Qatari Newspapers Editorials

Doha, January 16 (QNA) - Editorials of Qatari newspapers on Monday touched on a range of local, Arab and international topics. Locally, the Qatari dailies highlighted Qatar's remarkable growth in the tourism sector, and praised the State's keenness on promoting scientific innovation by supporting and sponsoring ideas and projects, and creating an environment conducive to development and creativity. At the international level, the papers noted the kickstart of the 53rd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (Davos), which is being held amidst unprecedent challenges and crises resulted by the Russian-Ukrainian war, the increasing tensions between China and the West, climate change and others. Al-Raya newspaper shed light in its editorial on the 2022/2023 cruise season in Qatar and its role in consolidating the tourism sector in the State. Al-Raya said that the State of Qatar enjoys great potentials for the development of the tourism sector, which make the country a preferred destination for visitors from all world countries; noting that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 contributed to highlight the country's potentials in terms of security, safety, outstanding natural landscapes and advanced infrastructure, as visitors lived an exceptional and unique tourism experience. In this context, Al-Raya pointed to the arrival of Italian cruise ship Costa Toscana in Doha Port, as part of the 2022-2023 cruise season in Qatar, which began last December with the arrival of French cruise ship Le Bougainville and will continue until next April. The current cruise season will see the arrival of 58 international cruise ships to Doha, as well as 4 tourism companies which will launch their first trips to Qatar, the paper added. The State of Qatar enjoys beauty, prosperity, security, rich heritage, diversity and good hospitality, and it is interested in developing cruise tourism being a peninsula surrounded by clean water and coasts and distinguished marine environment, Al-Raya stressed. The tourism sector in Qatar is experiencing a great recovery, as the country continues to develop the tourism and travel industry, and to achieve integration between the various components of the sector in order to increases the dynamism of work and ensure the sector's contribution to achieving the comprehensive development, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, Al-Raya concluded. Meanwhile, Qatari daily Al-Arab praised Qatar's keenness on promoting scientific innovation by supporting and sponsoring ideas and projects and creating an environment conducive to development and creativity, aiming to create an ambitious generation and achieve pioneering aspirations that contribute to finding solutions to contemporary problems and enhancing leadership in future sectors. Al-Arab said that the Entrepreneurship Program Fund (EPF) award is part of the stimulating environment geared to support entrepreneurs in realizing their industry-driven innovations and is exclusive to participants of the Education City (EC) Innovative Entrepreneurship Program, managed by the Innovation Center. In this context, the paper referred to the announcement of five winners who took part in the first round of the Entrepreneurship Program Fund with the aim of improving the quality of life. The innovation programs included an artificial intelligence-based decision-support application tool, a revolutionary patented solar panel technology, an EdTech patented interactive platform that aims to enrich children’s spiritual and social lives, and others. This comes within the framework of the State's interest in human development through a comprehensive and modern health care infrastructure that benefits all residents of the country, and the establishment of an educational system that is comparable to the finest educational systems in the world, and contributes to preparing students to face global challenges and become important innovators, artists, professionals and owners of initiatives in the future, Al-Arab said. For its part, Al-Sharq newspaper said in its editorial that the 53rd annual meeting of the World Economic Forum begins Monday in Davos, under the theme "Cooperation in a Fragmented World," at a time when the world faces unprecedented challenges and crises from the Russian-Ukrainian war, growing tensions between China and the West, food shortages in many countries, chaos in international trade, climate change, and new reality raised by the COVID-19 pandemic and its repercussions. With 2,500 heads of state and government, CEOs of companies, think tanks and representatives of civil society, international media members, and young leaders from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and North America participating, the task seems very complicated in light of the fragile and uncertain state of the world, the paper added. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects a third of the global economy to plunge into recession in 2023. Many countries are still paying the price of the COVID-19 pandemic closure, as well as food shortages, the cost of living crisis that lead to violent protests and political instability, the repercussions of climate change and its dire consequences, the paper continued. Al-Sharq stressed the urgent need for coordinated collective action to ward off the dangers and challenges that face humanity. In another matter, the English-language newspaper The Peninsula noted that Qatar has not only been ranked the safest country to live free from the risks of natural disasters, rather it is also the safest nation in terms of security and safety of its residents and visitors. In its editorial titled "Qatar ranked safest country," the newspaper said that Qatar National Vision 2030 aims to create a safe, secure and stable society based on effective institutions. The country seeks to promote tolerance, openness, and constructive socio-cultural dialogues and ensures the well-being of its citizens, residents, and visitors through its world-class infrastructure and public safety. Qatar is the safest country in the world, according to the latest Numbeo Crime Index by Country 2023, topping the index for the last five years. Besides, Qatar remains the most peaceful country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for the 15th consecutive year, according to the 2022 Global Peace Index, the paper highlighted. Qatar’s ranking as the safest country was further validated during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as it was hailed as the best and safest tournament in FIFA World Cup history, recording zero major crimes, the paper noted. The peninsula concluded that the stability in the country has promoted economic growth and attracted foreign direct investment, infrastructure development, and an enabling environment for human development and innovation. On the other hand, Al-Watan newspaper said that the Palestinian people wake up daily with martyrs, injuries, arrest campaigns that affect all Palestinians, and incursions into the areas of the Palestinian Authority. The newspaper denounced the Israeli occupation forces continuous violations against the Palestinians by storming their towns and cities, and attacking them, their lands, and properties, using bullets and tear gas, resulting, in most cases, in the death and injury of dozens of Palestinians. Al-Watan posed a question. How long will the Palestinian blood continue to bleed under the occupation daily? In addition to the other bad conditions that came as a result of the crimes and violations of the occupation, which have become innumerable and are constantly increasing with the advent of the new Netanyahu government, which is more extreme, right-wing, and racist in the occupying state's history. In conclusion, Al- Watan said that the occupation carries out its daily crimes without any regard for the international community. The US supports the continuous occupation state and defends it in all international forums to prevent it from being punished for its crimes against the Palestinian person, his land, his property, and his sanctities, foremost of which is the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. (QNA)