Qatari Newspapers Editorials

Doha, December 21 (QNA) - In their Wednesday editorials, Qatari newspapers touched upon a number of local and international topics. The newspapers highlighted HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani's meeting with HE High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, on the sidelines of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership held in Jordan, where HE stated the need to respect the judicial procedures and not to anticipate the results of the investigations, stressing in this context the State of Qatar's rejection of the misleading media leaks that drag its name in this matter. Locally, the newspapers praised the State's general budget for the fiscal year 2023, which reflects the State's success in managing development, especially infrastructure projects that are considered an investment for future generations. In their editorials, the newspapers also pointed out that the world has unanimously agreed that the State of Qatar organized, excelled, and succeeded in setting up an unprecedented historical World Cup. Major international newspapers described the event as dazzling and thought-out, presenting a brilliant Arab image in an unprecedented football, cultural and social demonstration, which was exceptional by all standards. Al-Sharq newspaper highlighted in its editorial HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani's statement, during his meeting with HE High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, on the sidelines of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership held in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in which HE said that the State of Qatar is exposed to a misleading media campaign. The meeting also discussed the bilateral relations between the State of Qatar and the European Union, in addition to regional developments and corruption investigations in the European Parliament. HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs underlined to the European official the need to respect the judicial procedures and not to anticipate the results of the investigations, stressing in this context the State of Qatar's rejection of the misleading media leaks that drag its name in this matter, the paper noted. In this context, Al-Sharq referred to the failure of many campaigns aimed at obstructing Qatar's hosting and organization of the World Cup, through positions characterized by hypocrisy, double standards, and racism, all of which collided with the facts, and the great success achieved by the State of Qatar in organizing the World Cup, and the dazzling image that reflected the region's culture, values, and principles which were the biggest response to the miserable smear campaigns that have been promoted. The reality came to reveal the falsity of Western fabrications and lies. Al-Sharq concluded by saying that the fate of the current campaign in the European Parliament will be like its failed campaigns and conspiracies predecessors that did not withstand the dazzling lights of truth. It will not succeed in obfuscating and covering up the great achievements made by Qatar, the latest of which is the exceptional and unprecedented organization of the World Cup. For its part, Al-Arab newspaper affirmed that the state's general budget for the fiscal year 2023, issued by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani law No. 10 of 2022 approving the State's general budget for the fiscal year 2023 on Tuesday, reflects the state's success in managing development, especially infrastructure projects that the state considers an investment for future generations. This success is confirmed by the figures included in the budget. The total revenue estimates amount to QR 228 billion, a 16.3 percent increase compared to the 2022 budget estimates, while the expenditure estimates reach QR 199 billion and a QR 29 billion budget surplus. In Q3 of 2022, the surplus of the general budget rose to QR 30.1 billion, while the total revenues during that period reached QR 81.8 billion, including QR 76.3 billion in oil and gas revenues, and QR 5.5 billion in non-oil revenues, the paper indicated. The surplus achieved by the state’s general budget, in light of the organization of the 2022 World Cup, is a great achievement. One of its reasons is that the state has pursued a balanced and conservative policy towards revenues, adopting an oil price of USD 55 per barrel to continue to diversify sources of income and not relying on oil and gas revenues alone, the paper said. Q3 of 2022 budget indicators confirm the diversification of the state’s revenues from oil, gas and other industries carried out by public and private sectors, in addition to the expansion of manufacturing and production, which contributes to building a diversified economy that does not depend on a specific sector, the paper added. Al-Arab concluded its editorial by pointing out that this budget reflects that the priorities of the wise leadership are the advancement of the Qatari citizens and residents, education, health, and culture. So, huge sums were allocated to serve these areas for Qatar to continue its successes and path under the leadership of HH the Amir to achieve its goals at various levels. The country is moving forward with confidence and relentless steps to achieve its Qatar National Vision 2030. In its editorial, Al-Watan newspaper said that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 won GCC, Arab and international commendations, which unanimously agreed that the State of Qatar excelled and succeeded in organizing an unprecedented historical World Cup. Al-Watan indicated that the international media had assured everyone who attended the tournament in Qatar that it was very safe and brilliantly organized, and everyone cannot but pay tribute to Qatar's efforts in organizing the tournament. The paper noted that what the world has seen has never happened before, and they may not see anything like it in the future, not only because of the accuracy of the organization, the unique facilities that were made available to the fans and the stadiums, but also because of the exceptional platform Qatar made available to visitors for dialogue between different cultures in the most sophisticated way. In turn, Al-Raya daily said in its editorial that the State of Qatar succeeded in presenting an exceptional and unprecedented World Cup to the whole world, as the 22nd edition of the World Cup in Qatar surpassed all previous editions according to the statements of specialists and those concerned with sports, as well as through the figures which revealed that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was the most distinguished, enthusiastic, exciting and best in terms of organization among the previous tournaments. The newspaper added that Qatar succeeded, through this World Cup, in placing its name on the map of world sporting events, as excellence was the title of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the safest, most comprehensive, and most suitable for all. Qatar succeeded in this challenge and deserved praises, the paper said, noting that HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received several cables of congratulations from Their Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses, leaders and heads of governments of brotherly and friendly countries on the occasion of the successful organization of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, as Qatar has been for 29 days a land of love, peace and honorable sports competition. The paper underlined that Qatar World Cup sent messages calling on the world to unite behind sport which is a factor driving change and bringing about sustainable development, adding that Qatar was keen to provide all means of comfort to the fans, contrary to what was promoted by suspicious media circles, which were infuriated by the fact that a country like Qatar had the honor of hosting the World Cup The World Cup was in its best form, where there was enthusiasm until the last moments, the paper said, stressing that Qatar promised and fulfilled its promise, as fans returned to their countries bearing a good image of Qatar and the Middle East region, because Qatar was keen to highlight Arab customs, traditions and culture in all the details of the tournament, which was an opportunity to change the stereotype about the region, as those fans discovered the true situation in Qatar, whose people welcomed their guests and opened their hearts to them before their homes. Al-Raya concluded its editorial by saying that during the World Cup, Qatar was recording impressive successes at all levels, as it dazzled the world with this professionalism, which was not a coincidence, but rather the result of 12 years of preparations, in which Qatar harnessed all its capabilities in order to reach this historic moment when winner of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was announced. English-language newspaper, The Peninsula, said that as praise and admiration come in from the rest of the world regarding Qatar's spectacular hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, several infrastructures were crucial to the tournament's success. The transportation sector, which had been upgraded ahead of the tournament, was paramount to the smooth operations as Qatar hosted the most compact World Cup ever, the paper underlined. Under the headline "Record operational success", the paper said that the Ministry of Transport announced that the sector achieved record numbers providing service for approximately 26.8 million visitors and fans, adding that bus services' users exceeded 7.368 million passengers, in addition to 315,122 taxi trips. Regarding air transportation, air traffic at Hamad and Doha International Airports recorded 26,425, the paper said, pointing out that for logistics and supply chains, 125,285 standard containers were handled during the World Cup. The paper also noted that Qatar's commitment to eco-friendly transport remained central in hosting the first carbon-neutral tournament of this magnitude, noting that the fully electric Doha Metro and its under-ground network directly connected five of the eight tournament venues, while the remaining three venues were accessible by metro and bus routes. Qatar's investment in the transport infrastructure over the last decade has undoubtedly contributed to the success of the World Cup, and it sets the country on the best path to welcome more sports, as well as regional and international events, The Peninsula concluded. (QNA)