Qatari Newspapers Editorials

Doha, February 20 (QNA) - Qatari newspapers highlighted Monday an array of local news, noting the Amiri decision No. 13 of 2023 HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued yesterday establishing the organizing committee for the Doha 2030 Asian Games, which reflects HH the Amir's support and the priority that Qatar attaches to this mega event, and the State's great interest in sport as an important means and an effective diplomatic tool to strengthen friendship relations with world countries. The Qatari dailies also pointed to the Climate Change and Human Rights Conference, which is organized by the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), in cooperation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Development Program, the League of Arab States, and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI). The conference aims to develop recommendations to enhance cooperation to support rights-based climate action worldwide. The papers also praised the strong renaissance in the logistics services sector in Qatar and the qualitative and exceptional achievements accomplished in this field, noting that the State was able to improve its logistical services chain, improve its efficiency to facilitate the flow of goods and services inside and outside the country, and reduce the total costs for various economic sectors. Under the headline "Asian Games", Qatari daily Al-Sharq said that the Amiri decision establishing the organizing committee for the Doha 2030 Asian Games affirmed Qatar's ambitious plans that continue to establish its pioneering position as a global center for international sporting events and as a capital of sports, aiming at reaching the ultimate goal of rapprochement between nations and peoples from all continents through sport. Qatar's sports strategy resulted in the country's hosting of hundreds of mega international sporting events, including the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019 and 2020, the Arab Cup 2021, the World Athletics Championships 2019, and most importantly the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, in which the State recorded a resounding success and presented an exceptional and unprecedented World Cup, Al-Sharq stressed. Thanks to the wise vision of HH the Amir, who stands behind the exceptional success of the sports diplomacy strategy, the State of Qatar has become the most prominent sports destination in the world, and the best place to host tournaments of all kinds of sports. Qatar's great interest in sports is based on its National Vision 2030, which goes beyond hosting major sporting events to many aspects related to sport, to the extent that it became the first country in the world to allocate an annual national holiday for sports with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of sport and its role in the lives of individuals and societies, Al-Sharq concluded. In another aspect, Qatari daily Al-Watan said that the State of Qatar has launched the National Environment and Climate Change Strategy aiming to protect and preserve the Qatari environment and the quality of life of the Qatari people, and to ensure economic resilience on the long term, thus embarking on a new phase of efforts to confront the phenomenon of climate change. Qatar contributes effectively to confronting climate change at the national and global levels. It is an active and responsible member of the international community, and has strong commitments to the global agenda for sustainable development by supporting initiatives and projects to reduce air pollutants and reduce carbon emissions. The State organized the first neutral FIFA World Cup, and established global standards for sustainability and environmental protection with modern techniques and technology, disassembled stadiums, waste sorting mechanisms, environmentally friendly electric transportation, as well as the use of solar energy in stadiums, and energy- and water-saving cooling and lighting technology, the paper noted. In this context, the National Human Rights Committee will organize the Climate Change and Human Rights Conference in cooperation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Development Program, the League of Arab States, and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), within the framework of supporting efforts to combat climate change and mitigate its harmful effects on human health and well-being, the paper added. Al-Watan hailed Qatar's pioneering role in confronting climate change, which is an example to follow in order to address one of the most complex problems facing humanity in the world today. 

Under the title "Towards Sustainability", English-language newspaper The Peninsula affirmed that sustainable development and environmental protection have been among the top priorities of Qatar. The country is an active partner in the global community’s campaign to deal with climate challenges as it was one of the first countries to ratify the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1996. Qatar signed the Kyoto Protocol in 2005, an agreement that marked an important milestone in which the international community agreed for the first time on binding targets and measures for combating climate change. In 2012, UN organizations and civil society gathered in Doha for the 18th session of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. A robust policy framework was provided by Qatar’s National Environment and Climate Change Strategy to safeguard the country’s environment for future generations, the paper said. In September 2021, the cabinet approved the National Climate Change Plan, which is a strategic framework that reflects Qatar’s long-term sustainability goals and the urgent need to respond effectively to issues related to climate change. The plan sets out Qatar’s commitment to tackle climate change by diversifying the economy, building capabilities, and optimizing the use of natural resources. It establishes national climate targets to enhance climate resilience through more than 35 measures and over 300 adaptation initiatives focused on mitigation, the paper added. In line with the same commitment, Qatar Museums launched Sunday Sustainability Week 2023. A series of events will be held from Feb. 19 to 23 as part of the week to engage Qatar Museums’ staff and the public in sustainability-oriented activities. The series of events will provide the local community with the tools and knowledge that will spark their interest in carrying out eco-friendly and sustainable practices. Qatar’s strategy to protect the environment includes several initiatives such as environmental research, sustainable cities, green transport, clean energy, digital transformation, and delivery of a sustainable FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, among others. The Peninsula concluded that the Qatar 2022 stadiums and their surrounding precincts were designed with the future in mind. To maximize post-tournament use, all eight venues were built to serve communities in Qatar and around the world after the event. On another topic, Al-Raya newspaper highlighted in its editorial the great interest that the State of Qatar attaches to its strategic projects as part of its efforts to bring a major renaissance in the logistics services sector. This resulted in Qatar leading the Gulf logistics market as the backbone of most production and service activities. The newspaper noted the study conducted by the Investment Promotion Agency in Qatar showing the growth rates of the logistics market in the country will outperform those in the GCC countries during the period 2020-2026. The study said that with the promising outlook for global supply chains, logistics, and warehousing, with a total value of about USD 9.5 trillion in 2021, ambitious investors will have the opportunity to benefit from the advanced infrastructure, thriving industrial activity, and business-friendly approach that characterizes Qatar. The study pointed out that Qatar ranked among the first 20 percent of countries in the world in the field of logistical performance, and second in the Middle East region. Its performance is based on the main pillars of access to capital, which means ready-made and integrated industrial facilities for entrepreneurs and owners of small and medium-sized companies. The State of Qatar is currently implementing major projects that will support the logistics services sector, most notably the expansion of Hamad Airport and Hamad Port, raising their annual capacity. There is also a set of projects and legislation being prepared to improve the investment work environment by providing advanced logistical services and keeping pace with the country's aspirations to build a prosperous economy based on strong foundations. One of the most important reasons for the success of the Qatari logistics services sector is the existence of well-established support systems where free, industrial, and logistical zones are on a global level, providing a business-friendly environment and many means of support for foreign investors, in addition to a flexible transportation and logistics network that provides global communication through Hamad International Airport and Hamad Port, as well as various trading partners that provide vital materials and goods. Qatar has developed modern logistical systems, linking its world-class airports and seaports with a network of roads and advanced logistical infrastructure, the paper said. The logistics services sector in Qatar is witnessing a strong renaissance, witnessing a growth of 7 percent over the last five years. This not only contributes to facilitating the flow of goods and services inside and outside the country but also to reducing the level of total costs for various economic sectors, enhancing their competitiveness and integration with regional and global markets. In conclusion, Al-Raya said that Qatar seeks to achieve one of the most important goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030, to build a strong economy based on a series of advanced logistical services that facilitate the transportation of products to and from the country and reduce production costs. (QNA)