

The European markets have always played an important role in inbound tourism, and through participating in events such as this, Qatar Tourism helps raise awareness of the extensive developments in country. Italy was a growing source market pre-pandem-ic, 2019 saw over 58,000 Italians visit the country, marking a 61% increase from 2018.

Over the past 18 months Qatar has launched new tourism experiences, restaurants, theme parks, and foot-ball stadiums, and is adding over 100 hotels and hotel apartments to its al-ready extensive portfolio of proper-ties. The new properties will broaden Qatar’s appeal to travellers and en-hance the visitor experience, as Qatar Tourism continues its mission to wel-come 6mn visitors a year by 2030.

Earlier this year, Qatar Tourism launched the Visit Qatar mobile app as part of its digital transformation strategy. The app uses innovative

cloud-based Adobe Experience Man-ager capabilities to deliver a rich and data driven, curated experience for users.

A new streamlined set of measures designed to make travelling to Qatar as easy as possible, while maintaining the necessary precautions to continue to protect against the spread of Covid-19, have been implemented. Qatar was ranked the third safest country in the world for its management and preven-tion of Covid-19 outbreaks by Global Finance in 2021 and has carried out a successful vaccination programme with over 83% of the population fully vaccinated. The ‘Qatar Clean’ pro-

gramme, in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health, enforces the highest standards in hygiene and cleanliness across hospitality sector, with rigorous procedures in place to ensure the safety of customers.

In addition, Qatar Airways was the fi rst airline to be awarded a 5-Star Covid-19 Airport Safety Rating by Skytrax, alongside Hamad Inter-national Airport as the fi rst airport in the Middle East and Asia to be awarded the same 5-Star result. Ha-mad International Airport was also recently granted the ‘Best Airport in the World’ title at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2021.

Qatar pavilion highlighted the destination’s new and undiscovered experiences, targeting the Italian market in advance of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Qatar Tourism works closely with partners in the private sector to expand the country’s tourism off ering, and works to attract international visitation.

Qatar was ranked the third safest country in the world for its management and prevention of Covid-19 outbreaks by Global Finance in 2021 and has carried out a successful vaccination programme with over 83% of the population fully vaccinated

6 Gulf TimesWednesday, November 3, 2021

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Al Jazeera celebrates its 25th anniversaryAl Jazeera Media Network cel-

ebrated its silver jubilee at its headquarters in the pres-

ence of His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

The celebration was attended by chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Jazeera Media Network HE Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer al-Thani, intel-lectuals, prominent media execu-tives, as well as the network’s man-agement and journalists.

The ceremony opened with a speech by His Highness the Father Amir.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera chairman HE Sheikh Hamad said: “A quarter of a century since the launch of Al Jazeera Channel, the Arab is no long-er just a consumer of the world’s me-dia, but rather part of the dialogue. Over time, Arabs had become both messengers and receivers of con-tent, Al Jazeera has given the Arabs a platform to talk about themselves by themselves. In result, it has pro-vided the opportunity to contribute

positively to the formation of global awareness, and to build a better glo-bal understanding of this region with all its humanity, civilisation, hopes and pain.”

Dr Mostefa Souag, acting direc-tor-general of the network, said in his speech that the network has es-tablished a unique media model and knowledge paradigm over the past two decades, which cannot be disre-garded as it has become a gauge for the success of professional media en-deavours across the world.

“The extremely high editorial standards, for which we aim, and that defi ne Al Jazeera’s unique jour-nalistic brand, means that we are at times judged for not meeting our own standards. It is of critical importance to continue to uphold Al Jazeera’s founding editorial pillars as any de-viation from them could negatively impact the Al Jazeera brand,” he em-phasised.

Ahmed al-Yafei, managing direc-tor of Al Jazeera News Channel, said: “Celebrating the Silver Jubilee is cel-

ebrating the message and purpose for which Al Jazeera was launched 25 years ago; I pay tribute to the journal-ists who lost their lives and were in-carcerated for defending freedom of expression.”

“Because our audience always de-serve the very best content from Al Jazeera, we are happy to announce the offi cial launch of our new newsroom and studios, presenting our news and programmes using the latest tech-nology in the industry, in keeping Al Jazeera a pioneering media organisa-tion regionally and globally,” al-Yafei added.

Marking the 25th anniversary, Al Jazeera Channel debuted its revital-ised fl agship facilities in Doha fea-turing three distinct studios and two high-end newsrooms, each capable of 360° shooting plans supported by cutting-edge technology and auto-mations. The channel unveiled the new studios along with its forward-thinking series of broadcast work-ing environments and myriad pro-grammes.

SC outlines plans for fi rst carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup

The Supreme Committee for De-livery & Legacy (SC) played a prominent role in the sixth edi-

tion of Qatar Sustainability Week, a national campaign organised by Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) that aims to engage the public through a series of workshops, activities and ex-hibitions.

Events took place across the coun-try from October 23 to November 1, and saw a number of key stakeholders showcasing the eff orts made by dif-ferent sectors in providing the sup-port, co-ordination and expert advice needed to achieve Qatar’s sustainable development goals.

Representatives from the SC dis-cussed Qatar’s commitment to hosting the fi rst carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup, along with other tournament themes, including green hospitality and sustainable merchandising.

“Raising awareness is a key part of our sustainability eff orts,” said Bodour al-Meer, the SC’s Sustainability direc-tor. “By working in the community, we are able to share our plans with our most important stakeholder: the gen-eral public. Ultimately, it will be their involvement at a societal level that will ensure Qatar 2022 has the long-lasting impact we desire.”

The SC hosted a series of workshops about green hotels and events. With more than 1mn visitors expected dur-ing the tournament, the SC has worked closely with FIFA and the QGBC to promote green practices in the local accommodation sector.

“Working closely with our partners in the hotel sector will help us deliver our promise to host a carbon-neutral tournament and set a benchmark for future mega-events,” said al-Meer.

The SC also outlined its sustain-able construction practices during the event, including the commitment that all stadiums achieve certifi ca-tion from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) – the fi rst performance-based system in the Middle East region developed for rat-ing green buildings and infrastructure. GSAS certifi cations include design and build, construction management and operations. Every Qatar 2022 sta-dium is on track to achieve a full suite of GSAS certifi cates.

Orjan Lundberg, SC Sustainability expert, said: “Being able to implement

the highest sustainability measures across a vast built environment for a tournament the size of the World Cup is remarkable. Not only does it ensure we are able to minimise the carbon footprint of Qatar 2022, but we are also eff ectively changing the way tourna-ments will be organised in the future by building confi dence that sustain-ability is scalable and achievable no matter how big the event is.”

Another key theme outlined by the SC is plastic neutrality. The SC re-cently announced its ambition to de-liver a plastic-neutral tournament, with tournament organisers commit-ting to plastic waste reduction plans and off setting any plastics used in the tournament by removing plastic waste from rivers and oceans.

This project was discussed during an online seminar attended by Dr Ta-lar Sahsuvaroglu, SC Sustainability expert.

“Plastic neutrality is one of the many ways we are ensuring that the World Cup is a green tournament. With plastic waste posing such a seri-

ous threat to marine and birdlife and human health, this initiative is ex-tremely important, and one that we wanted to involve the public in through raising awareness,” said Sahsuvaroglu.

With the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 only a few weeks away, the tournament’s sustainability features were discussed during a talk by Jose Retana, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 senior Sustain-ability manager.

“As the fi nal test event before Qatar 2022, the Arab Cup provides us with an important opportunity to test many of the operational elements of delivering a sustainable tournament,” said Re-tana.

The FIFA Arab Cup will have pro-visions put in place for air quality monitoring and an extensive recycling programme for the tournament, which will kick off in Qatar on November 30.

The SC also participated in a sus-tainable street fair, where the models of all eight Qatar 2022 stadiums were displayed. In addition, Abdulrahman al-Muftah, SC Sustainability expert, discussed the importance of the event on local radio.

“The environmental sustainabil-ity legacy of Qatar 2022 will be felt for generations. Long after the fi nal whis-tle blows, people from Qatar and the region will look back at the World Cup as a watershed moment that brought the importance of issues related to our environment to the attention of mil-lions,” said al-Muftah.

One can go to https://www.qa-tar2022.qa/sites/default/files/docu-ments/FWC-2022-Sustainability-Strategy.pdf to learn more about the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Sustain-ability Strategy.

Representatives from the SC discussed Qatar’s commitment to hosting the first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup, along with other tournament themes, including green hospitality and sustainable merchandising.

Bodour al-Meer

Doha Debates to examine solutions to climate crisis

As world leaders gather at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Qatar Foundation’s Doha Debates will host its biggest programme of the year,

in which global experts will debate solutions to the climate crisis.

The virtual programme “Climate change: Can we rise to the challenge?” airs tomorrow and is expected to attract millions of viewers from around the world. Those tuning in are encouraged to share their comments, questions, and suggestions via social media, using the #DearWorld hash-tag.

Three renowned experts will offer differing per-spectives on how to best address the climate crisis: Naomi Klein, an award-winning journalist and best-selling author; Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, a scientist and former president of Mauritius; and Bjorn Lomborg, author and president of the Copenhagen Consensus Centre.

The debate will be hosted and moderated by interna-tional broadcast journalist Ghida Fakhry, who will be joined by her Doha Debates colleagues, Dr Govinda Clay-ton and Nelufar Hedayat.

Dr Clayton is a confl ict-resolution expert who will work with the debaters in an eff ort to fi nd consensus. Doha De-bates correspondent Hedayat, appearing from COP26 in Glasgow, will bring audience voices from across the globe into the conversation.

“Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. To deal with it effectively, we are also going to have to bridge fair-minded differences about the best strategies to adopt,” says Amjad Atallah, managing di-rector of Doha Debates. “This timely programme will showcase solutions-focused dialogue and debate at a moment that the world’s leaders and a new generation of activists are urgently tackling this question in Glas-gow at COP26.”

HE Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer al-Thani speaking at the event.

Green FIFA World Cup strategies highlighted during Qatar Sustainability Week

QATAR7Gulf Times

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Qatar Charity implements water, sanitation projects in Pakistan provincesQatar Charity has implement-

ed 225 water and sanitation projects in various Pakistani

provinces, expected to benefi t about 30,000 people, QNA reported.

The implemented projects in-cluded the installation of hand water pumps and the construction of envi-ronmental sanitation facilities.

Some 105 hand water pumps were installed in the Kashi area of Baluchistan for the benefi t of 9,450 people, while 100 hand pumps were installed and 20 toilets and hand washing facilities were built in dif-ferent locations in Peshawar and Mardan districts of Khyber Pa-khtunkhwa province for the benefi t of 19,145 people.

These projects enable the targeted people to realise their right to better health through the improvement of sustainable sanitation and hygiene and focus on reducing and prevent-ing water and sanitation related dis-eases.

The Kashi area in Baluchistan is one of the areas most in need and suff ers from an acute shortage of po-table water.

Therefore, Qatar Charity has in-stalled hand pumps near the benefi -ciaries’ homes to facilitate access.

Qased-ur-Rahman, Secretary of the Syndicate Council of the local government in the Kashi district, said that poor families benefi ted greatly from the project as it al-lowed children to use water freely to wash hands in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, expressing thanks to the benefactors in Qatar and Qatar Charity for their eff orts to implement them in order to meet the basic needs of society, especially in the fi eld of water, sanitation and hygiene.

Qatar Charity recently signed two contracts to implement water and sanitation projects with Unicef, in order to provide sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services to vulnerable communities and to cre-ate a healthy environment with an estimated value of QR12mn. It is ex-pected that more than 936,000 peo-ple in Punjab and Baluchistan will benefi t from these projects.

Al Siraj Medical Center signs Al Siraj Medical Center signs pact with Qatar Charity to pact with Qatar Charity to treat low-income familiestreat low-income familiesAl Siraj Medical Center has announced that it will provide free medical services to many low-income families in Qatar, as part of a co-operation and partnership agreement recently signed between Qatar Charity (QC) and Al Siraj Medical Center. The pact comes within the framework of the social responsibility towards the local community. The agreement, signed by Ahmad Yousef Fakhroo, CEO’s assistant for the Resources Development and Media sector at Qatar Charity, and Laila Hassan Mohamed Karimi, director of Al Siraj Medical Center, focuses on participating in community programmes organised by QC in view of its commitment to delivering assistance to low-income persons and families in Qatar.The agreement came as part of the keenness of Al Siraj Medical Center to participate as a community partner in the programmes and activities held by Qatar Charity. Under the agreement, Al Siraj Medical Center will provide free medical services to target groups in all disciplines.Ahmmed Omar AlSherawi, head of Qatar Charity’s Relations and Community Responsibility section, welcomed the co-operation and partnership with Al Siraj Medical Center within the framework of the social responsibility that brings together QC and various companies and organisations in support of humanitarian

work and community service.He noted that Qatar Charity always seeks to expand co-operation with various organisations from the public and private sectors, to fulfil its mission and maximise the number of beneficiaries. He added that QC is constantly keen to strengthen its co-operation with all commercial and service bodies, including those working in the health sector to deliver medical services to those with limited income in the local community. Mohamed Tharwat, marketing manager of Al Siraj Medical Center, said as the centre believes in community work and attaches attention to operationalising social responsibility and initiatives for the benefit of the local community, a partnership was established with Qatar Charity to provide free medical services to some of the target groups of those with low income. “We always look forward to jointly working, and seek to open up prospects for co-operation, which helps serve the community,” added Tharwat. In a statement, Qatar Charity said it is, at all times, keen to establish community partnerships with various companies, bodies and foundations, given the positive impact such partnerships have on the life of those served by QC within and outside Qatar.

A view of Al Siraj Medical Center.

These projects enable the targeted people to realise their right to better health.

MoPH reports 134 new Covid-19 cases

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) reported yesterday 104 new confi rmed cases of

Covid-19 among the community and 30 among travellers, QNA re-ported.

It recorded 116 recoveries from the virus during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases recovered in Qatar to 237,659.

National Vaccination Programme Data:4,842,210 doses have been ad-

ministered since the start of the programme3,578 doses have been adminis-

tered in the past 24 hours84.2% of the total population

are now fully vaccinated with two doses.

In recent weeks, the combined impact of Covid-19 restrictions and increasing vaccination rates, and the overwhelming support of the com-munity, has resulted in a consistent reduction in the number of new daily infections in the country. However, it is still important to be cautious as the second wave is not yet over and there are still two highly contagious and highly virulent strains of the virus that are actively circulating in the community.

The fourth phase of the gradual lifting of precautionary restrictions

began on Oct 3, and is part of a four-stage plan to gradually lift the pre-cautionary restrictions imposed in Qatar due to the coronavirus (Cov-id-19) pandemic.

It is important during the current period that all members of society, including those who have received the vaccination, continue to wear masks as recommended and con-tinue to adhere to social distancing. With Covid-19 still a threat to our health here in Qatar, it is important for everyone to play their role in controlling the virus by following precautionary measures:Adherence to physical distanc-

ingAvoiding close contact with

others, crowded places and confi ned closed spaces where people congre-gateWearing a face maskWashing hands regularlyPeople should take the Covid-19

vaccine at the earliest opportunity when their turn comes. Anyone suf-fering from Covid-19 symptoms should contact 16000 helpline im-mediately. This is important, as the earlier the disease is detected, the easier it will be to receive the right treatment and recover from it. One can visit the MoPH website for regu-lar updates and new information.

Evanston students spend semester at NU-Q

Students from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and Weinberg

College of Arts and Sciences in the Evanston campus are spending the fall semester at Northwestern Uni-versity in Qatar (NU-Q).

“The Semester in Qatar pro-gramme provides opportunities to reinforce our bonds and offer new voices and experiences to the Northwestern community,” said Marwan M Kraidy, dean and CEO of NU-Q.

Xuandi Wang, a third-year jour-nalism and international studies

student from China, sees journal-ism as a pathway and a passport to explore a lot of places. “Now hav-ing the chance to study in Qatar al-lows me to study and write about the several facets of Chinese cul-tures in the Arab region,” he said.

While at NU-Q, Wang takes courses to explore what it means to be Chinese from the perspectives of the Chinese diaspora in the re-gion and the Global South. In one course on migrants and megaci-ties, the Doha Seminar, he is stud-ying how Chinese culture shapes the work ethics of Chinese migrant

workers building the World Cup stadiums in Qatar.

“Being productive and efficient are the main traits of Chinese con-struction workers back home,” Wang said.

“I want to see how Chinese con-struction workers carried these traits and working culture with them to Qatar.”

Another exchange student is Belgian-Moroccan Ernest Cop-pee, also an international student in Evanston, who recalls how his encounter with a NU-Q student ambassadors group visiting Evan-

ston a few years ago inspired him to study on the Qatar campus and expand his connection with the region. An aspiring diplomat, the international relations and eco-nomics major says his experience in Qatar has introduced him to diverse perspectives on global is-sues.

“Northwestern Qatar’s student body is very diverse, and there are many perspectives on how to see things around you, and I like how these differences add up so well in terms of the overall learning expe-rience,” said Coppee.

Mercedes-Benz and Infi niti vehicle models recalled

The Ministry of Commerce and In-dustry (MoCI), in co-operation with Nasser Bin Khaled Automobiles, has

announced the recall of Mercedes-Benz GLE 2020 model, due to the possibility that the tool for wheel hub cover is missing.

The MoCI, in co-operation with Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana Co, also announced the recall of Infi niti Q30, and QX30, 2017 model, due to a possible defect in the lower steering shaft. The recall campaign comes within the framework of MoCI’s continu-ous eff orts to protect consumers and en-sure that dealers follow up on vehicle de-

fects and repairs. The MoCI said that it will co-ordinate with the dealer to follow up on the maintenance and repair works and will communicate with customers to en-sure they carry out the necessary repairs. The MoCI has urged all customers to report any violations to its Consumer Protection and Anti-Commercial Fraud Department, which processes complaints, inquiries and suggestions through the following chan-nels: Call centre: 16001, e-mail: info@moci.gov.qa, Twitter: @MOCIQATAR, In-stagram: MOCIQATAR, MoCI mobile app for android and iOS: MOCIQATAR

We Abu Issa

Marketing &

Distribution, started

distributing the Brand ‘Prestige’

since 1992. In 2004 Element

Middle was appointed as the

Licensee of Prestige covering

16 countries in MENA region

and we have been working

together since then. Yet for

two consecutive years we were

awarded with the outstanding

performance of distribution in

2019 and partner of the year

award for 2020, with the great

direction and hard work of Mr.

Fawaz Idrissi the CEO of Abu

Issa Holding, who managed

to generate these awards for

the brand, with the help of

Mr. Syed Afaque Barmavar

Export manager / the country

manager.

Abu Issa Holding is one of the

leading distributors globally,

for multi-industry products

and services. AIMD is one of the

leading distributors for multi-

industry products across Qatar.

With our key partners and

award-winning businesses, we

continue operating to maximize

value and create synergies

through efficient processes.

The Brand ‘Prestige’ is one of

the world’s best known and

well-loved housewares names

thanks to more than 75 years of

making good quality products

for home and has been partner

of AIMD since 1992. Prestige’s

reputation for great quality and

design extends to bakeware,

kitchen knives, a fantastic

selection of tools & gadgets

for all your food preparation

needs and the famous Prestige

Pressure Cooker, one of the

most iconic products of its

generation.

Awards:• Outstanding performance

of distribution -2014

• Outstanding

Performance of

Distribution – 2019

• Partner of the Year

Award-2020

Under umbrella of Abu Issa marketing & distribution Prestige

excels winning awards

QATARGulf Times Wednesday, November 3, 20218

Ajyal festival off ers unique audiovisual treat for all The ninth Ajyal Film Festi-

val presented by the Doha Film Institute continues to

highlight its unique strength as a celebration that is truly inclu-sively curated for all members of the community, young and old.

Upholding its tradition of mak-ing cinema an inclusive experi-ence for all, the institute worked with the Translation and Inter-preting Institute of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Hamad Bin Khalifa University to bring a special trans-adapted presentation of the DFI-sup-ported fi lm, 1982 (Lebanon, US, Norway, Qatar/2019) directed by Oualid Mouaness.

People with diff erent abili-ties will be able to view the fi lm through enhanced sound with audio descriptions of visual ele-ments that are diffi cult to receive in the traditional fi lm format.

Viewers with hearing or speech comprehension challenges will benefi t from enriched subtitles in Arabic and English as well as sign language interpretation.

In 1982, 11-year-old Wissam struggles to pluck up the cour-age to reveal his true feelings to classmate Joanna. But before he can, and with his school in the midst of their fi nal exams, the air invasions on Beirut begin, and the pupils are to be sent home. The fi lm will be screened free of charge on November 12, 8pm, at Katara Drama Theatre. One has to reserve a ticket for access.

Also set to delight all mem-bers of the family are ‘A World of Colour’ and ‘Under the Trees’ cine-concert. Partnering with Forum des Images, the ‘Under The Trees’ cine-concert is an endearing musical show full of poetry and sweetness, accom-

panied live by talented musicians Leslie Bourdin and Rémi Foucard. Its Qatar premiere will take audi-ences on an incredible adventure into the woods, where every tree has a story to tell.

Screening on November 13 at 11am, Katara Drama Theatre, ‘A World of Colour’ includes a cu-

rated selection of colourful short fi lms that will delight all. These include Little Snowman (Rus-sia/2021) by Alexey Pochivalov, in which a little snowman keeps losing his carrot nose that his mother replaces every evening.

Orchestra Rehearsal (Rus-sia/2020), directed by Tatyana

Okruzhnova, is about a busy dad and musician who is late for his philharmonic orchestra concert. Kenya’s Symphony (US/2019) by Carlos Douglas Jr is about Kenya, a young girl, who is reluctantly dragged into a symphony by her mother.

Colourful Feathers (Mexi-

co/2021) by Maribel Suárez is about a family of blue chickens that are ostracised from their fl ock. Ink (Netherlands/2020) by Joost van den Bosch and Erik Verkerk introduces viewers to an octopus that is also a neat freak. Under the Clouds (Russia/2021) by Vasilisa Tikunova features

Walter the Lamb, who dreams of one day becoming a cloud.

In According to Birds (Neth-erlands/2008), director Linde Fas presents the story of a great owl who arrives as the leaves be-gin to fall. Racoon and the Light (US/2018), directed by Hanna Kim, is about a curious racoon who discovers a mysterious new friend, while The Fox Who Fol-lowed the Sound (Iran/2012) by Fatemeh Goudarzi charts a curious little fox who goes to investigate a sound and discovers the music within himself. The Last Day of Autumn (Switzerland, Belgium, France/2019), directed by Mar-jolaine Perreten, is about forest animals squirrelling away parts to build their bikes for a big race.

Tickets for Ajyal 2021 and can be purchased at https://www.dohafilminstitute.com/filmfes-tival.

1982 by Oualid Mouaness. Orchestra Rehearsal by Tatyana Okruzhnova.

Katara European Jazz Fest starts todayKatara - the Cultural Vil-

lage Foundation has an-nounced the launch of the

seventh edition of the Katara Eu-ropean Jazz Festival, which will take place from today until No-vember 6 in co-operation with the embassies of 11 European countries.

In his speech at a press con-ference yesterday, Katara general manager Prof Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti expressed happiness at the return of the festival in light of the precautionary measures taken by the government.

“The festival is witnessing a remarkable development in its current version, as it is sponsored by the European Union, while in its previous editions it relied only on the participation and spon-sorship of embassies. It hosts an orchestra from France in this ver-sion.”

He noted that the festival has succeeded in confi rming its name as a global artistic event, based on the successes achieved in the previous version. He praised the existing co-operation between Katara and the embassies of Eu-ropean countries in Qatar, which

resulted in the opening of impor-tant cultural and civilizational windows to introduce European musical creativity. He also ex-pressed gratitude to the festival sponsors.

In turn, the ambassadors thanked Katara for organising the festival, and the sponsors as well. They also spoke about their countries’ participation.

Spain’s ambassador Maria

Belen Alfaro Hernandez said: “Since our fi rst participation in the festival, we have welcomed groups from Cataluña, Galicia, Madrid or the Basque Country. We are keen to welcome Sergio de Lope this year, an artist from Andalusia.”

Edgar Dörig, ambassador of Switzerland, thanked Katara and the sponsors and invited the public to attend the event and

enjoy Swiss folk and live elec-tronic music.

Hungarian ambassador Ferenc Korom said: “Growing up in dif-ferent countries, the musicians have diverse backgrounds; how-ever, they play together in per-fect symphony. We must fi nd this symphony in our lives to fulfi l our goals and live a blissful life.”

Poland’s envoy Janusz Janke said: “Poland will be represent-

ed by one of the most talented jazz artists of the young gen-eration, the phenomenal duo of Monika Borzym and Krzysztof Dys. They will present their joint project, ‘Monika Borzym Sings Old Songs’, which was inspired by songs written by Polish com-posers and literary authors prior 1939.”

Portugal’s ambassador Dr António Alves de Carvalho said

he was “looking forward to shar-ing a little bit of Portuguese jazz with the public in Qatar. After one year without the Katara Eu-ropean Jazz Festival, we are all very enthusiastic to see everyone together again.”

Italian envoy Alessandro Pru-nas said: “I am proud that for the very fi rst time, Ferra and Casar-ano will present themselves as a unique duo here in Doha, com-bining their instruments in an emotional and intense concert for our public in Qatar.”

Eleni Michalopoulou, the Greek ambassador, said: “The universality of music as a means of communication and under-standing will allow the Qatari society to come together and cel-ebrate the return to live cultural events after a long period of pan-demic restrictions.”

German envoy Dr Claudius Fischbach said: “It is my pleasure to present a German jazz band to take part in the 7th Katara Euro-pean Jazz Festival. I am confi dent that Jin Jim will enchant the au-dience in Doha with their inno-vative mixture of Latin, jazz and rock.”

French ambassador Jean-Baptiste Faivre noted: “The fes-tival is a precious opportunity to welcome the talented Orchestre National de Jazz (French National Jazz Orchestra). It is our greatest honour to have on stage the 19 musicians of the ensemble.”

William Asselborn, Belgian envoy, said: “Belgium has played a key role in jazz history...and this tradition is kept alive by the current generation of artists. MEQ is one of the most talented groups of Belgian contemporary jazz and undoubtedly one of the fi nest European jazz experiences of the moment.”

Karin Fichtinger-Grohe, am-bassador of Austria, added: “Proud that we are again able to showcase the diverse European expressions of jazz. I consider Doha and Katara an ideal place for the jazz festival.”

The sponsors of the event are Qatar Airways, Qatar Music Academy, FNAC, Fifty-One East, EUNIC (European Union Na-tional Institutes for Culture), Eu-ropean Union Delegation to the State of Qatar, Delegation of the European Union in Kuwait.

Prof Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti with the ambassadors yesterday.

Microsoft Qatar, Tamuq sign MoUMicrosoft Qatar and

Texas A&M Univer-sity at Qatar (Ta-

muq), a Qatar Foundation partner, have signed a mem-orandum of understanding to empower students and provide them with the tools and experiences necessary to drive innovation and succeed in the workforce.

Lana Khalaf, Microsoft country manager, joined Ta-muq dean Dr César Octavio Malavé to sign the agreement at an on-campus ceremony.

In the current fourth in-dustrial revolution, students need digital skills to thrive in an increasingly digital economy, the partners said. Institutions of higher educa-tion must keep up with these changing environments to ensure graduates have the talent and training to drive economic growth as soon as they begin their careers.

Under the new agreement, Tamuq will leverage Microsoft

tools to achieve their common goal of empowering students to gain the future-ready skills to increase their competitive-ness and enhance their em-ployability in a digitally driven job market.

“Our partnership with Texas A&M at Qatar comes in line with our commitment to provide higher education in-stitutions in Qatar with the resources and tools needed to build the next-generation workforce,” Khalaf said.

Tamuq has identifi ed several activities to pilot these in the 2021-22 academic year: Mi-crosoft Learn - which provides self-paced, digital learning resources to build skills and a foundational understand-ing of technology - comple-ments classroom learning and study materials to best prepare students for in-demand jobs. Students may also join the Mi-crosoft Learn Student Ambas-sador

Community, which will help

students learn and lead by giv-ing them access to free tools, events and activities and un-lock exclusive benefi ts through learning.

Through Microsoft Azure for Students, students can gain hands-on experience with Microsoft technologies to start building apps, explore artifi cial intelligence and make the most of big data. Faculty and teaching staff at Tamuq will also have access to Azure Development Tools for Teach-ing, which provides access to tools commonly used in STEM programmes, as well as oppor-tunities to participate in the Microsoft Learn for Educators Institution Programme, which gives eligible educators ac-cess to additional teaching and learning benefi ts.

“Texas A&M at Qatar is proud to partner with our friends Microsoft Qatar as we work together to educate en-gineering leaders in Qatar,” Dr Malavé said.

Microsoft and Tamuq off icials at the signing ceremony.

VCUarts Qatar Dean’s Listhonours high achieving students

Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts

Qatar), a Qatar Foundation part-ner, held a special online event to honour the students placed on the Dean’s List with a Grade Point Average of 3.5 or higher.

Of the 119 students who qual-ifi ed to the Dean’s List in the Fall semester 2021, 32 are from the Art Foundation Programme, 20 from the Art History pro-gramme, eight from the Fashion Design programme, 30 from the Graphic Design programme, 17

from the Interior Design pro-gramme, and 12 from the Paint-ing + Printmaking programme.

Across the global higher education sector, inclusion in a university’s Dean’s List is a recognition of a student’s com-mitment to hard work and aca-demic excellence. At VCUarts Qatar, this selection takes place bi-annually, and is followed by a celebration to felicitate the re-cipients. This year, due to pan-demic-imposed restrictions, the event took place remotely.

Amir Berbic, the dean of

VCUarts Qatar, congratulated the students. He said: “The shift from school to university is always a challenge, and even more so in the face of all the ex-tra safety and health restrictions necessitated by a pandemic. The fact that despite all these re-strictions you achieved this dis-tinction so early on in your uni-versity life says a lot about your determination, and passion in what you’re doing. As members of the Dean’s List, you’re next in the line of standard bearers for future generations of students.”

Some of the participants at the online event.

Ministry holds virtual forum for distinguished practices in schools

The Arabic Language Section of the Educa-tional Guidance Department at the Minis-try of Education and Higher Education held

a virtual forum aimed at raising the effi ciency of primary school students in Arabic language skills.

The forum seeks to promote distinguished practices in schools and exchange experiences be-

tween the Arabic language departments.The participants focused on basic language

skills such as reading and writing.Head of the Arabic Language Section Laila al-

Kaabi urged the participants to intensify eff orts to raise students’ competency in reading and writing skills. (QNA)

CMC calls for licences for use of trampolineand inflatables

By Ayman AdlyStaff Reporter

The Central Municipal Council (CMC) at its biweekly regular session held yester-day recommended that places which provide trampoline games should be listed among those required to obtain prior licence from the Ministry of Com-merce and Industry (MoCI). The council is seeking to enhance the safety and security of children while playing on trampoline and inflata-bles even in cases where theses are installed at homes.The council urged the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to form a committee with representation from all entities concerned to study the safety and security requirements for such inflatable home games.Besides, the ministry should enhance its awareness eff orts across various media to educate people on the risks involved in such games and the need to ensure that they are compliant with the necessary standards.The CMC asked the Directorate General for Specifications and Measurements to work on accrediting international standards concerning inflatable and trampoline games and accordingly co-ordinate with the MoCI.The council also recommended that the Ministry of Municipality study the possibility of fencing off waste landfills at various locations across the country and take remedial action against light pieces of waste getting caught up in wind.The walls or fences of these waste dumps should be decorated with fire resistant boards as a way of maintain-ing a beautiful ambience, it recom-mended.The council asked the ministry to study the possibility of moving the landfills and waste dumps currently located at Madinat Al Shammal to the nearest approved location. The CMC urged the ministry to study the possibility of allocating a barns complex for citizens living on the outskirts of the country and who own livestock without a valid registration to benefit from the services off ered to promote the sector.The council also suggested that the ministry should consider the possibil-ity of transliterating the Arabic place names when written in English instead of translating their meaning.

QATAR9Gulf Times

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

QF contributes to Qatar’s efforts QF contributes to Qatar’s efforts towards sustainability at COP26towards sustainability at COP26

By Noor Al-rawiDoha

As part of Qatar’s participa-tion at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26)

that began in Glasgow on Monday and will run until November 12, that was attended by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Qatar Foundation has participated in the crucial conversation about how to safeguard the future of the planet at the climate summit.

QF strives to integrate its research eff orts and its community initiatives to promote sustainability in conjunc-tion with Qatar’s National Vision 2030, and in the aim of supporting Qatar’s eff orts to play its role as an active partner to confront climate change eff ects.

In this context, QF’s sustainability experts have expressed their views on the sidelines of the summit. Dr Huda al-Sulaiti, Senior Research Director, Natural and Environmental Hazards Observatory, Qatar Energy and En-vironmental Research Institute said:

“In order to achieve the desired sus-tainability or balance in Qatar, we must fi rst answer the following ques-tions: Do we have energy resources? Are they renewable, or non-renewa-ble? We must protect non-renewable energy resources in particular. Sec-ond, yes, our natural resources are limited. Third, we have to protect the environment. Our climate is dry and arid. These three factors are very im-portant and characterise the Arab re-gion and Qatar in particular.

“On the other hand, we have to en-sure justice, community development and economic diversity, not any di-versity, but rather a knowledge-based economic diversity. This will refl ect on everyone who lives in Qatar.

“The main challenges we face are non-renewable energy resources, dry and desert climate, scarce natural resources and water bodies, and low precipitation. Qatar, in particular,

exports large quantities of gas and oil to neighbouring countries, which increases carbon emissions and, as a result, global warming. Therefore, we must focus on building a knowl-edge economy and transitioning from a hydrocarbon economy. In addition to all of the above, we also need to in-crease green spaces.

“At the Natural and Environmental Hazards Observatory at the Energy and Environment Research Insti-tute, we monitor environmental and technological risks that may nega-tively aff ect Qatar’s environmental, economic and social development. We seek to preserve the progress and prosperity that Qatar has achieved by mitigating the impact of these risks on progress and sustainability.

“I hope to see more investment in food security. This area is one of the most important themes that we need to focus on. We also need to save on

the use of groundwater for irrigation and to introduce modern systems that save energy and water so as not to in-crease greenhouse gases and global warming.”

Engineer Meshal al-Shamari, Director of Qatar Green Building Council, said: “To me, a sustainable Qatar means the application of sus-tainability standards and concepts in all aspects of life, whether as in-dividuals in our daily practice, such as consumption of water, electricity, waste generation, responsible buying and consumption; or as institutions through the way we manage and op-erate the facilities and buildings we use, whether homes, universities or offi ces. Also, a healthy lifestyle is part of sustainability, whether it is exer-cise, healthy food, or even organic food. Certainly, all aspects of life are directly aff ected by sustainability.

“At Qatar Green Building Coun-cil, we work on several fronts to en-sure that we put these standards into practice. The fi rst is to spread aware-ness through national programmes and events such as the Qatar Sustain-ability Week. The second is technical support. We have developed many special programmes and systems such as the eco-friendly hotel system and the eco-friendly school system. The third focus area is research. We study sustainability best practices and their applicability in Qatar”.

Hamad M al-Kuwari, Executive Di-rector, City Operations, Qatar Foun-dation, said: “Sustainability is of the highest importance to Qatar and that is refl ected in initiatives around the 2022 FIFA World Cup, initiatives around public transport, conserva-tion programmes like Tarsheed, Qatar Foundation worker welfare standards which are a requirement for our con-tractors and building operation pro-grams like the use of Treated Sewage Effl uent (TSE) water.

“My belief is in the personal re-sponsibility and action that will drive sustainability initiatives across Qatar

and the world. When you are con-scious of the various interconnected issues around sustainability, your personal actions should be a natural outcome of your thoughtfulness and this is where our defi nition of sus-tainability is really put to the test.”

Abdulla al-Naemi, Director – Gen-eral Services, City Operations, Qatar Foundation, said: “Being ‘Eco-Re-sponsible’ is embedded within the ethos of the soft services we provide as part of the General Services de-partment within the City Operations team in QF. We have worked progres-sively towards eliminating single use plastics, reducing waste generation in our kitchens, pantries and food service areas, increased focus on re-cycling, eff ective waste segregation and introducing green catering prac-tices. We collectively believe that we can continually improve towards achieving a greener tomorrow as we assess and analyse every operation and process to make it more environ-ment-friendly. Our generation does not have the luxury to choose envi-ronmental sustainability as just an option.”

Saleem al-Yafei, Director – Fa-cilities & Infrastructure, City Op-erations, Qatar Foundation, said: “Building operations lighting, heat-ing, and cooling aff ect approximately 28% of global CO2 emissions. As we operate the infrastructure and facili-ties for 3.2mn sq m of Qatar Founda-tion space, it is critical that we de-velop programmes that minimise our carbon footprint.

“QF’s Energy Conservation & Opti-misation Programme focuses on opti-mising electricity and water usage for all our facilities. We run a comprehen-sive audit programme in conjunction with the implementation of smart meters and the use of data analytics to record, measure, and reduce our car-bon footprint. The programme also includes the use of LED lamps across Qatar Foundation. Phase 1 of the pro-gramme, when completed, will save 17mn kWH/year in electricity.

“One of our fundamental aspira-tions has been to turn the campus into a car-free zone. With the Education Tram fully operational, we will see a car-free campus leading to a sustain-able lifestyle of our community”.

Nihal Mohamed, Project Manager – Sustainable Cities, said: “One of the most diffi cult things in laying the foundations of any nation is to inte-grate all the diff erent sectors into a healthy ecosystem. Environmental improvement often outweighs the economic or fi nancial benefi ts. How-ever, pursuing a systems-thinking approach would go far beyond just thinking about the environment or the economy. It includes social, psy-chological, and cultural aspects as well as other aspects that would es-tablish happy, prosperous, and sus-tainable nations supported by human and environmental resources.

“These challenges are not limited to Qatar alone. It must be a source of inspiration and an opportunity to engage with our regional and interna-tional partners to collectively co-or-dinate and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The proof of this is that we see today how Qatar is working on the international scene, under the leadership of His Highness the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, to affi rm its role in fi nding radical solutions to the climate crises.

“Our role as an institution is scien-tifi c research and development, edu-cation and social development. We are now in a new stage in which we are reaping the fruits of the eff orts and work that we launched decades ago with all the institutions in our belov-ed country. This idea is to help collect all the cumulative intellectual pro-duction through a collective eff ort to provide opportunities for the actual and experimental implementation of

projects, which will be refl ected in the lives of citizens and residents.”

Nawal al-Sulaiti, Sustainability Specialist, said: “A sustainable Qa-tar means to me an environmentally friendly country, a world leader in research and innovation, that meets the conditions for healthy living for present and future generations. This is achieved when all eff orts are com-bined to promote a pioneering vision that enables the aspirations of society and makes it a reality. It goes without saying that a sustainable state is es-tablished in the fi rst place by a con-scious and responsible society and a commitment to the highest environ-mental standards in all future plans, whether they are economic, urban or social plans.”

Ouassim Almi, Strategic Initiatives Adviser, said: “Qatar has the ambi-tion and capabilities to be a model for constructive transformation. We hope to see everyone join hands for a more sustainable future. All countries that choose to move forward on a gradual transition toward a sustainable future face a unique set of challenges. While they invest in changing societal cul-ture and incorporating sustainabil-ity into everyday life, they still need to introduce political and strategic changes that support this ambition.

“At Qatar Foundation, we focus our eff orts on building a conscious soci-ety that contributes to and drives the change needed to respond to the risks of climate change. Our journey begins with early education. We are commit-ted to instilling the values of respect for the environment through the cur-ricula, as well as creating opportuni-ties for the rest of the age groups to participate in various sustainability projects and support their ideas.

“One of our most important achievements is the success in creat-ing an environment that stimulates innovation and incubates student projects to drive change.”

Dr Hanan Alshareef Farhat, the Senior Research Director of the Cor-rosion Centre at Qeeri, said: “For me, sustainable Qatar means sustainable environment and sustainable man-agement of the country’s natural resources. Among the biggest chal-lenges Qatar is facing is the ability to produce natural gas with minimum hydrocarbon emissions and to pre-serve water resources.

“At Qeeri’s Corrosion Centre we develop modern technologies to re-duce the leak of oil, gas, and environ-ment pollutants caused by corrosion. We also promote sustainable indus-trial and civil buildings in the country by reducing their corrosion levels and ensuring their sustainability.

“Qatar is moving in the right direc-tion, pursuing successful policies to achieve sustainability. I hope to see more policies aimed at reducing cor-rosion and collapses in industrial in-stallations and promoting awareness to reduce plastic use.”

Dr Marcello Contestabile, Princi-pal Economist at Qatar Energy & En-vironment Research Institute, said: “The exceptional economic and so-cial development that Qatar has ex-perienced over the last few decades has been made possible by substan-tial fossil fuel export revenues and by unconstrained use of fossil fuels domestically. This model is no longer sustainable, economically and envi-ronmentally, and Qatar is taking steps to transition away from it.

“Qatar faces multiple domes-tic environmental pollution issues, however the greatest challenge of all is global climate change because, on the one hand, it undermines the economic model on which the coun-try has based its development and, on the other, it impacts the physical environment of the country through ambient temperature rise, extreme weather phenomena, sea level rise and more.

“The team I lead is developing a computer-based analytical tool called an energy systems model that will support the Qatari government identify optimum long-term climate policy interventions and technology transition pathways. We are also in-vestigating ways in which Qatar can continue to profi t from its natural gas endowment in the long term through converting it into carbon-free energy vectors such as hydrogen.

“I would like to see Qatar carve its own original path to sustainability, recognising the unique circumstanc-es of the country and not shying away from questioning existing paradigms. I would also like Qatar to set itself ambitious but achievable targets and to foster real collaboration among government, industry and the re-search community in order to develop the required solutions.”

Dr Veronica Bermudez, the Senior Research Director of the Energy Cen-tre at Qeeri, said: “For me sustaina-bility means reinstating natural equi-librium while continuing economic growth. This can only happen if we consume resources within the Earth’s ecological boundaries and maintain a positive balance around the resources we borrow from Earth.

“At a local level Qatar’s greatest sustainability challenge is the envi-ronmental pressure which is linked to the management of natural resources. Qatar’s clean fresh water resources are very scarce which is linked to the its fast economic growth and increased internal demand. This has aff ected not only local natural reservoirs, but is also aff ecting the fragile desert and coastal environments and ecosystems.

“Electrifi cation and low-carbon emission energies, combined with CO2 capture are the key elements to reduc-ing greenhouse gases (existing and fu-ture) and hence reducing global tem-perature increases. My focus at Qeeri is trying to capture the already existing CO2 in the atmosphere and transform-ing it into a resource through added-value products. This contributes to zero emissions targets while keeping societal and economic growth.

“I would like to see Qatar reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions and develop strong climate adapta-tion plans addressing all sectors with a special focus on energy intensive in-dustries. Eff orts should focus on de-carbonising the industry, and setting ambitious goals to minimise emis-sions for the short and long-term.”

Sheikh Dr Soud bin Khalifa al-Thani, Sustainability Director, QF, said: “Qatar is blessed with abundant natural resources, so when we think about sustainability we have to look at how we preserve these resources and use them more effi ciently. We also need to fi nd common goals to motivate members of the various sec-tors to collaborate and join eff orts to-wards a more sustainable future for us and our future generations.

“One of the key challenges facing Qatar is air pollution and the issue of industrial and consumer waste. Several industries have contributed to the rise of waste, but we also have to recognise efforts undertaken by members of the energy sector to re-duce emissions, and their commit-ment to this matter, which was un-derscored by their participation in the Climate Change Conference or-ganised by QF in September.

“Another challenge is the scarcity of freshwater and the energy con-sumed to desalinate water to meet our daily demands. We are research-ing ways to address this on the one hand by conserving water and on the other by finding ways to desalinate using renewable energy.

“Education City is a test bed that we can use to try out innovative so-lutions which can be modelled in the rest of Qatar. We have adopted sev-eral kinds of technology to this end such as the electric tram and the use of solar panels. My role is to oversee the climate change portfolio with QF and also as a professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University I teach sus-tainability and encourage the search for innovative solutions to our chal-lenges”.

Dr Mohamed Ayoub, Senior Re-search Director and Founding Direc-tor of the Environment and Sustain-ability Centre (ESC) at Qeeri, said: “I always default to the environment when I think about sustainability and to me sustainability is all about bal-ance. Balancing our development needs to ensure that we do not irre-versibly damage our environment if one understanding of sustainability. Natural systems, like the environ-ment, prefer a state of balance. What we take out of a system has to be re-placed with something equivalent to maintain the balance, or vice-versa.

“To my mind, Qatar’s greatest sus-tainability challenge is the accelerated pace of development the country is undergoing. Rapid change is always disruptive, in both good and bad ways. Our challenge is to make sure we have the room to develop in the manner we wish to as a country, but at the same time, make sure this development does not come at the expense of other things we hold valuable.

“Our environment, health and productivity are negatively impacted by factors that are both within and outside of our control. Factors under our control include pollution arising from industry and transportation, for example, while external factors include climate change, extreme weather events and others. Qeeri’s environment mandate is centred around understanding the impacts of these various factors and developing policy and technology solutions that either eliminate, minimise or adapt to these unwanted impacts”.

“We must focus on building a knowledge economy and transitioning from a hydrocar-bon economy. We also need to

increase green spaces

— Dr Huda al-Sulaiti

“Our role as an institution is scien-tific research and development, education and social develop-ment. We are now in a new stage

in which we are reaping the fruits of the efforts and work that we launched decades ago

— Nihal Mohamed

“I would like to see Qatar reduce domestic greenhouse gas emis-sions and develop strong climate adaptation plans addressing all

sectors with a special focus on energy intensive industries. Efforts should focus on decarbonising the industry

— Dr Veronica Bermudez

“Qatar is moving in the right di-rection, pursuing successful poli-cies to achieve sustainability. I hope to see more policies aimed

at reducing corrosion and collapses in industrial installations and promot-ing awareness to reduce plastic use

— Dr Hanan Alshareef Farhat

“The team I lead is developing a computer-based analytical tool called an energy systems model that will support the Qatari

government identify optimum long-term climate policy interventions and technology transition pathways

— Dr Marcello Contestabile

“Qeeri’s environment mandate is centred around understand-ing the impacts of these various factors and developing policy

and technology solutions that either eliminate, minimise or adapt to these unwanted impacts

— Dr Mohamed Ayoub

“One of our fundamental aspi-rations has been to turn the campus into a car-free zone. With the Education Tram fully opera-

tional, we will see a car-free campus leading to a sustainable lifestyle of our community

— Saleem al-Yafei

“One of the key challenges facing Qatar is air pollution and the issue of industrial and consumer waste. Several industries have

contributed to the rise of waste, but we also have to recognise efforts un-dertaken by members of the energy sector to reduce emissions

— Sheikh Dr Soud bin Khalifa al-Thani

“When you are conscious of the various interconnected issues around sustainability, your per-sonal actions should be a natural

outcome of your thoughtfulness

— Hamad M al-Kuwari

“A sustainable Qatar means the application of sustainability standards and concepts in all aspects of life... such as con-

sumption of water, electricity, waste generation, responsible buying and consumption

— Engineer Meshal al-Shamari

“We have worked progressively towards eliminating single use plastics, reducing waste genera-tion in our kitchens, pantries and

food service areas, increased focus on recycling, effective waste segrega-tion and introducing green catering practices

— Abdulla al-Naemi

QNADoha

The issue of climate change is of great importance and a top priority at the forefront of the international agenda, as it has a

very dangerous impact on the planet and the lives of humans, plants and animals, and other variables and risks that are near, medium and far in impact and damage.

From this standpoint, Qatar and the world have realised the importance of this issue, and the need for a sustainable healthy environment as a human right, at a time when global climate negotiations and biodiversity summits have demonstrated global readiness to move in this direction, which the state constantly affi rms its strong commitment to contribute to.

The Qatari position in support of international eff orts to combat climate change highlights the allocation of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, among its competencies, to limit emissions that cause climate change, which confi rms the continuous keenness and unlimited support given by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani for the issue of the environment and climate.

This keenness is also evidenced by the Amir’s participation in the 26th session of the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP26) in the Scottish city of Glasgow. Within the framework of the meeting that the Amir held with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the conference, Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) and Rolls-Royce announced that they have entered into a long-term partnership to create a global centre for climate technology innovation.

Qatar’s keenness on the issue of environment and climate change is also evident in the appointment of a Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Aff airs for Climate Change and Sustainability, and in Qatar’s inclusion of the issue of environment and climate change in its National Vision 2030, which is in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the country’s ambition to reach a leadership position in the region through the implementation of many projects and initiatives that contribute to the eff orts made, to reduce air pollutants and carbon dioxide emissions, and increase reliance on renewable energy sources.

In a related context, on Oct 28, Qatar launched its National Environment and Climate Change Strategy, which contributes with the National Climate Change Action Plan 2030 to achieve a balance between the urgent need to work in the fi eld of climate change and environmental protection, and the need to promote social and economic development in a sustainable economy based primarily on the export of liquefi ed natural gas and related products.

The strategy affi rms the state’s commitment to protecting and promoting the environment and establishing harmony between the economic, social and environmental components in line with the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030, in addition to the relentless pursuit to secure Qatar’s environment for current and future generations, as

well as the unlimited great interest in the phenomenon of climate change as one of the most important environmental issues at the national and global levels, given its risks and challenges that require strengthening the global response and co-ordinating urgent co-operation between the concerned parties.

The strategy covers 5 areas: greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, biodiversity, water, circular economy, waste management and land use, with the development of a governance system to implement the strategy, to reach the specifi c goals by 2030, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25%, establishing 30 air quality monitoring stations by 2023, and increasing the number of biodiversity reserves.

The strategy is characterised by being integrated in terms of land use, and it aims to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability in line with the Qatar Food Security Strategy, while using land more effi ciently will improve the quality of life in Qatar by providing public transport and green spaces.

The strategy also aligns with the sustainable development goals of the United Nations and Qatar’s ambition to reach a leadership position in the region, through the implementation of many projects and initiatives that contribute to eff orts to reduce air pollutants and carbon dioxide emissions, and increase reliance on renewable energy sources.

Above all, the strategy is the result of joint eff orts between the government, the private sector, civil society and Qatari citizens, aimed at achieving great success and providing a more sustainable future for the Qatari people.

Assistant Undersecretary for Environmental Aff airs at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change engineer Hassan Jumaa al-Mohannadi said in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) that with regard to the fi rst pillar of greenhouse gas emissions, for example, international co-operation will be a key factor in reducing emissions.

He pointed out that to achieve its pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% until 2030 compared to the usual path, the State will adopt low-carbon technologies and solutions based

on natural materials, explaining that reducing greenhouse gas emissions will bring many benefi ts, such as improving the quality of air.

Al-Mohannadi stressed that this strategy constitutes a starting point for the next station of the journey aimed at achieving harmony and balance between the economy, people and nature and also the focal point for unifying and expanding eff orts to ensure optimal protection of the ecosystem, and is the cornerstone for managing Qatar’s water resources to achieve sustainability, as well as its contribution to improving waste management practices, which will enable a more circular economy, pointing out that when developing the strategy, great attention was paid to establishing a strong governance structure that would constitute a key enabling factor to ensure the success of its implementation.

He stressed that the eff ective implementation of this strategy will be a model for other countries to follow to move toward a more sustainable future.

In this context, the state’s eff orts go beyond reducing climate change and protecting the habitats and species of diff erent animals, as it is looking forward to the eff ective use of the land and the optimisation of the available water sources, as well as the eff ective management of resources and waste in order to achieve a more circular economy.

Qatar has assumed its responsibility as an active partner in the international community to confront climate change.

Qatar spared no eff ort in the success of the Paris Agreement on climate change negotiations in 2015. By signing the Paris Agreement for climate change, collectively with other world leaders in 2015, Qatar pledged to commit to reducing global temperatures to much less than 2C, and to strive to limit global warming to no more than 1.5C.

At the local level, Qatar has also implemented several environmental projects and initiatives to reduce the impacts of climate change, among them is the One Million Trees Planting Initiative launched in 2019, which has so far completed the planting of more than

half a million trees, while the remaining number will be planted before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

In light of relying largely on the energy sector to drive economic growth and achieve social development, Qatar is keen to fi nd the right balance between providing clean energy and making it available at an aff ordable cost to all, while at the same time committing to being responsible towards the environment and promoting the preservation of natural resources constantly.

Qatar Energy (QE) plans to reduce the carbon intensity of LNG facilities by 25% by 2030, to reach net zero emissions from routine ignition in natural gas production, as well as set a methane intensity target of 0.2%.

As the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar has affi rmed on more than one occasion and forum its commitment to organising an environmentally-friendly tournament and the fi rst carbon-neutrality tournament through the use of solar energy in stadiums, and the use of energy- and water-saving cooling and lighting technology.

Qatar, under the directives of the wise leadership, seeks to occupy high ranks in the public transport sector and the use of environmentally friendly cars.

In this regard, one of the ambitious plans of the Ministry of Transport is that, before the start of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, 20-25% of public transport in the country will be environment-friendly, will use clean energy and enjoy the best safety standards and a high degree of quality and effi ciency.

Environmentally-friendly transport options will reduce the carbon footprint of the tournament and build a sustainable legacy for future generations as the provision of clean energy-powered transport solutions such as the Doha Metro, Tram network, and energy-effi cient buses will reduce emissions from tournament operations while the proximity of the distances in the Qatar World Cup ensures that fans, players, administrators and others do not need to fl y within Qatar, which reduces the environmental impact of the tournament compared to previous editions of the World Cup.

The United Nations COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland, is seen as a make-or-break chance to save the planet from the most calamitous effects of climate change.

For sure, no longer is climate change a debatable concern. Some research models suggest up to a quarter of global GDP — currently around $80tn — could be lost if no action is taken to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

“To slow climate change, make polluters pay for the damage they cause” is an idea that’s been around for more than two decades.

Now it’s turning into one of the hot topics for the climate talks in Glasgow.

More than 60 jurisdictions — nations, states and cities — have adopted what’s known as carbon pricing, an approach hailed by environmentalists, politicians and even many oil companies as an elegant, free-market alternative to direct regulation.

There are two main approaches to carbon pricing.In one, carbon prices are set by governments as a tax or fee on

carbon dioxide emitted. In the other, governments establish a limit on the total volume of emissions allowed, create a market and let participants in that market — utilities that produce electricity, most commonly — determine the exact price of carbon.

Does it work?As a matter of fact, levies from Europe’s carbon trading system

have hastened the transition to cleaner natural gas. The UK’s carbon tax is credited with helping the country rapidly phase out coal.

But environmentalists say most policy makers have traditionally been unwilling to set prices high enough to force

changes in behaviour.A price range of $40-80

a metric tonne is needed to achieve the 2015 Paris Agreement’s main goal of limiting warming to 2C (3.6F) above preindustrial levels, according to a 2021 World Bank report. Only about 4% of emissions are covered by a carbon price above $40 a tonne. Keeping warming below the more ambitious Paris goal of a 1.5C limit would require introducing a price of $160 per tonne or more by the end of

the decade, according to consultant Wood Mackenzie.Much of the controversy about the carbon market comes down

to the integrity of the accounting, making sure that each carbon credit is rigorously validated, isn’t double counted and that its contribution to global emissions reduction can be verified.

The most climate-conscious countries and campaigners are trying to ensure that each step to reduce emissions only counts once. Push-back is also coming from countries including Brazil, India and China, who have said they want to use old, unused credits from the 1997 Kyoto Protocol’s defunct Clean Development Mechanism.

It’s also unclear which entity will be responsible for regulating global markets and ensuring offsets traded are high quality. There’s the potential for diplomatic spats over offsetting and accounting.

The global economy could lose as much $2.7tn a year by 2030 if countries continue to destroy biodiversity, impacting wild pollination, food from fisheries and timber from forests, according to the World Bank.

As companies around the world seek to burnish their green credentials, plans for a rigorous and regulated international carbon market to help countries and businesses reach their climate goals are becoming a key part of the fight against climate change.

Gulf Times Wednesday, November 3, 2021

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CHAIRMANAbdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFFaisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka

Deputy Managing Editor

K T Chacko

Punish polluters, reward green gains: Focus oncarbon market at COP26

Some research models suggest up to a quarter of global GDP could be lost if no action is taken to reduce carbon dioxide emissions

COP26: Qatar has outstandingachievements, ambitious plans

Environmentally-friendly transport options will reduce the carbon footprint of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and build a sustainable legacy for future generations as the provision of clean energy-powered transport solutions such as the Doha Metro will reduce emissions from tournament operations.

WORLD11Gulf Times

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Bahrain yesterday urged its citizens in Lebanon to immedi-ately leave the country amid a row between Beirut and Arab Gulf states over a Lebanese minister’s remarks on the Yemen war. The foreign ministry “urged all citizens in Lebanon to leave immediately, following the tense situation there, which calls for extra caution”, it said in a statement. The call came a day after the United Arab Emir-ates also urged its citizens to leave Lebanon.

Four people accused of bombing a 2013 election rally for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been sentenced to death. A series of blasts rocked a park in Patna soon before then-opposition leader Modi was due to address a crowd. The attacks also targeted a nearby train station, altogether kill-ing six people and injuring nearly 100 others. The National Investiga-tion Agency, the country’s main counter-terrorism authority, said that the accused were all from the Students Islamic Movement of India group.

Sabah Fakhri, a Syrian singer known across the Arab world for performing traditional music in concerts that could go on for hours, died yesterday. He was 88. Announcing his death, Syrian state media called Fakhri “a legend of Arab singing” who “sat on the throne of traditional Arabic music”. Fakhri gave performances that would stretch through the night, breaking only to recite the call to prayer at dawn. He entered the record books in 1968 for singing for 10 hours without a break in the Venezuelan capital Caracas.

Bahrain urgescitizens toleave Lebanon

Four get death for

Modi rally blast

Legendary Syrian

singer dies at 88

ADVISORY

VERDICT

OBITUARY

ReutersGlasgow

More than 100 countries have joined an eff ort led by the US and European

Union to slash emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane 30% by 2030 from 2020 levels, an initiative aimed at tackling one of the main causes of climate change.

Methane is the main green-house gas after carbon dioxide.

It has a higher heat-trapping potential than CO2 but breaks down in the atmosphere faster — meaning that cutting methane emissions can have a rapid im-pact in reining in global warming.

The Global Methane Pledge, launched at the COP26 summit in Glasgow yesterday after be-ing announced in September, now covers countries represent-ing nearly half of global methane emissions and 70% of global GDP, US

President Joe Biden said.“Together, we’re committing to

collectively reduce our methane by 30% by 2030. And I think we can probably go beyond that,” Bi-den said at the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland. “It’s going to boost our economies, saving com-

panies money, reducing methane leaks, capturing methane to turn it into new revenue streams, as well as creating good paying union jobs for our workers.”

Among the new signatories was Brazil – one of the world’s biggest emitters of methane.

The pledge now includes six of the world’s 10 biggest meth-ane emitters: the US, Brazil, In-donesia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Mexico.

China, Russia, India and Iran, also top-10 methane emitters, have not signed up.

Those countries were all in-cluded on a list identifi ed as targets to join the pledge, fi rst reported by Reuters.

“Methane is one of the gases we can cut fastest. Doing that will immediately slow down cli-mate change,” European Com-mission president Ursula von der Leyen said.

Since it was fi rst announced in September with a handful of signatories, the US and Europe-an Union have worked to get the world’s biggest methane emit-ters to join the partnership.

There were roughly 60 coun-tries signed up only last week, after a fi nal diplomatic push from the US and EU ahead of the

COP26 summit. While it is not part of the formal UN negotia-tions, the methane pledge could rank among the most signifi -cant outcomes from the COP26 conference, given its potential impact in holding off disastrous climate change.

A UN report in May said steep cuts in methane emissions this decade could avoid nearly 0.3 degree Celsius of global warm-ing by the 2040s.

Failing to tackle methane, however, would push out of reach the 2015 Paris Agreement’s objective to limit the global rise in temperature to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

The 30% methane cut, which is not legally binding, would be jointly achieved by the signato-ries, and cover all sectors.

Key sources of methane emis-sions include leaky oil and gas infrastructure, old coal mines, agriculture and landfi ll sites.

If fulfi lled, the pledge is likely to have the biggest impact on the energy sector, since ana-lysts say fi xing leaky oil and gas infrastructure is the fastest and cheapest way to curb methane emissions.

100 nationsjoin pact tocut methane emissions

Virginia governor election

Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Virginia governor Terry McAuliff e speaks tosupporters during a Canvass Kickoff event in Falls Church, Virginia, yesterday. Virginia and New Jersey hold off -year elections today in the first major elections since US President Joe Biden’s victory in 2020. Virginia’s gubernatorial race pits Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin against Democratic gubernatorial candidate McAuliff e.

ReutersJerusalem

Palestinians facing evic-tion from the fl ashpoint East Jerusalem neigh-

bourhood of Sheikh Jarrah yesterday rejected a deal that would have seen them accept the temporary ownership of their homes by an Israeli set-tler organisation.

The long-running legal bat-tle over the evictions helped trigger an 11-day war between Israel and Palestinian fi ghters in Gaza, and the case has been a regular source of tension across East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

Seeking a compromise, Is-rael’s Supreme Court in Octo-

ber proposed a deal that would have seen four Palestinian families remain in their homes for 15 years as “protected ten-ants” while paying rent to set-tlers who claim the land.

The court gave the families until November 2 to decide whether to accept.

“We unanimously rejected the settlement off ered by the occupation (Israeli) court,” Muna El-Kurd, one of the Palestinians facing eviction, said at a press conference.

“This refusal comes from our faith in the justice of our case and our rights to our homes and homeland,” said El-Kurd, wearing a jacket embellished with the words “No Fear”. She was fl anked by other residents.

The deal would have re-quired the Palestinians to rec-ognise the settlers’ ownership claims on land their families have lived on for generations — a condition they have long rejected.

It also would have granted them the right to prove own-ership in the future.

A ruling on the families’ fate has been repeatedly delayed since May, after the case gar-nered international attention and the “#SaveSheikhJarrah” hashtag gained momentum overseas.

The families have lived in their homes since the 1950s.

But the settlers claim the land is theirs and presented 19th-century documents as evidence in Israeli courts.

Palestinians facing evictionsreject deal with Israeli settlers

12 Gulf TimesWednesday, November 3, 2021

QATAR

Ashghal starts works on Mebaireek Interchange

From Page 1

The Mebaireek Interchange will contribute to improving traffi c fl ow in the area, shorten-ing journey time by 50% and ac-commodating more than 8,500 vehicles per hour. Construction of the Mebaireek Interchange aims to provide a direct free link for commuters through Salwa Road towards the Mebaireek and Al Sailiya areas through service roads in both directions of Salwa Road, for road users heading between Doha, Mebai-reek and Al Sailiya areas, and for those heading from Mebai-reek and Al Sailiya towards the external areas in the south and west of Qatar such as Abu Na-

khlah, Mekainis and Al Karana.The upgrade project of con-

verting Khalid bin Ahmad Roundabout into a signal-con-trolled intersection includes the development and expansion of Khalid Bin Ahmed Interchange, converting the roundabout into a signal-controlled intersec-tion to connect Salwa Road, Al Furousiya Street and East In-dustrial Street. It will enhance traffi c fl ow by accommodating 8,500 vehicles per hour instead of 5000, and cutting mobil-ity time to about 80%. The signal-controlled intersection will consist of six lanes with many entry-exit points, 2.8km-long connection roads, and tree-plantation over approxi-

mately 10,000sq m. The new signal-controlled intersection will regulate traffi c and provide more traffi c safety instead of existing roundabout, with nec-essary expansion, which will fa-cilitate the connection of traffi c between Salwa Road, Al Furo-usiya Street and East Industrial Street, and serve residential neighbourhoods in the area.

“This will reduce travel time to various destinations by approxi-mately 80%, while construc-tion of the Mebaireek Bridge and several local roads connected to the new Mebaireek intersection will reduce the journey time to about 50%. The construction of two intersections on Salwa Road will enhance traffi c fl ow between

Doha, Al Rayyan Municipality and external areas, as it provides alternate option to Al Sailiya In-terchange,” explained al-Joof.

He also said Ashghal will rely more on local materials and lo-cal manufacturers in the project work to supply materials such as lighting poles, traffi c signs, sewage pipes, rainwater drainage pipes, asphalt and precast hard materials including manholes, concrete and steel.

“Construction of the Indus-trial and Mebaireek intersec-tions will contribute signifi -cantly to enhance the movement of passengers and goods, as they constitute a link between the Abu Samra border point in the southwest and Hamad Port. The Mebaireek Interchange will play a major role during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 for fans arriv-ing by road, as it is the only land route for neighbouring countries to Qatar,” he added.

Some 80% of the construction materials are locally made, Ash-ghal said.

Construction works in progress.

Noah al-Joof

#QatarCreates launches 2 weeks of ‘aesthetic’ eventsFrom Page 1

The 2021 #QatarCreates will include:

Fashion Trust Arabia (FTA) - the fi rst initiative of its kind supporting and showcas-ing talented designers in the Arab world - will bring togeth-er, on November 3, renowned FTA jurors and advisory board members to award the highly coveted annual prize. Under the patronage and in the presence of honorary chair Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and co-chairs HE Sheikha Al Ma-yassa and Tania Fares, the prize provides fi nancial support, guidance and mentorship to emerging designers in the Mena (Middle East and North Africa) region and off ers a platform of opportunity through which every talented Arab designer can grow and receive interna-tional recognition. The show-case and judging for the awards will take place at M7.

Christian Dior: Design-er of Dreams on view from November 6 through March

30, 2022, at M7 in Msheireb Downtown Doha, is the fi rst fashion exhibition of its ambi-tion and scale in the Middle East. Reinvented anew follow-ing successful presentation at prestigious museums in Paris, London, Shanghai and New York, the retrospective features a selection of pieces that are being shown for the fi rst time and ensembles from the pri-vate collection of Her Highness Sheikha Moza, a long-standing client of Christian Dior Cou-ture. This is the inaugural ex-hibition at M7, which opens on November 5.

Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech on view from Novem-ber 5 to March 31, 2022, at the Garage Gallery, Fire Station, is the fi rst major exhibition dedicated to the work of the acclaimed American artist and designer. The mid-career ret-rospective brings together more than 55 works for an in-depth look at Abloh’s diverse pioneer-ing media practice that ranges from visual arts to music, fash-ion, architecture and design.

‘Figures of Speech’ is organised by the Museum of Contempo-rary Art Chicago, adapted for this presentation by Qatar Mu-seums, and designed by and in collaboration with AMO. It is part of the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture programme.

Jeff Koons: Lost in Amer-ica a new exhibition on view from November 21 to March 31, 2022, at QM Gallery Al Riwaq, is the fi rst in the Gulf region of the work of the American artist Koons. Organised by renowned curator Massimiliano Gioni, the exhibition provides a unique view into the exceptional career of one of the best-known con-temporary artists, whose work bridges pop, minimalism and the readymade. The exhibition is presented as part of the Qa-tar-USA 2021 Year of Culture, an annual international cultural exchange programme designed to deepen understanding be-tween nations and their people.

#QatarCreates Program-ming will bring together dis-tinguished international lead-ers and cultural innovators for

conversations on fashion, de-sign and art from November 3-5. Highlights will include Valenti-no’s creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli and Naomi Campbell, moderated by HE Sheikha Al Mayassa with an introduction by journalist Anders Christian Madsen; Dior’s creative direc-tor Maria Grazia Chiuri in con-versation with photographer Brigitte Lacombe and journalist Caroline Issa; and Abloh, archi-tect Samir Bantal, and designer and academic leader Rosanne Somerson on Abloh’s exhibition in Doha and the inspiration that architectural fi rm OMA has had on his work.

Art for Tomorrow Talks, presented in association with The New York Times, will con-vene artists, museum leaders, curators and cultural experts to look closely at topical issues, ex-ploring the social and economic impact of art. To register for the free talks, which will take place from November 19-21 in Doha and on November 23 virtually, one has to visit artfortomorrow.org.

‘Qatar aims for climate technology leadership with Rolls-Royce deal’

CEO of Qatar Foundation International Omran al-Kuwari said that the

strategic partnership between Qatar, represented by Qatar Foundation (QF), and Rolls-Royce is a long-term one that aims to establish an interna-tional centre for technological innovation related to clean en-ergy, QNA reported.

The centre will help create and grow new climate tech-nology businesses, aided by academic leadership, funds for R&D and early-stage venture capital investment.

It is the first centre of its kind in climate technology.

Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), al-Kuwari said QF and Rolls-Royce were part-ners in developing two research facilities in Qatar and the Unit-ed Kingdom.

He added that the two sides aim to launch, invest in and grow businesses that can ac-celerate the global energy tran-sition.

The partnership will launch five startups by 2030, and an-other 20 by 2040.

He added that Qatar aims to localise technology, especially clean energy technology, which he described as the basis of the future and in implementation of what was stated in the Qatar National Strategy for Environ-ment and Climate Change.

He said that he expects the agreement to place Qatar as one of the top five countries worldwide in the field of clean energy R&D (as a percentage of GDP), and as a leader among small, advanced economies.

He stressed that the partner-ship will achieve a qualitative leap in the field of climate re-search, as the global centre for innovation in climate technol-ogy will work to attract part-ners from investors and in-novators internationally, and benefit from the role of the United Kingdom as a global centre for financing climate activities and climate technol-ogy.

He added that the partner-

ship would also accelerate the desired impact of addressing one of the most pressing global challenges represented by cli-mate change, which the inter-national community is looking to address.

CEO of Qatar Foundation In-ternational said Qatar has been working for many years on in-vesting in research and devel-opment to benefit the country in all economic and develop-mental aspects. He added that the goal of investing in inter-national companies with long history of investments into R&D is to ultimately invest in Qatar’s human component by integrating young talents in research and development projects that belong to these large companies, which would help them gain experience and eventually transfer it back to their home country to train and educate the younger genera-tions.

He said that this partnership will provide leading job oppor-tunities for Qataris aspiring to engage in pioneering job ex-periences, as the two research facilities are expected to pro-vide up to 1,000 jobs, and at least 10,000 jobs within related startup companies by 2040, in addition to providing invest-ment opportunities for Qa-tari companies and investors through dedicated financing.

He said Qatar has been deeply committed to clean en-ergy for years, by looking to diversify its energy sources and benefiting from other natural resources like wind and solar energy. He said that invest-ing in renewable energy is an important part of building a modern infrastructure, high-lighting that renewables limit carbon emissions and will be a good competitor to fossil fuels in terms of cost.

He highlighted that Qatar Foundation already has a na-tional research centre that is dedicated to the field of en-vironment and energy. The centre focuses its research on a number of topics such as wa-

ter desalination, solar energy, water and air quality, as well as climate change.

The foundation is also mak-ing important contributions in bringing up a new generation of sustainability experts.

Renewables have an impor-tant role and will be the main supporter of the infrastructure of many countries.

Moreover, carbon emissions that are harmful to the envi-ronment will be reduced and will be a strong competitor to traditional energy sources in terms of economic cost.

He added that renewable en-ergy is one of Qatar’s promis-ing markets, adding that it is expected to play an important part in the local economy.

He said Qatar’s partnership with Rolls-Royce is part of the country’s efforts to become an international hub for clean en-ergy, and added that Qatar has taken serious steps towards gradually moving to sustain-able, clean energy. He noted that traditional energy will one day runout, and so it is impor-tant to invest in the energy of the future.

On the role played by Qatar through the partnership in in-vesting in future technology, al-Kuwari said Qatar, through Qatar Foundation, will be a major investor and an execu-tive partner, providing the nec-essary resources and support for operational processes to develop businesses on a large scale.

He explained that Qatar, through this partnership, will benefit first from protecting the planet by finding quick solutions to combat climate change, and secondly through investing in future technology that could yield good returns for the current and future gen-erations.

He highlighted that the part-nership will also provide thou-sands of job opportunities in Qatar and that it would make Qatar a global centre for clean energy technology, increasing the economic returns of Qatar.

Qatar Foundation International CEO Omran al-Kuwari says the partnership would focus on setting up an international centre for technological innovation on clean energy

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou received yesterday the credentials of Qatar’s ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary in Athens Waleed bin Mohamed al-Emadi. The ambassador conveyed greetings of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to the Greek president, and his wishes of good health and happiness to her and continued progress and prosperity to the government and people of Greece. President Sakellaropoulou conveyed her greetings to the Amir, wishing him good health and happiness, and Qatar continued progress, development and prosperity. (QNA)

Qatar’s ambassador presents credentials

Military college cadets visit GAC

The General Authority of Customs (GAC) has received a group of cadets from Ahmed Bin Mohammed Military College (Information Systems Section). They were introduced to the information systems used in Customs procedures at Hamad Port, including the Al Nadeeb system.