The Shura Council State of Qatar

The Advisory Council held Monday its regular weekly session chaired by HE Speaker of the Advisory Council Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud.

At the outset of the session, the council discussed the report of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee on a draft law regulating the investment of non-Qatari capital in economic activity.

After discussing the draft law, which aimed at attracting non-Qatari capital to invest in the country to promote economic development, the council approved the draft law and decided to forward its recommendations to the cabinet.

The council took note of a report on its delegation's participation in the second meeting of the Gulf committee on enhancing relations with the European Parliament held recently in Kuwait, where the delegation presented views and suggestions to finalize the committee's draft rules of procedure.

HE the Speaker of the Advisory Council briefed the council on the meeting held by a number of the council's members with the visiting Spanish parliamentary delegation. The meeting discussed boosting parliamentary relations between the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Spain, saying that he discussed with the delegation the development witnessed by the State of Qatar in economic and legislative fields as well as the unjust siege imposed upon it.

He added that the Spanish parliamentary delegation praised the economic growth in the State of Qatar and expressed their aspiration for further cooperation and development in bilateral relations.

On the siege imposed on the State of Qatar, HE the Speaker of the Advisory Council said the delegation expressed support for all efforts exerted to resolve the Gulf crisis through dialogue and mutual understanding within the framework of respect for the sovereignty and independence of the State of Qatar. They also stressed their full understanding of Qatar's position, which calls for dialogue to resolve differences between countries.

His Excellency also briefed the Advisory Council on the participation of the council's delegation, which he chaired, in the Arab-African economic forum held recently in Rabat, the Kingdom of Morocco, adding the forum discussed several priority strategic issues, foremost of which are food security, development and empowerment of women, along with strengthening economic and commercial interests and humanitarian links between the Arab world and the African continent.

He also briefed the council on his meetings along with the accompanying delegation on the sidelines of the forum with a number of heads of Arab, African, Latin America and the Caribbean parliaments and the president of the Qatari-Chilean friendship group in the Chilean parliament, where they discussed strengthening and promoting parliamentary relations and issues of common interest.

During his meeting with the Speaker of the Andean Parliament, a parliamentary bloc comprising six countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru, HE Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud explained that the State of Qatar is subjected to an unjust siege and its violation of international law and the principles of good-neighborliness as well as its consequent unjustified tensions in the region, based on baseless arguments and false accusations.

His Excellency praised the deep understanding and support for Qatar's position by Speaker of the Andean Parliament Fernando Meza Moncada, who affirmed his full and unconditional solidarity with the State of Qatar in respect of the siege, as well as by HE president of the Qatari-Chilean Friendship Group in the Chilean Parliament Ivan Flores, who participated in the meeting and called for lifting the siege imposed on the State of Qatar immediately.

The Advisory Council welcomed the final communique of the Arab-African economic forum, which stressed the need to strengthen coordination, cooperation and solidarity between the countries of Africa and the Arab world.