emir warns of serious consequences - the peninsula qatar...dec 07, 2017 · gave an insight to the...

Volume 22 | Number 7368 | 2 RiyalsThursday 7 December 2017 | 19 Rabia I 1439 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

Al Duhail aim to extend unbeaten run

Qatar continues to grow with fiscal

stability

BUSINESS | 21 SPORT | 31

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Fazeena Saleem The Peninsula

In a pioneering effort to know the origins of Doha, archae-ologists have found that the Qatar was closely connected with the world back in early 19th century as well as people were resilient rapid changes.

UCL Qatar and Qatar Muse-ums (QM )unveiled the findings of their joint project ‘Old Doha Rescue Excavation’ on Tuesday during a public lecture ‘The His-tory Beneath Your Feet,’ which

gave an insight to the past of Doha and its people.

The research has uncovered evidence that shows Qatar has always been globally connected and how the pearl trade – con-sidered for centuries a luxury item in the West – led to the importation of foreign goods such as ceramics from Europe and Far East.

“People of Doha were very closely connected to the world economy, and they were not living in a isolation place. So they were well within the

global network, quite early,” Professor Robert Carter, Pro-fessorial Research Fellow, UCL Qatar told The Peninsula speaking on the sidelines of the lecture.

During the lecture Profes-sor Carter was joined by Dr Ferhan Sakal, Head of Archaeological Operations at QM and discussed the work their teams had carried out at the archeological dig near the Souq Waqif.

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Qatar was closely connected to the world in early 19th century

The Peninsula

Qatar’s reserves are more than enough to defend the Qatari riyal and for mon-etary policy tools, said Qatar Central Bank Governor H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Soud Al Thani, yesterday.

Speaking during the final day of Euromoney 2017 confer-ence, the Governor said the central bank’s foreign interna-tional reserves and liquidity are worth more than twice the mon-etary base, which is the total money issued in addition to all the deposits of local banks including the required reserves which cannot be withdrawn.

He stressed that the central bank’s foreign assets were a small

fraction of the foreign assets in Qatar, despite that the interna-tional reserves and foreign currency liquidity were eight times issued currency. The law states that reserves must not be less than one time issued currency.

The Governor highlighted that assets of commercial bank in Qatar grew on a yearly basis by 12.8 percent in the first nine months of 2017. Deposits of commercial bank clients grew during the same period by more than 17.5 percent. Credit facil-ities also grew 13 percent. Capital adequacy for banks operating in Qatar increased by more than 15.4 percent. The delinquency rate was 1.5 per-cent, which he said reflected the quality of the assets of commer-

cial banks operating in Qatar. The Governor said that

return on shareholders’ equity in the first nine months were 14.5 percent, while return on assets were 1.6 percent. Liquid-ity coverage for national banks increased by more than 141 per-cent and 143 percent for all banks operating in Qatar.

He stressed on the commit-ment of all banks and financial institutions to International Financial Reporting Standard 9 (IFRS 9) as well as the Basel Com-mittee. The Governor stressed that regulators and State super-visory regime work in full coordination, and in accordance with the legislation governing work.


Emir receives phone call from British PM

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received a phone call from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May, last evening. Talks during the phone conversation dealt with the bilateral relations and means of enhancing mutual cooperation, as well as the latest regional and international developments.

QNA

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received a telephone call from the US Presi-dent Donald Trump

yesterday.Talks during the phone call dealt with the bilateral rela-tions and means of boosting them.

President Trump also informed the Emir of his inten-tion to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

For his part, the Emir warned of the serious repercussions of this step, which would further com-plicate the situation in the Middle East and negatively affect the security and stability in the region.

The Emir reiterated Qatar’s position on the Palestinian issue on the basis of the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab peace initiative based on the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.

President Donald Trump abruptly reversed decades of US policy yesterday and recognised

Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, generating outrage from Pales-tinians and defying warnings of unrest in the Middle East.

Drawing praise from Israel, Trump said in a speech in the White House that his adminis-tration would begin a process of moving the US embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a step expected to take years and one that his predecessors avoided so as not to inflame tensions.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s Cabinet has expressed concern about the US administration’s recognition of Al Quds as a capital of Israel and moving their embassy there, warning of the dangerous reper-cussions this would have on security and stability in the Mid-dle East. Prime Minister and

Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani chaired yesterday the Cabinet’s regular meeting, at its seat at the Emiri Diwan.

The cabinet said that such a move would contradict com-pletely with international law and legitimacy, as well as of all peace efforts based on a two-state solution. The cabinet called on the US to carry out its role as an impartial role in the peace proc-ess, and to support what it is right and put pressure on the Israeli gov-ernment to end its constant acts of aggression against the Palestinian people and withdraw from occu-pied land. The Cabinet also renewed the State of Qatar’s sup-port of the national and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,

led with their right of establishing an independent state of Al Quds as its capital.

Qatar has enough reserves to defend riyal: QCB Governor

Archeological dig near the Souq Waqif as part of ‘Old Doha Rescue Excavation’ project.

Mohammed Osman The Peninsula

Qatar has spared no effort to establish a national legal and institutional framework and to support all national, regional and interna-tional efforts to combat crime of human trafficking and asso-ciated phenomena such as forced labour, modern slavery and child labour said Minister of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs H E Dr Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi, who is also Chairman of National Committee for Com-batting Human Trafficking.

Al Nuaimi was addressing 5th INTERPOL Global Confer-ence on Trafficking in Human Beings and Smuggling of

Migrants which is attended by more than 300 ministers, par-liamentarians, experts from more than 90 countries, inter-national and governmental organisations and civil society from all continents.

The two-day conference is being organised by INTERPOL in collaboration with the Min-istry of Interior and the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking.

The Minister pointed out that Qatar is one of the biggest donors and supporters to the United Nations Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking since its establishment as well as United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).


Qatar committed to combatting trafficking

Emir warns of serious consequencesEmir reiterated Qatar’s position on the Palestinian issue on the basis of the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab peace initiative based on the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Emir welcomes Erdogan call to host OIC meet

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday held a telephone conversa-tion with President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan. They reviewed the stra-tegic bilateral relations, in addition to discussing the latest developments in the Middle East, especially the announcement by US President Donald Trump of his decision to recognise Jerusa-lem as the capital of Israel and moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and its serious consequences for security and stability in the region. The Turk-ish president informed the Emir that he would call for an emer-gency summit in Istanbul for member states of the Organiza-tion of Islamic Cooperation in that regard. The Emir welcomed the holding of the summit.

Emir speaks to Mahmoud Abbas

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday held telephone a conversa-tion with the President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas. They reviewed developments in Jeru-salem. The Emir reiterated Qatar’s firm position towards the Palestinian issue based on inter-national legitimacy decisions and the Arab Peace Initiative. The Palestinian President thanked the Emir for his constant support for the Palestinian issue and the fra-ternal Palestinian people as well as for Qatar’s efforts and firm stances towards the just Pales-tinian cause.

Emir holds phone talks with King of Jordan

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held tele-phone conversation with H M King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hus-sein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The telephone conver-sation discussed the serious repercussions of US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as a capital of Israel and moving the US embassy there

Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

Emir to meet Macron today

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will meet with President Emmanuel Macron of France who will arrive in Qatar on an official visit. The Emir will discuss with the French President ways to consolidate the distinguished relations of friend-ship and cooperation between the two countries.


→ See also page 12

02 THURSDAY 7 DECEMBER 2017HOME

Cabinet praises Kuwait Emir’s commitment to unity of GCC

→ Continued from page 1Following the meeting, Min-

ister of Justice and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs H E Dr Hassan Lahdan Saqr Al Mohan-nadi said that the cabinet praised at the outset of its meeting the commitment of Emir of Kuwait H H Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah to the unity of the GCC and to holding the 38th sum-mit of the GCC at its scheduled time despite the critical developments.

The Cabinet stressed that the efforts made by H H the Emir of Kuwait to enhance joint GCC work will always be appreciated, they supported the proposition made by His Highness to estab-lish a mechanism to settle disputes within the GCC that boosts cooperation to help in fac-ing the recent regional and international challenges.

The Cabinet also stressed the support of the State of Qatar to

the efforts of Kuwait led by His Highness in resolving the current GCC crisis through dialogue to end any differences between members of the GCC.

The Cabinet then reviewed topics on the agenda. The cabinet took the required measures to issue a draft law endorsing the state budget for the fiscal year 2018, after reviewing recommen-dations of the Advisory Council on the draft law.

The Cabinet approved draft decision of the Minister of Econ-omy and Trade amending certain provisions of Decision No. 242 of 2017 regarding the terms, controls and procedures of granting tem-porary licenses for some place and parts of places where they engage in similar commercial, industrial or public works or to engage in domestic business.

The Cabinet approved the validity of the provisions of Law No. 24 of 2002 regarding

retirement and pensions on Qatari employees in some enti-ties. The Cabinet reviewed and took the required measures regarding the Ministry of Econ-omy and Trade’s report on the cabinet’s draft decision to amend the specialisation of some admin-istrative units comprising the Ministry. The Cabinet reviewed and took the required measures regarding the Ministry of Econ-omy and Trade’s report on amending some provisions of Decision No. 134 of 2017 concern-ing the establishment of sections in the administrative units which comprise the Ministry and the appointment of i t s competences.

The Cabinet reviewed and took the required measures regarding the report of Minister of Economy and Trade on the State of Qatar’s participation in EXPO 2017 Astana which was held in Kazakhstan.

Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Dr Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi met separately yesterday with Ambassador of the French Republic to Qatar, Eric Chevallier; Charge d’affaires of the United States Embassy in Doha, Ryan Gliha; and Charge d’affaires of the United Kingdom Embassy Peter Chamberlain. The meetings discussed the relations between Qatar and each of the US, France and the UK, in addition to issues of mutual concern.

Foreign Ministry Secretary-General meets French Ambassador, US and UK Charges d’Affaires

2020 census will represent quantum leap in data availabilitySachin Kumar The Peninsula

The census of population, housing and establish-ments 2020 will represent a qualitative leap in the provi-sion of data with less effort, cost, and more accurately and com-prehensively, through automatic linking with the data sources, according to the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics.

Speaking at the Qatar Statis-tics Day hosted by Qatar University (QU), Sultan Al Kuwari, Assistant Undersecre-tary for Statistics said the Ministry started preparing a year ago for this census, in cooperation with the data producers in the coun-try. He noted that the Ministry provided databases covering all fields, whether through admin-istrative records, surveys, specialised surveys, etc.

The Assistant Undersecretary stressed on the importance of the role of statistical data and indi-cators in all fields, whether planning and development or in daily life. He noted that the pro-vision of accurate and timely statistical data and indicators helps to formulate policies and monitor progress at all levels, especially at the level of the national strategy of Qatar to reach Qatar National Vision 2030.

He added that the ministry has chosen QU to celebrate Qatar Statistics Day, to stimulate stu-dents to pay more attention to statistics and to complete their higher studies in this field, so they participate in the remarkable sta-tistical work of Qatar, which began officially in the early 1980s.

Al Kuwari pointed out that the existence of accurate statis-tics and comprehensive in accordance with international standards were reflected in the classification of Qatar in the reports issued by international and regional organizations.

Vice-President of QU for Research and Graduate Studies Dr Mariam Al Ali Al Maadeed said that the celebration of Qatar Sta-tistics Day is a response to the vital and growing needs of Qatari society in the economic, social, cultural and other fields.

She stressed on the great importance of statistics in the fol-low-up and control of development in various aspects of life, and support the positive aspects of this development and address the potential negative repercussions.

Vice-President of QU for Research and Graduate Studies pointed out that the university has given statistical attention worthy of its role in the develop-ment renaissance, whereas it developed university programs

and postgraduate studies, with a focus on applied statistics and the introduction of statistics in the programs of the faculties as a major or sub-course.

She said that the university is looking to develop its statisti-cal programmes and provide high quality training. It will also look to encourage students to embrace the field, in order to prepare good cadres capable of collecting and analyzing data.

She added that the univer-sity is looking to improve its contribution to developmental planning on a national level to cooperate with the Ministry of Development Planning and Sta-tistics as well as other designated state authority. The university’s goal is to meet society’s demands in all fields by providing the nec-essary information and expertise to help in the process of policy adoption. She also said that the university is looking to increase its partnership with international institutions to gain further insight into future prospects and better help society.

Participants at the Qatar Statistic Day 2017 held at Qatar University Research Complex yesterday. Pic: Baher Amin / The

Latest edition of The Business Year: Qatar 2017 launched The Peninsula

Economic affairs will continue to remain a matter of prime con-cern, and the volatile energy prices have

made it more important. Qatar is determined to achieve its key objectives, which include eco-nomic diversification and sustainable development, in line with the long-term development strategy, noted the words of the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in an annual report on Qatar published by a global media house.

The Business Year (TBY) announced the launch of ‘The Business Year: Qatar 2017’, the fourth edition on the country, pro-duced in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Com-merce. The publication features over 150 interviews with top executives and government offi-cials, and is opened by the words

of the Emir, leading the country on a drive towards economic diversification, underscored by the Second National Development Strategy. “Economic affairs remain a matter of prime concern for us, especially in light of the cir-cumstances created by the sharp decline in hydrocarbons’ prices,” said the Emir. “We are deter-mined to proceed with our development plans to achieve the goals we have drawn up in Qatar’s National Vision 2030.”

The publication contains comprehensive, sector-by-sec-tor coverage of the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead in the coming year for Qatar. In the midst of an ambitious investment and infrastructure programme, gearing up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar aims to bolster an already flourishing real estate and construction sector, as well as boost its service economy, especially tourism. Hassan Abdul-rahman Al Ibrahim, Chief Tourism

Development Officer at Qatar Tourism Authority, told TBY that “the economic impact of the tour-ism sector in Qatar is becoming increasingly visible.”

In an interview with TBY, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said: “Relations between Turkey and Qatar will continue to grow deeper in the near future in a way that benefits both coun-tries and the region at large.”

Other key government and private sector figures featured in The Business Year: Qatar 2017 include Minister of Economy and Commerce H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, Qatar Central Bank Governor H E Sheikh Abdulla bin Saoud Al Thani, Group CEO of Qatar Air-ways Akbar Al Baker; Ian Gray, CEO of Vodafone Qatar; H E Skeikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice-Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation; and other key interviewees from all the sectors.

Oman: Next GCC Summit to be held in Riyadh

Omani Minister Respon-sible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah announced yes-terday that the next Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit will be held in Riy-adh. Bin Alawi added that as per the mechanisms of the 37th GCC Summit in Bahrain, and the additional measures, the summit will be held at the headquarters country, Saudi Arabia.

03THURSDAY 7 DECEMBER 2017 HOME

Embrace Doha gearing up for National Day Festival Raynald C Rivera The Peninsula

Embrace Doha, a Qatari company specialising in cultural events, is gear-ing up to launch an eight-day National Day

Festival aimed at showing support to Qatar amid the current block-ade by offering a unique blend of events and activities to visitors at the Cultural Village Foundation – Katara.

To be held from December 12 to 19 at Katara Esplanade, the fes-tival called “Labaih Ya Amir” (Here I am at your service, O Emir) will comprise four sections namely Culture, Education, Entertainment and Local Village. This is the sec-ond consecutive year that Embrace Doha has partnered with Katara for the National Day event which has a number of new fea-tures including the presence of Qatari startups.

“Last year it was purely cul-tural, but this year we are including local startups in response to Emir H H Sheikh

Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s speech to build the country’s econ-omy and protect its security. We want to show through this event that Qataris can be more creative and independent through creative ideas. There have been a lot of ini-tiatives that appeared in the last six months that support Qatar and try to make it more independent,” said Amal Al Shammari, CEO of Embrace Doha, responding to a question by The Peninsula.

A major highlight and the lat-est feature of the festival, the Local Village section will witness a rich

showcase of local products by Qatari businesses that help bol-ster the country’s economy in its drive to self sufficiency amid the present situation. “We are offer-ing them space to market their products and a stage to share their success stories. We are also bring-ing Qatar Business Incubation Center closer to the audience with their own registration desk. All these are geared toward inspiring people to follow their dreams by starting their own businesses,” explained Al Shammari.

An important feature of the festival, the Culture section will include VIP and welcoming tent where visitors will experience authentic Qatari hospitality, a handicraft section which show a live demonstration of how Qatari handmade products are made, ardah performance and a henna section.

The Education section will see a calligraphy booth, a photoshoot corner where people can have photos taken wearing traditional Qatari outfits, and a stage where high profile guests will speak on

important subjects in relation to National Day.

There will also be an Enter-tainment section which consists of a stage where families can take part in fun activities and watch military show, poetry, and tradi-tional dance as well as a Kids Club which art and crafts, face painting and films for children.

Last year’s Embrace Doha National Day event was a huge success with around 32,000 visi-tors during the three-day celebration and with an expanded edition, the upcoming event is

expected to see increase in foot-fall. Key to the success of last year’s event was the fact that everything was taken care of by Qataris from the concept to volunteers, said Al Shammari. “I do believe that dur-ing National Day, it is our duty as Qataris to explain Qatari culture and take care of every single detail of the event. Last year, it was a knowledge-based event. We wanted to showcase and explain to expats important elements of our culture, what they actually mean and represent,” she added.

Representatives of the event’s

sponsors and partners also spoke at yesterday’s press briefing including Dr. Nadia Abdulrahman Al Mudahka, Director of Research and Studies Department at Katara; Nahar Al Mutawah, Chief of Oper-ations and Services at Qatar Cool and Dr. Sherif Sabry Mohamed Abdalla, Medical Director at Health Assistance Medical Services.

Other event sponsors and partners include Elan Group, Qatar Business Incubation Center, Gulf Warehousing Company, Nando’s Marhaba, iLoveQatar.net, GoEx-plore.City and The Peninsula.

Traffic change on Al Mazrooah Interchange BridgeThe Peninsula

The Public Works Authority, ‘Ashghal’, will implement a temporary traffic change on Al Mazrooah Interchange Bridge on North Road to continue the con-struction of a multi-level junction, as part of the New Orbital Highway and Truck Route project.

The diversion, designed in coordination with the General Directorate of Traffic, starts on tonight till 4am on Sunday, December 10, 2017.

During the minor detour, the traffic on the bridge will be shifted onto a parallel route for a distance of 1.8 kilometers long, which incorporates just one lane in each direction in place of two lanes. The northeast exit ramp

and northwest entry ramp at Al Mazrooah Interchange con-necting traffic from and to the Temporary Truck Route and Al Shamal Road will be closed, providing direct exits from the two nearby eastern and west-ern roundabouts alike, as shown on the attached map.

The speed limit will be reduced to 50 km/ hour, while the speed limit on Al Shamal Road main carriageway remains at 80 km/ hour, Ash-ghal says.

The Public Works Author-ity will install road signs advising motorists of the closure. ‘Ashghal’ requests all road

users to abide by the new speed limit and follow the road signs to ensure their safety.

Al Nokhba members can redeem points at Salam storesThe Peninsula

Ooredoo announced yes-terday that its Al Nokhba Members can now redeem Nojoom Points at two more Salam store branches in the Mall and the Mall of Qatar.

On top of the new store branch options, Al Nokhba Members can also redeem Nojoom Points with boutique brands owned by Salam stores. A total of 18 new brand outlets are included in this update, including designer names such

as Hugo Boss, Just Cavalli, Moschino, Paul Smith, Red Val-entino, and more.

Previously, Salam stores had been an exclusive partner for Al Nokhba only through their outlet at Gate Mall, with the update however, members can enjoy a luxurious shopping experience at one of the pro-grammes premium partners.

Al Nokhba is Ooredoo’s exclusive customer recognition programme for its premium customers and membership is based on invitation.

Officials and sponsors pose for a picture after the ‘Labaih Ya Amir’ press conference organised by Embrace Doha at Katara yesterday. Pic: Qassim Rahmatullah / The Peninsula

To be held from December 12 to 19 at Katara Esplanade, the festival called “Labaih Ya Amir” will comprise four sections namely Culture, Education, Entertainment and Local Village.


Qatar Airways gets new IATA certificationThe Peninsula

Qatar Airways recently achieved the Interna-tional Air Transport Association’s (IATA) NDC Level 3 Certifi-

cation, demonstrating its use of the latest technological stand-ards in providing information about airfares and other serv-ices to customers and to travel agents or another third party.

NDC ensures that custom-ers have fast access to full fare and travel product information, making for better decisions and easier transactions for travellers.

IATA has led this industry-wide initiative to standardise the way that airlines and travel serv-ice providers communicate with one another and customers. This certification, the highest level to be achieved under IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) Cer-tification Programme, provides increased transparency and speed of communication, allowing cus-tomers access to a wider choice of products and services, enabling them to make more informed buying decisions.

Qatar Airways Chief Com-mercial Officer Ehab Amin said: “As a global business with a glo-bal presence, we want to make it easier for customers to access our growing global network and range of products and services. As choices become more

complex, we have to provide ways to access them more sim-ply. That is what NDC is all about for Qatar Airways: improving the experience for our passengers.”

The certification is a signif-icant achievement, as Qatar Airways is the first airline in the Africa and Middle East region and second globally to imple-ment the latest version of the standard. It shows that the air-line is committed to improving the experience for its passen-gers at every part of their journey, both on the ground and in the air.

IATA Director NDC Program, Yanik Hoyles, said: “Congratu-lations to Qatar Airways on achieving the first Level 3 Cer-tification on NDC standard 17.2 in the Africa and Middle East Region. Beginning with their

participation with the full trial and live deployment of NDC, Qatar Airways has been a leader in the region in supporting NDC. It is a standard that is modern-ising the way that airline products are presented through travel agents, helping to deliver a fuller and more transparent shopping experience to travelers.”

This status, the highest level to be achieved, recognises that Qatar Airways uses the latest version of IATA’s global tech-nology standard.

Technology provider TPConnects has been chosen to provide the technology link between airline, service provid-ers and customers to a new global standard. TPConnects Chief Executive Officer, Rajen-dran Vellapalath, said: “TPConnects is proud to work with Qatar Airways to facilitate the certification process and to be the first airline in the region to achieve the Level 3 Certifica-tion on the latest NDC standard. Travel Agents using TPConnects NDC Certified B2B Aggregator Platform and Booking Engine will be able to access Qatar Air-ways prices, inventory and fares directly, including ancillary and fare family content, using NDC Offers and Orders. TPConnects is committed to work with IATA to further implement NDC and to support the evolution of this new messaging standard.”

IATA’s NDC Level 3 Certification demonstrates Qatar Airways use of the latest technological standards in providing information about airfares and other services to customers and to travel agents or another third party.

HMC launches website dedicated to new Medical City hospitals

The Peninsula

The third meeting of training centres on assistance and protection under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Conven-tion, organised by National Committee for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, in collabora-tion with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), through Doha Regional Center for the Training of Weap-ons of Mass Destruction started yesterday.

The two-day meeting is held under the patronage of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Min-ister H E Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah. The meeting will include a discussion on the train-ing programmes provided by the Assistance and Protection Branch of the OPCW with the support of state parties, a review of future projects and the development of states’ capacities in the area of assistance and protection against such weapons.

General-Secretary of the National Committee for the Pro-hibition of Weapons, Lt. Abdulaziz Al Ahmad said the meeting , which coincides with the 20th anniver-sary of the Chemical Weapons Convention coming into force, is the core for the establishment of an international network of train-ing centres associated with the OPCW under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention to develop the capacity of states parties to respond to chemical incidents, providing an opportu-nity for field training for participants in the advanced course.

Speaking at the meeting, Al Ahmad highlighted the role of the State of Qatar in the field of main-taining international peace and security and combating terrorism, in addition to its policies that respect international charters and conventions.

He added that Qatar initiated the signing of the Chemical Weap-ons Conventions and ratifying it

the same year it came into force in 1997. The State also is keen on joining the other treaties related to eradicating weapons and aim to achieve peace and stability in the world, Al Ahmad said.

He added that Qatar is an important partner is implement-ing the convention and is one of the dedication members in coop-eration with OPCW, referring to its embracement to Doha Regional Center for the Training of Weap-ons of Mass Destruction, where the National Committee for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons expanded its activities to cover all

the mass destruction weapons. Al Ahmad added that the aim

of the centre is training all those related in the private and public sectors as well as researchers to heighten their capabilities in the field of effectively implementing weapons of mass destruction conventions.

Al Ahmad said the center has so far organised more than 50 national and international train-ing and awareness programs for high school and university stu-dents, workers in chemical industries, customs, chemical trade and civil defence

companies.He called on the international

community to do more to strengthen national measures and optimize the use of the Chemical Weapons Convention and to sup-port the organization’s efforts to eliminate these weapons and to prevent them from reaching ter-rorists and proscribed groups.

On his part, Head of the OPCW’s Assistance and Protec-tion Branch, Shawn DeCaluwe, valued the fruitful cooperation of the State of Qatar with the organ-isation and its efforts in the training field to implement the conventions relation to weapons of mass destruction.

He said the meeting seeks to review all the training programs adopted with a view to enhanc-ing them and maximizing their use to the states parties of the conven-tion and ensuring smooth training programs in the future. He hoped that the Doha meeting would con-stitute an important starting point in this regard.

CRA to host consumer outreach eventThe Peninsula

As part of its initiatives to educate consumers about their rights and responsi-bilities, the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) is organising an outreach event on Saturday at Aspire Park, next to the Sugar & Spice Cafe from 2pm to 9pm.

The is an opportunity for CRA to connect with telecom consum-ers and raise awareness. CRA’s team will be on hand to provide useful tips to help visitors better understand their rights and responsibilities and to educate consumers on other topics related to roaming, spam SMS messages and scam calls. Visitors will also be able to lodge telecom com-plaints against service providers onsite and learn more about CRA’s complaints resolution proc-ess. The CRA stand will also include a special section

to connect with consumers who follow the CRA social media accounts to get their feedback about the e-awareness cam-paigns and to identify the topics they want to know more about.

“CRA ensure to balance the rights of consumers with the obli-gations of telecoms service providers. Consumers need to be aware of their rights and respon-sibilities in order to make informed decisions. I would like

to invite all telecom consumers to join us at the event to know more about their rights and responsibilities,” said Amel Salem Al Hanawi (pictured), CRA’s Con-sumer Affairs Manager.

One of CRA’s consumer pro-tection initiatives is ‘Arsel’ app. The app has user-friendly inter-face and an extensive range of useful features that gives users the ability to check if there are any network coverage issues reported in their area. Additionally the app has speed test functionality that allows users to check internet speed (Mobile/Wi-Fi) and report this directly to the CRA. Consum-ers can contact the CRA in a variety of ways: the 24/7 hotline number is 103, email CRA at [email protected], using “Arsel” mobile application, by tweeting directly to @CRAqatar, CRA’s online complaint form or by visiting the CRA’s headquar-ters at Al Nasr Tower B.

Prohibition of Chemical Weapons meet focuses on training

The Peninsula

Hamad Medical Corpora-tion (HMC) has launched a website exclusively dedicated to the new Medical City hospitals.

The new website is part of an effort to help patients, and other members of the community, get to know the three facilities as well as their staff and services, says Ali Abdullah Al Khater, HMC’s Chief Communications Officer and Chair of the Health-care Communicat ions Committee. “The website is very interactive. In addition to having information about the various services offered at each of the new hospitals, it includes photo-graphs and 360-degree virtual tours of the facilities. This func-tionality will not only enable people to experience the state-of-the-art environment in which care will be offered for them-selves, but we are confident it will also lead to the same sense of pride everyone at HMC feels in our new hospitals,” he said.

HMC’s new Medical City complex represents the biggest healthcare facility expansion in the region and will bring new services and care options to the people of Qatar. Once fully operational, the three new hos-pitals – Qatar Rehabilitation Institute, Women’s Wellness and Research Center, and the Ambu-latory Care Center – will house 500 new hospital beds and 3,000 highly trained clinical and support staff.

Dr. Abdulla Al Ansari, Acting Chief Medical Officer for HMC, said the new specialist hospitals are helping HMC to deliver on its commitment to provide the best possible care to Qatar’s popula-tion by improving access to the right care, delivered by expert specialist clinicians using advanced equipment in a won-derful setting.

“Our Medical City hospitals are delivering on a promise to expand world-class facilities for the people of Qatar. They have been designed with the experi-ence of our patients and their families in mind. From enhanced privacy offered throughout our 240 private inpatient rooms at Women’s Wellness and Research Center, to new and expanded treatment options like our daycare pro-gram at Qatar Rehabilitation Institute, these new hospitals are

helping ensure we provide the best quality care and treatment to our patients. The Ambulatory Care Center is also improving access to specialized surgeries by minimizing wait times and allowing patients to recover in the comfort of their own home,” said Dr Al Ansari.

The new website has been designed to bring the hospitals directly to patients, allowing them to explore the facilities from their own home, or even from their smartphone. The website also provides an oppor-tunity to register interest in visiting the new hospitals in per-son, with a number of tours planned for next year. There is also an option to sign up for reg-ular updates on new clinic and service openings. The website for the new Medical City hospi-tals can be accessed at http://www.newhmchospitals.qa.

The website dedicated exclusively to Medical City hospitals.

The meeting will include a discussion on the training programmes provided by the Assistance and Protection Branch of the OPCW with the support of state parties, a review of future projects and the development of states’ capacities in the area of assistance and protection against such weapons.

Mercedes BenzS-Class model of 2015 recalled

The Ministry of Economy and Commerce, in col-laboration with Nasser Bin Khaled Automobiles, dealer of Mercedes Benz vehi-cles in Qatar, has announced the recall of Mercedes Benz S-Class model of 2015 because the software of the engine control unit and fuel system control unit may not comply with specification.

The Ministry said the recall campaign comes within the framework of its ongoing efforts to protect consumers and ensure that car dealers follow up on vehicle defects and repairs.

The Ministry said it will coordinate with the dealer to follow up on the maintenance and repair works and will communicate with customers to ensure that the necessary repairs are carried out.


Qatar-Thailand trade grows despite siegeRaynald C Rivera The Peninsula

The total trade volume between Thailand and Qatar is expected to grow this year despite the current siege, says

Thailand Ambassador Soonthorn Chaiyindeepum.

Speaking at the reception marking Thailand’s National Day on Tuesday, Chaiyindeepum described bilateral ties between Qatar and Thailand in the past 37 years as “deep and special” due to the continuous efforts by both sides as evidenced by regular exchange of visits.

He stressed: “On the economic front, the ongoing crisis does not deter Thailand from her strong determination to strengthen exist-ing ties with Qatar.”

“Last year, the total volume of trade between our two countries stood at $2.73bn. For the past 10 months of this year (January-October), our two ways trade has

already reached $2.46bn. Qatar remains the biggest supplier of LNG to my country while export of food products from Thailand to Qatar has increased around 30 percent, and automobile parts around 10 percent respectively. We are optimistic that this year’s trade volume will surpass that of last year,” he said.

Thailand remains one of Qatar’s preferred destinations with last year’s tourist arrivals from Qatar exceeding 44,000.

“Apart from the issue of trade

and investment, Thailand is well-known as the most famous tourist attraction and medical hub with high-quality healthcare and excel-lent services. Last year, over 33,000 Qatari and 11,000 expats in Qatar visited Thailand either for holiday or medical treatment,” said the envoy.

Qatar Airways will be launch-ing a new service to Chiang Mai Province in the north of Thailand next week, and next month will add U-Tapao near Pattaya as its fifth destination, expanding its reach by having 60 flights weekly to Thailand. The ambassador con-cluded thanking the Qatari government on behalf of the Thai government for all its support to the Thai community.

“On behalf of the Royal Thai Government and the Thai people living in the State of Qatar, to extend a heartfelt appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al

Thani, the Father Emir of the State of Qatar, and the Government of the State of Qatar for the kind sup-port that enables the Thai community to live and work hap-pily in this country. We stand ready to be part of the dynamic forces contributing to the devel-opment of Qatar and furthering friendly relationship between our

two countries,” he said.He also greeted Qatar ahead

of the National Day celebration, wishing the State more success and prosperity.

Minister of Energy and Indus-try H E Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada and Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Dr Ahmad Hassan Al Hamadi,

were the guests of honour at the reception. Director of the Proto-col Department Ambassador Ibrahim Yousif Abdullah Fakhroo, Eritrean Ambassador Ali Ibrahim Ahmed, who is the Dean of the Diplomatic Corp, ambassadors of various embassies in Doha and the Thai community attended the event held at The St. Regis Doha.

Minister of Energy and Industry H E Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada (fourth left) and Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Dr Ahmad Hassan Al Hamadi (fourth right), Director of the Protocol Department Ambassador Ibrahim Yousif Abdullah Fakhroo (third left), Ambassador of Thailand, Soonthorn Chaiyindeepum (centre) along with ambassadors and other dignitaries during a cake cutting ceremony to mark the National Day of the Kingdom of Thailand. Pic: Kammutty VP / The Peninsula

Last year, the total volume of trade between two countries stood at $2.73bn. For the past 10 months of this year, two-way trade has already reached $2.46bn.

QIB grants 18,000 reward points in celebration of National DayThe Peninsula

In celebration of Qatar’s National Day (QND), Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Qatar’s leading Islamic Bank, is rewarding its customers 18,000 QIB reward points upon subscription to a wide range of financial services.

The promotion will start from December 10 to 17. It will grant customers 18,000 QIB

reward points upon seeking a finance worth QR100,000 or above, opening a fixed deposit or Certificate of Deposit of QR100,000 or above, or apply-ing for a credit card.

Through this campaign, QIB is encouraging everyone to partake in the Qatar National Day festivities and come together to celebrate our beloved country, Qatar.

Commenting on this, D

Anand, General Manager of QIB’s Personal Banking Group, said: “QIB is thrilled to grant its customers such exciting rewards on the most special day of the year, Qatar National Day.”

He added: “This is a pro-motion for everyone to participate in and benefit from”.

“On the occasion of Qatar National Day, we extend our

heartfelt congratulations and greetings to the people of Qatar, we hope for more returns of this memorable occasion and wish that Qatar always enjoys security, welfare and prosperity under the wise leadership of H H the Emir,” he added.

For more information and details about the Qatar National Day promotion, please visit www.qib.com.qa

Continued from page 1Doha also hosted, in 2015,

the 13th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice which adopted a comprehensive approach to fight the crime of human trafficking, in compliance with the Doha Declaration, he added.

Qatar sponsored an Arab ini-tiative in cooperation with UNODC and the Arab League to build national competencies in the field of combating human trafficking in the Arab states.

Al Nuaimi added that Qatar supported the international work plan of the UN to fight human trafficking since its endorsement and took a number of legislative actions which criminates all shapes and forms of human trafficking.

He added that on institu-tional level the State established the National Committee for Combatting Human Trafficking to unify the efforts of the gov-ernmental institutions and the civil society to develop a national plan to combat human traffick-ing. Qatar joined a number of international treaties, conven-tions which prohibits this crime as well joined regional and inter-n a t i o n a l d e c l a r a t i o n s ,

conventions and treaties on human rights, children’s rights and women’s rights.

Dr Al Nuaimi stressed that the success of the international community in combating human trafficking will only be achieved through addressing the real causes of this phenomenon whether social, economic, cul-tural, political and ideological.

The conference focus on the essential role that the public and private sectors play in prevent-ing, detecting, reporting, disrupting and ultimately pros-ecuting those responsible for crimes which have no borders, and no limits.

Participants will explore emerging trends such as traffick-ing for forced criminality including drug cultivation or pick-pocketing.

In his keynote address, Vice President for the Americas of INTERPOL’s Executive Commit-tee Todd Shean said: “While our focus will remain on law enforcement and prosecution, we must also strengthen our col-lective efforts to ensure that victims are protected through-out law enforcement and judicial processes. Only by working in coordinated efforts can we hope

to develop concrete, sustainable actions.”

Paul Stanfield, INTERPOL Director for Organized and Emerging Crime, underlined the world police body’s long-stand-ing commitment to tackling trafficking in human beings and the smuggling of migrants.

Stanfield pointed to the recent success of INTERPOL’s Operation Epervier as an exam-ple of efficient cross-sector collaboration.

The operation, which saw the rescue of 500 victims from sex-ual exploitation and forced labour, as well as the arrest of 40 suspected traffickers, was held simultaneously across five Afri-can countries and involved prosecutors, international organ-izations, social services and NGOs.

The term slavery was used to depict the situation of some migrants in Libya which is a real-ity. What is happening in many parts of the world is modernisa-tion of human slavery, Stanfield told The Peninsula when asked about a recent report of CNN on selling migrant in Libya.

People looking for better life are being exploited by criminals for money due to lack of

security and safety, he added. The case in Libya has been high-lighted because it got media attention. Interpol’s top priory is protecting people, highlighting problems working with con-cerned bodies including law enforcement agencies across the world Stanfield explained.

He called on developed coun-tries to leverage their support noting that global environment has many problems for a number of different reasons that could be from climate changes or economic pressures and etc.

Deputy Chairman of National Committee for Combatting Human

Trafficking Faisal Al Henzab said Qatar is free of human trafficking and highlighted the State’s politi-cal will to promote and protect human rights. It is an strategic option and backbone of Qatar’s comprehensive reform policy, he added.

Al Henzab said the interest is reflected in the development of the infrastructure for human rights on legislative and institutional levels and has been reiterated in the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the national development strat-egy that aimed to turn the vision’s goals into reality.

Al Henzab said Qatar has

done in the past few years great efforts on a legislative, institu-tional and awareness levels to fight human trafficking.

Al Henzab added that the legislative framework of Qatar to combat human trafficking began with the provisions of the Qatari penal code criminalizing sexual exploitation, prostitution, slavery, slavery-like practices and forced labour.

Al Henzab stressed the National Committee for Combat-ing Human Trafficking has prepared a draft national plan to combat human trafficking 2017-2022.


Doha QNA

The 5th Interpol Global Conference on Traf-ficking in Human Beings and Smuggling of Migrants discussed

several topics related to emerg-ing trends in the crime of human trafficking and forced participa-tion in criminal activities and organ removal purposes, with a review of some case studies on trafficking routes, traffickers’ specifications, criminal methods and issues that should be taken in consideration by policy makers.

The session, which was held during the conference, dealt with international cooperation in the fight against trafficking in human

beings and reviewed some suc-cessful experiences of international and regional o r g a n i s a t i o n s t h r o u g h

the activation of international cooperation and the exchange of information across borders.

Executive Director of Operations at Qatar Charity (QC) Faisal Rashid Al Fahida explained that the crime of trafficking in human beings is a strange paradox between the advanced human civilisation due to the rapid scientific and technological progress and its fragile value level, which is incapable of human brutality towards his brother for illicit gain, which made trafficking in human beings among the most profitable crimes in the world. He considered that human trafficking is a new slavery and fighting it is a direct defence of the achieve-ments of human civilization

and complacency in this regard brings humanity back to the ancient centuries.

Al Fahida explained that QC recognises that combating human trafficking requires a comprehensive approach and a collective effort based on guar-anteeing human rights as defined by the international legitimacy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Cov-enant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, in addition to ensuring the rights of peoples to development in accordance with the United Nations Universal Declaration of the Right to Development.

QC Executive Director of Operations stressed that this

approach should ensure coop-eration among all actors at the national, regional and interna-tional levels in order to take into consideration the three geo-graphical dimensions of the phenomenon of human traffick-ing source countries, transit and destination countries.

He assured that compre-hensive development in poor and needy communities is an effective means of contribut-ing to combating human trafficking.

Al Fahida reviewed QC’s experience in handling the phe-nomenon of Sudanese “camel children”, whereas QC collabo-rated with its partners to facilitate the reintegration of camel children in their home country. QC worked on handling

phenomenon by addressing the root causes of their migration and exposure to these practices. QC efforts focused on a range of interventions in the camel chil-dren exporting areas of Kassala State.

QC’s efforts included enhancing the role of Sudanese government institutions in pro-tecting children from the phenomenon of trafficking in human beings, raising social awareness of the phenomenon and ways to prevent it, support-ing economic empowerment and livelihood efforts, provid-ing basic services to citizens in education, health and water, providing infrastructure and connecting areas to markets and cities to undo its isolation.

Interpol meet discusses Sudan ‘camel children’

Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs H E Dr Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi (extreme left) and H E Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari (third left) during the 5th Interpol Global Conference on Trafficking in Human Beings and Smuggling of Migrants. Pic: Ibrahim Kutty/The Peninsula

A session during the conference dealt with international cooperation in the fight against trafficking in human beings and reviewed some successful experiences of international and regional organisations.

Qatar committed to combatting trafficking

Texas A&M’s Safin wins at Ignite Doha 2017The Peninsula

Texas A&M University at Qatar electrical and com-puter engineering student Safin Bayes won Ignite Doha 2017 with an insightful and informative presentation on the Big Bang theory recently at the Texas A&M Engineering Build-ing in Education City.

Ignite Doha, like a TED talk, asks students to introduce a topic of their choice to a general audience in an engaging man-ner. The format challenged students to give fast and fun five-minute presentations, while also testing their ability to be clear and concise. Ignite Doha is a

STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) ini-tiative of Texas A&M at Qatar that develops communication, organisation, visual literacy and presentation skills.

Writing Across the Curricu-lum coordinator and instructional assistant professor in the Liberal Arts Program Dr Amy Hodges said: “As we know from the companies who employ our graduates, 21st century engi-neers have to be adaptable and creative communicators in order to succeed in the workplace. An engineer can have an innova-tive idea, but if he or she can’t communicate it to others, noth-ing happens.”

Seven students competed in the finals. Abdullah Yousef was placed second and Sofian Ghaz-ali came third. The other finalists included Qishu Zhang, Alaa Abdulla, and Shaheen Al Kuwari and Jassim Al Matwi who pre-sented jointly.

The presenters all performed exceptionally in front of a crowd packed with fellow students, staff, faculty and judges. Pres-entations ranged from reflections on black holes, inspi-ration to do what you love and to do it with others, the power of music, and why Americans call football soccer.

After his presentation on how the cold temperature in

classrooms affects student per-formance, Abdullah said, “Ignite showed me that preparation translates into confidence. I was able to deliver a good presenta-tion because of the hard work I had done before the presentation.

It helped me understand my nervousness and how I can over-come it.” Sofian said: “Ignite your speaking and thinking skills to explain a complex topic to peo-ple of all ages in five minutes. Not as easy as it sounds, but worth it!”

The judges were last year’s winner and electrical and com-puter engineering senior Abdulaziz Saad Al Qahtani, Career Services Coordinator Sarah Aboulhosn, Mechanical Engineering Professor Dr Eyad Masad, Head of Outreach at Qatar Foundation Research and Development Abtesam Yousuf, Distinguished Career Profes-sor of Business Communication at Carnegie Mellon University at Qatar Patrick McGinnis, petroleum engineering former student Maryam Al Bishri ‘11 and Oxy Qatar Director of EOR and Development John Bolling.

Ignite Doha aims to develop Aggie Engineers’ communica-tion skills, which are becoming increasingly important for both their academic and professional careers.

The competition winners with officials.

Qatar has enough reserves to defend riyal: QCB Governor

Continued from page 1The strategic plan for the

financial sector in the country has been completed in 2011-2016, and work is currently underway to launch the second strategy of 2017-2022 during the next week.

He added that Qatar hosted the conference for the sixth con-secutive year despite the illegal siege imposed on the country from some of the neighboring countries. This reflects the state’s commitment to such events and to discuss international develop-ments in the economy in general and the financial sector in par-ticular, with the goal of helping that sector and achieving sus-tainable development.

He said that Qatar has han-dled the siege with the highest level of efficiency. The country has succeeded in breaking the siege thanks to the wise lead-ership of Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the support of the State for all sectors, so that the effects of that unjust siege have been completely overcome, with the State supporting the private sector to enable it to play its role, especially in the area of self-sufficiency in foods and supplies, as well as self-reliance for various services, and efforts to support national products,

and the successful state poli-cies in the preparation of a strong infrastructure.

Perhaps the most important lessons learned from the injustice siege imposed on the state is the self-reliance in order to achieve self-sufficiency in a number of goods and products and the reset-tlement of services, he added.

The Governor stressed that the Qatari economy remained strong and the inflation levels remained stable. All infrastruc-ture projects including roads, bridges, stadiums, etc. are being implemented according to the plan , and will be completed on time. The new budget for the year 2018 will also support economic diversification, there is also an increase in government spend-ing on all projects and services.

He pointed out that the financial sector in Qatar has wit-nessed a great development during the past years, this was represented in the standardiza-tion of regulatory and supervisory regime for this sec-tor under the umbrella of the Central Bank of Qatar, and a new law regulating the bank’s work was issued. The Bank’s admin-istrative restructuring has been carried out in accordance with the best international standards in order to upgrade the work and provide high quality services.


The Peninsula

Hamad Medical Cor-poration (HMC) welcomed a notable South Korean dele-gation to the second

Qatar-Korea Medical Forum at HMC’s Medical Education Center for bilateral educational talks focusing on Hepatobiliary Surgery.

Members of the Asan Med-i c a l C e n t e r ’ s ( A M C ) Hepatobiliary team included a multi-disciplinary group of physicians and nurses led by Professor Ki Hun Kim, Chief of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation at AMC. They were joined by HMC cli-nicians from the respective surgical teams.

Dr Abdullatif Al Khal, Dep-uty Chief Medical Officer and Director of Medical Education

at HMC, explained that this is a continuation of collaboration between both health care sys-tems, which began during the first successful Qatar-Korean

medical forum which took place in November 2016.

“We are delighted to have moved forward with this part-nership that has seen our two organisations explore areas of collaboration in medical care. Staff from HMC and the Asan Medical Center (AMC) have planned and performed complex surgical procedures together. We look forward to continuing to share ideas and developing more ways to improve the care we give to patients in Qatar,” said Dr Al Khal.

Park Heung-kyeong, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Qatar, said: “I would like to say with appreciation that the second medical forum took place with the strong support from the Qatari side, particularly H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health and Managing Director of HMC.

I hope this forum will provide a good momentum for further cooperation in professional training and patient treatment between Korea and Qatar, as the first forum brought about the full recognition of Korean specialist licenses by the Qatari government.”

HMC and AMC are renowned medical institutions and are committed to expand-ing the important field of transplantation. The collabo-ration between these two excellent health care organisa-tions will benefit patients in both nations.

“We are grateful to Park Heung-kyeong, the Ambassa-dor of the Republic of Korea to Qatar, for his vision and inter-est in promoting bilateral ties between both health care pro-viders and encouraging professional knowledge shar-ing,” added Dr Al Khal.

HMC hosts Qatar-Korea Medical Forum

Heung Kyeong Park (fourth left), Ambassador of the Republic Korea to Qatar, with Park Junhee, Deputy Director, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Professor Ki Hun Kim, Chief of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation at Asan Medical Center (AMC), and other officials during a seminar on Hepatobiliary Surgery with a panel consisting of the Korean AMC at the ambassadors’ residence in Doha. Pic: Salim Matramkot/The Peninsula

Asan Medical Center’s (AMC) Hepatobiliary team included a multi-disciplinary group of physicians and nurses led by Professor Ki Hun Kim, Chief of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation at AMC, and they were joined by HMC clinicians from the respective surgical teams.

Continued from page 1This has allowed archeolo-

gists explore the undocumented lives of the people of Doha, from the foundation of the town at the start of the 19th century through to the first impact of oil in the 1950s. Archeological finds such as pottery, kitchen hardware, glassware, food remains, jew-ellery, coins, pearl-fishing, merchant’s equipment which has led to know about the peo-ple’s lives and economic existence within the urban environment.

According to Professor Carter the finds the most oldest to be documented includes coins and pieces of ceramics form the early 19th century.

During the lecture, speak-ers said that over last two hundred years there have been at least four instances where the people of Doha resolved to rebuild the city from scratch. It was also highlighted that how Doha’s initial develop-ment, as with many of the biggest hubs in the Gulf, was inspired by the Pearl Fishing industry. It is believed that from the early 19th century, the Gulf provided around 80 per-cent of the world’s pearls, with Qatar being a foremost player in the region.

“Today’s Doha reflects a process of adaptability and development that has been in place for hundreds of years. This study informs us about the liv-ing experiences of the people

before us, and how Qatar was intimately connected to global networks – global patterns of trade, economics and consump-tion. It shows us how the distant and recent inhabitants of the town rose to the challenges which occur from living in a once geographically isolated place – factual evidence of which has been hitherto absent

from historical sources. Build-ing, buying and global expansion is not new to the people of Qatar,” said Professor Carter.

The joint research ‘Old Doha Rescue Excavation’ was supported by Qatar National Research Fund. The lecture took place as part of the monthly UCL Qatar Public Lec-tures Series.

Police College to launch Emir’s biggest portrait in bid to set Guinness World RecordSidi Mohamed The Peninsula

In an attempt to set a Guinness World Record, the Police Col-lege will launch the biggest portrait of Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

called “The Dignity Image” on Saturday at Darb El Saai.

More than 14,000 people would be required to colour the portrait in order to make it to the it to Guinness World Records.

“The participation of the Col-lege at Darb El Saai will include

three activities and the highlight is “ The dignity image” of Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and to enter the Guinness World Records, the highest number of residents should col-our it,” Major Fahad Saeed Al Sobaie, Director of Training

Department at the Police College, said at a press conference yes-terday at the Officers’ Club of the General Directorate of Civil Defence.

“To make colouring easy, the image will be divided into parts so that it could be col-oured simultaneously by more and more people. The portrait would then be recollected and presented as a gift to H H the Emir from the people as an expression of loyalty. The col-ouring activity will be held from December 9 to 16 at Darb El Saai. The participants will have

to ensure registration for tak-ing part in the event,” Al Sobaie added.

“It is the second time that Police College is participating in the National Day Celebration. Apart from Darb Al Saai, Police College will also participate in the military parade on Decem-ber 18,” he noted.

Other activities of Police Col-lege in Darb El Saai include “Serving the nation” which will receive 60 students daily. Stu-dents aged from 9 to 12 years from 14 schools will experience how students live and get

training in the Police College. They will also attend lectures about the importance of time, love for the nation, discipline and commitment.

Also there is a public activity in which everyone can partici-pate depending on their age. Participants of more than 14 years old can participate in the “Laser shooting”.

In addition to all these activ-ities there will be an exhibition of the Ministry of Interior which will show the most important old objects and most modern sys-tems in the Police College.

Police officials during a press conference.

Qatar was closely connected to the world in ancient days

Dr Ferhan Sakal, Head of Archaeological Operations at Qatar Museums, and Professor Robert Carter, Professorial Research Fellow at UCL Qatar, during the lecture. Pic: Baher Amin/The Peninsula


‘Eye health’ first research topic for 2018 WISHThe Peninsula

The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) has announced ‘eye health’ as the first of nine research top-

ics that will be the focus of next year’s global summit. A report outlining the findings of the research will be published and presented during a panel discus-sion at WISH 2018, to be held at the Qatar National Convention Centre from November 13 to 14, 2018.

The announcement of ‘eye health’ as a research topic was made during a visit by Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, to Sidra Medicine recently. As Glo-bal Ambassador of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, she recently visited Bangladesh to view the work of Orbis, a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that operates the world’s only accredited Flying Eye Hospital.

The charity runs pro-grammes that focus on the prevention of blindness and the treatment of blinding eye dis-eases in developing countries,

through hands-on training, pub-lic health education, advocacy, and partnerships.

The British royal was given a tour of the eye health facilities at Hamad Medical Corporation and Sidra Medicine by H E Dr

Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health.

During her visit to Sidra Medicine, Sophie and Dr Hanan met with Sultana Afdhal, Acting CEO of WISH, to discuss the focus on eye health in next year’s summit.

In his capacity as an Orbis trustee, Dr Walters has volun-teered to train ophthalmologists across a number of developing countries including Bangladesh, Myanmar, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Vietnam. He will par-ticipate in the WISH 2018 eye health research forum, which will be chaired by Professor Sir Peng T Khaw, Consultant Oph-thalmic Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, who specialises in glaucoma and is one of the most highly experi-enced specialists in the UK.

WISH 2018 will gather the world’s health care leaders in Doha to highlight and address some of the world’s most press-ing health care challenges. Groups of experts from around the world will work together to build evidence-based research on nine topics in the months leading up to the summit and will present their findings in

reports that will be published in time for the event. These reports will be explored in depth during panel discussions at WISH 2018. The topics will be announced over the coming months and will focus on a range of medical, social,

humanitarian, and policy-driven areas.

WISH 2018, an initiative of Qatar Foundation will also fea-ture an increased array of community-based events across Qatar and will present examples of healthcare innovation in

action within ‘The WISH Hub’ – an interactive space that will showcase novel healthcare prod-ucts, host informal discussions, and provide hands-on experi-ence of technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

FROM LEFT: Sultana Afdhal, Acting CEO, WISH; Sophie, The Countess of Wessex; H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health and Dr Robert Walters, Orbis Trustee.

WISH 2018 will gather the world’s health care leaders in Doha to highlight and address some of the world’s most pressing health care challenges. Groups of experts from around the world will work together to build evidence-based research on nine topics in the months leading up to the summit and will present their findings in reports that will be published in time for the event.

QCDC launches revamped Career Ambassadors ProgrammeThe Peninsula

Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), has launched the latest edition of its Career Ambassadors Pro-gram. The initiative aims to raise awareness among Qatari youth of career development, promote a culture of initiative-taking, and equip students with the neces-sary skills to enable them to choose appropriate academic and career paths.

The third edition of the pro-gramme targets secondary school students with the goal of

providing a supportive environ-ment for youth, though this time using a different approach that aims to empower students through the implementation of skills they have theoretically acquired.

Shaheen Al Sulaiti, Senior Career Programs and Services Officer, QCDC, explained that the centre has communicated with a number of students who par-ticipated in its previous programmes and invited them to join the latest edition of the initiative.

“Students were instructed to form three sub-groups: the

media team, the management team, and the activities team. These students will act as QCDC’s ambassadors at their schools, where they will be responsible for sharing the knowledge they have acquired with other students by organis-ing and engaging their colleagues in a range of activi-ties, events, and workshops,” Al Sulaiti said.

“QCDC will guide students during the planning, prepa-ration, and implementation phases, while, in turn, the students will support the cen-tre’s efforts in implementing its

various activities and pro-grammes at schools across Qatar in a bid to enrich their learning experience. This comprehensive strategy will enable students to acquire practical life skills and become acquainted with the concepts of teamwork and responsibility.”

QCDC will also organise monthly student meetings and activities such as workshops, networking activities, and train-ing programmes among other events aimed at inspiring stu-dents to plan similar activities for their colleagues. Throughout the programme, which runs to the end of the 2017-2018 aca-demic year, QCDC will provide students with the technical train-ing they need to organise activities and present workshops.

Upon completing the pro-gramme, QCDC will award students three certificates including a certificate of com-pletion of the Career Ambassadors Programme, a cer-tificate of participation in QCDC’s year-long activities, and a certificate of completion of community service for students who dedicate a specific number of hours to organising activities at their respective schools.

The Career Ambassadors Programme is one of several year-long initiatives undertaken by QCDC, which aims to help Qatari youth make informed decisions that reflect positively on their career and academic futures.

Shaheen Al Sulaiti, Senior Career Programmes and Services Officer, Qatar Career Development Centre, speaks at the opening of the Career Ambassadors Program.

Seminar on renovation of Islamic education in S AsiaThe Peninsula

Research Centre for Islamic Legislation and Ethics under Hamad Bin Khal-ifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation, and Darul Huda Islamic Univer-sity, India, member of Federation of Universities in Muslim World, will host an edu-cational seminar on renovation of Islamic education in south Asian countries. The event will take place tomorrow from 6.30pm to 9.30pm at the Con-ference Hall - College of Islamic Studies at Qatar Foundation.

The seminar will provide attendees with opportunity to enlighten their thoughts on Islamic education reforms and historical transition against the backdrop of traditional meth-ods in India and other south Asian countries. The lectures will be featured with topics including Islamic educational institutions as platform for social reformation, call for ren-ovating Islamic education in south Asian countries and “Darul Huda Islamic University — living model for successful renovated education”.

Dr Tariq Ramadan, Direc-tor, Research Centre of Islamic Legislation and Ethics (CLIE) at HBKU will deliver felicitation note and Dr Mohamed O El Moctar Al Shiqiti will give the keynote address. Dr Bahauddin

Muhammad Nadwi, (pictured) Vice-Chancellor of Darul Huda Islamic University, will be the guest of honour. Dr Saeed Hudawi (Yobe University of Nigeria) and Anwer Ali Mavur (from DHIU, India) and Asfandair Ansari a leading scholar, will be presenters.

DHIU is a prominent Islamic university based at Ker-ala in India. The university, which is a member of Federa-tion of the Universities of the Islamic World, was established in 1986 and currently it has affiliated institutes all across Kerala and other states in India including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Karna-taka and Assam.

Darul Huda University, which has produced hundreds of proficient Islamic scholars aims at empowering the com-munity with scholars versed in Islamic knowledge and mod-ern sciences. The convocation conference of the University will be held from December 22 to 24 at Hidaya Nagar in Malap-puram, Kerala.

Dr Samar Aboulsoud finds place among best 100 CEO in Arab worldThe Peninsula

Dr Samar Aboulsoud, CEO of Qatar Council for Health Care Practition-ers, has been selected to be among the best 100 CEO in the Arab world.

This award is an appreciation for the unremitting efforts and tireless endeav-ours have been made over the past years, and in recognition of the excellence that the council has attained with regards to the assurance of health care practition-ers’ competencies and patients’ safety.

“Arab Best “award is one of the most important and most valuable prizes in the region. This award intends prima-rily to appreciate the excellence in Arab world in all its forms and in various fields, and celebrates the distinguished creators in three main areas, namely

Leadership, Business and Society Stars. Actors were honoured in the ceremony which was conducted in Marrakech, Kingdom of Morocco on November 27.

The expansion in health care sec-tor in the State of Qatar and the increase in demand on competent and safe health care practitioners repre-sents a major challenge for Qatar Council. Health care facilities in the country is looking for rising the number of health care practitioners in order to meet the community needs, however, the quality and safety of those should not be compromised.

Dr Samar has led her team to over-come all noted challenges, Qatar council has succeeded to provide ideas and insights and has found creative solu-tions to manage the accelerated changes

in the health care sector. These efforts have resulted in the

multiplication of registered/licensed health care practitioners to meet the high demand of Qatari community, without compromising competency and safety. Additionally, world class pro-gramme for medical education and continuing professional development has been launched to assure constant updating of the knowledge and skills of health care practitioners.

Moreover, Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities has been created according to the best international standards. Qatari council has commu-nicated the bill to all health care facilities for strict implementation, and addition-ally has distributed printed copies for public awareness. Dr Samar Aboulsoud with the award.


The Peninsula

Boecker, a public health serv-ices company in the Middle East, along with Al Rayyan Municipality represented by the Municipal Control Department, conducted an ‘Implementation of Food Safety Measures in restau-rants and food companies — Induction to HACCP Training Workshop’ for professionals across Qatar’s F&B industry.

The one-day event was held at Al Rayyan Municipality Con-vention Theatre and focused on food safety hazards and under-standing the principles of the HACCP system. Food specialists from other municipalities, res-taurants and coffee shop managers across Qatar came together to learn more about the latest technologies, innovations,

protocols and techniques in food safety.

The workshop offered an induction to HACCP Session, a glo-bally recognised system that addresses food safety through the identification, analysis and con-trol of microbiological, chemical, physical and allergy-related haz-ards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, dis-tribution and consumption of the end product.

During the in-depth interactive workshop, Boecker trainer guided the group through the latest food safety tools and their uses, hazards and challenges currently facing the industry, the legal requirements and principles of HACCP and guidelines on how to prepare for its full imple-mentation. “I would like to thank the Ministry of Municipality and

Environment represented by Al Rayyan Municipality for their participation in this initiative and for the great efforts put to make this event a successful one,” said Carla Ghaleb, Boecker Qatar Country Manager.

“Knowing how to properly han-dle, prepare and store food and in-depth knowledge of food safety is crucial for food businesses. Hazards should be controlled and critical con-trol points should be monitored in order to prevent food borne illnesses that cause harm to public health”

The event was attended by Majed Borhan Al Zaidan, Health Control Section Head, represen-tor of Al Rayyan Municipality Director who welcomed the attendees to the workshop and introduced Boecker trainers, then began his presentation by updat-ing the attendees on the latest food

safety policies and violations, and outlined penalties incurred for breaking the rules.

“We are committed to

ensuring that all those who work in the F&B sector are fully edu-cated on, and compliant with, the highest standards of food safety

and best practices as we strive to safeguard public health, and pro-vide safe food for customers” said Al Zaidan.

The Peninsula

NAMA Center, one of Qatar Foundation for Social Work’s (QFSW) affiliated centers, has partic-

ipated in the 2017 International Volunteer Day celebrations, in the framework of its ongoing encouragement of voluntary work and the promotion of com-munity participation, while reaffirming the importance of volunteering as a noble human-itarian value and the need to support volunteers for their piv-otal role in achieving comprehensive development in their communities.

NAMA Center is regarded as one of the most prominent social institutions that have contributed to the promotion of a volunteer-ism culture in Qatar. The Center’s first voluntary work forum was launched in 1998 and was organ-ised by the Center’s volunteers, to encourage individuals and institutions to contribute to vol-unteerism and instilling the meaning and value of voluntary work in the hearts of citizens and residents. In 1999, the Volunteer Award was launched and has been celebrated annually ever since on the International Volunteer Day, which falls on the 5th of Decem-ber every year. The Volunteer Award aims to promote a culture of giving and nurturing voluntary a n d h u m a n i t a r i a n

efforts of individuals, groups and institutions, in recognition and honor of their work, in addition to raising awareness of the role of volunteering in the develop-ment of society and motivating individuals and institutions to nurture it. In the framework of the developing and the diversi-fying its categories, the Center issued in 2003 a circular for the award that was officially announced on 29 June 2004. The Center also conducted studies on volunteer work that included obstacles to volunteering for Qatari women, as well as estab-lishing workshops covering all segments of society such as stu-dents, journalists and professionals in the field of social work, in order to develop mech-anisms for the implementation of the objectives of the award.

Among the most prominent projects that won the prize was the project of the charitable unit for kidney dialysis at NAMA

Center, the Charity Vouchers project, one of the Qatar Red Crescent projects, a Qatar Char-ity project, and a Qatar Diabetes Association project.

This was followed up with the launch of the National Cam-paign to Promote Volunteerism (KAFU) in 2009 as a result of the relentless efforts to develop and promote a culture of vol-untary work. The award was preceded by a four-month vol-unteer awareness campaign, targeting schools in particular, in addition to targeting other youth gathering locations such as universities, shopping malls and sports clubs. The philoso-phy of the campaign was based on two fundamental principles: appreciation of outstanding volunteer work, and the stim-ulation of every effort that enriches volunteerism and ensures its continuity.

One of the most significant achievements in partnership with civil society organisations in the country is the Qatar Vol-unteers Network (TAMM)

initiative, which is an interactive platform for volunteers that the Center seeks to develop in the coming period.

The strategic directions of the Center 2017-2022 included an inte-grated strategy to promote youth participation in community service and to allow them to develop and interact within the Center’s project for the development of social entre-preneurs. The project is implemented through two chan-nels; the “Moqbeleen” project, which was launched to introduce the center’s project and attract young people to join capacity build-ing programs to enhance the contribution of youth to civil work and social development, and the “Sama Nama” project, which takes place through multiple stages to develop the capabilities of social entrepreneurs and enable them to design Social projects that the Center provides technical and financial support for.

NAMA Center is currently working on a plan for 2018 for the “Moqbeleen” project, the main pillars of which include

organising various events and activities aimed at attracting more young volunteers to con-tribute to building society and serving their country.

On this occasion, Maryam Bint Abdullatif Al Mannai, Act-ing Executive Manager of NAMA Center, said: “The celebration of this day is a great opportunity to continue efforts to expand the voluntary work framework through the launch of new vol-untary social development projects and developing existing ones, as well as the dissemina-tion of volunteerism on a larger scale and the recruitment of more young people. It also rep-resents an opportunity to evaluate previous initiatives and the results of volunteering in all fields, in order to improve per-formance and invest and build on their achievements and successes. I would like to express my thanks and gratitude to all the volunteers, individuals and institutions, for their efforts and perseverance in the service of man and society.”

NAMA takes part in global volunteer day celebrations

Activities at QNL to highlight Qatar heritageThe Peninsula

A slew of activities tak-ing place at Qatar National Library (QNL), a member of Qatar Founda-tion (QF), this month will highlight Qatar’s heritage and culture, as the country and QNL celebrate National Day.

Tomorrow (December 9) in honor of Arabic Language Day, the QNL Children’s Library will host an event aimed at enhancing children’s language skills. Librarians will be on-hand to introduce young visitors to the world of Arabic through storytelling, games, books, and various technological tools.

To highlight another aspect of regional culture and to celebrate Qatar National Day, QNL will host the Mar-asi Ensemble of the Qatar Music Academy in the library’s special events area on December 13. The Marasi Ensemble uses traditional instruments to create authen-tic interpretations of maqam music, a style historically used in Arabic music.

“As the country celebrates Qatar’s past, present, and future in December, QNL is excited to present locals and expatriates with the language and music at the heart of the country’s culture and history. These are living, dynamic examples of Qatar’s heritage, and we welcome everyone to attend these fun and educa-tional events,” said Gihan Baraka, Communications Manager, QNL.

Other December events will continue QNL’s mission of promoting early literacy in Qatar. Two events, one held in Arabic and one in English, will focus on helping parents understand different types of books, evaluate them, and support their children in choosing what to read. QNL librarians will also give par-ents ideas on how to build home libraries and encour-age reading as a part of their children’s everyday lives.

QNL has already hosted dozens of events since it opened to the public on November 7, offering some-thing for everyone in the local community.

“QNL is not just a center of learning; it is also a com-munity space. Already, we’ve seen people from across Qatar embrace the library’s many diverse events, and we look forward to continuing to offer opportunities for visi-tors to interact, create and learn,” said Gihan Baraka.

Bronze Achievement for CM-Q student team at MIT competitionThe Peninsula

A CMU-Q student team was awarded Bronze Achieve-ment at the International Genetically Engineered Machines (IGEM) competition hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston. This is the first time CMU-Q has fielded a team at the annual IGEM competition, which included 310 teams from 44 countries.

The team developed an easy, quick way for the oil industry to test if there is biofilm build-up in offshore pipelines. A rapid and reliable test could lead to the oil industry reducing their use of biocides, which would in turn le

emir warns of serious consequences - the peninsula qatar...dec 07, 2017 · gave an insight to the...

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