Qatari Newspapers Editorials

Doha, December 07 (QNA) - In their Wednesday editorials, Qatari newspapers highlighted several local topics including the decision to allow citizens and residents of GCC countries to enter the country without the need to obtain a Hayya Card for non-match ticket holders, through all points of entry, and the State of Qatar's keenness, within the framework of its strategic partnership with the United Nations (UN), to provide various types of support that help the organization fulfill its tasks and mandate. The newspapers highlighted Qatar's adoption of a series of pioneering regional legislative and institutional reforms regarding the protection of the rights of migrant workers, leading to the abolition of the sponsorship system, improving working conditions, ensuring a decent living for all laborers, and creating a safe and balanced work environment in line with international labor standards. Al-Watan newspaper noted in its editorial the decision to allow citizens and residents of GCC countries to enter the country without the need to obtain a Hayya Card for non-match ticket holders, through all points of entry, in accordance with the normal entry procedures. This step was taken to provide an opportunity for visitors, citizens, and residents of the GCC countries, to enjoy the atmosphere accompanying the matches of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and its entertainment activities during the remainder of this tournament and to facilitate the entry mechanism through all border points, to join hundreds of thousands of fans in stadiums, dedicated fan zones, and live screening areas, to watch the world's famous football players, the newspaper pointed out. This decision will enable many of those who wish to be part of Qatar's distinguished scene through the wonderful activities to enter the country without the need to obtain a Hayya Card for non-match ticket holders, especially since many families want to participate in the events, places and the beautiful atmosphere of the World Cup, and to enjoy its various advantages, the paper added. In conclusion, Al-Watan said that for those traveling on land, buses will be available to all travelers through the land border crossing, as usual, and the parking will be allocated to visitors without a fee. Al-Sharq newspaper stressed in its editorial the keenness of the State of Qatar, within the framework of its strategic partnership with the United Nations, to provide various types of support that help the organization fulfill its tasks and mandate. The State of Qatar has actively contributed to international efforts aimed at strengthening international peace and security, achieving development in all its fields, promoting and protecting human rights, and providing humanitarian relief through its initiatives and also through active participation in multilateral international collective action. In this regard, there has been a lot of countless evidence of the great roles played by the State of Qatar. Among these roles are Qatar's recent efforts to support international endeavors to address the COVID-19 pandemic through its direct support to countries or by providing support to the World Health Organization (WHO), the paper said. The paper also noted the pioneering roles of the State of Qatar in mediation efforts to resolve disputes and conflicts around the world and its outstanding and historical achievements in a number of files from Afghanistan to Darfur, the Horn of Africa to the truce efforts in Gaza, Lebanon and others. The newspaper concluded its editorial by saying that the strategic partnership between the State of Qatar and the United Nations, Qatar's support for UN goals, and its presence at the center of efforts to address major global challenges make Doha a candidate to become the capital of multilateral international action. In its editorial, Al-Raya In turn, Al-Raya newspaper underlined that Qatar has witnessed large-scale developments at the legislative and institutional levels and at the level of policies and strategies aimed at promoting and strengthening the human rights infrastructure. Qatar, the paper said, has adopted a series of pioneering legislative and institutional reforms regarding the protection of the rights of migrant workers, by abolishing the Kafala (sponsorship) system, improving working conditions, ensuring a decent living for all laborers, and creating a safe and balanced work environment in accordance with international labor standards. The newspaper said that every day the State of Qatar receives great praise thanks to its major reforms in the field of labor, which qualified it to be a role model regionally and globally, noting that UN organizations and fair-minded journalists in the world affirmed that they changed their opinion about the nature of the situation in Qatar after they saw and witnessed it without pressure from the State of Qatar, which left them move freely to discover the reality. Everyone stressed that Qatar was a victim of double standards and a victim of misleading media attacks from some suspicious parties, the paper said, adding that Qatar confirmed that it always seeks to improve the conditions of workers as it approved a modern labor law that gained great international acclaim. The paper underlined that Qatar is unique by approving a non-discriminatory minimum wage, as well as reducing working hours in summer. In this context, the paper referred to HE Minister of Labor's affirmation that Qatar is moving forward in developing economic legislation that reflects a future-exploring vision, through the implementation of its National Vision 2030 and related strategies, the application of international labor standards, and the realization of basic principles and rights at work. The daily also stressed that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has become a valuable opportunity to promote the values of equality, solidarity and mutual respect, and there is no doubt that the World Cup will leave a great legacy in the State of Qatar and the world, and among this legacy is the promotion of the rights of expatriate workers by placing them all under the umbrella of the law, as Qatar considers expatriate labor as an essential partner for its comprehensive renaissance. Al-Raya concluded its editorial by emphasizing that Qatar is always ready for dialogue with all effective international actors, in order to adopt the best means to promote the rights of migrant workers in line with the standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO), noting that this affirms Qatar's commitment to protecting workers' rights. On the other hand, The English-language newspaper, The Peninsula, said that aside from the football matches, which are the centerpieces of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the various entertainment activities organised around the country are also winning the hearts of visiting fans, noting that for the past few weeks, Qatar has turned into a big festival celebrating life in full colour and vigour. Under the title "Celebrating arts, culture, and sports", the paper pointed out that the FIFA Fan Festival at Al Bidda park recently welcomed the one-millionth visitor to the most sought-after venue for fans to watch the match on the big screen. In conclusion, The Peninsula said that the Festival in Motion offers the visiting fans and the residents of Qatar a golden opportunity to enjoy for free the performances by masters in their field celebrating an amalgamation of dance, music and architecture at exceptional locations in Qatar. (QNA)