The Shura Council State of Qatar

The Shura Council held its regular weekly session under the chairmanship of His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Bin Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud, Speaker of the Council.

 At the beginning of the meeting, His Excellency Mr. Fahad Bin Mubarak Al-Khayareen, Secretary General of the Council, readout the Emir Decree No. (27) of 2019 Extending the Term of the Shura Council for Two Calendar Years Beginning on 1st July 2019 and Ending on 30^th, June 2021.

 Thereafter, H. E. the Speaker of the Council briefed the Council on the outcomes of his official visit to Portugal at the head of a delegation from the Council from 24 to 28 June, 2019 upon an invitation by His Excellency Mr. Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, President of the Assembly of the Republic of the Republic of Portugal. During which a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Shura Council and the Assembly of the Republic in Portugal. According to the MoU the two parties agreed to establish a partnership, strengthen relations, establish two parliamentary friendship groups and to work to unify positions on issues of mutual interest.

 During the visit, H.E. the Shura Speaker met the Honourable Duarte Pacheco, Chairman of the Twelve Plus Group, which includes the parliaments of European countries, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, both parties reviewed the parliamentary relations between the State of Qatar and the Twelve Plus Group and means of supporting them.

 His Excellency also met with His Excellency Augusto dos Santos Silva, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Portugal, whereat the bilateral relations between the two countries were reviewed and ways of supporting them were explored, in addition to discussing a number of issues of common concern.

 

 H. E. the Speaker of the Shura also briefed the Council about his visit to Geneva, whereat he attended the 130^th, Anniversary of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. He also held several meetings during the visit, including a meeting with the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Secretary-General of the IPU and the President of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

 Then, the Secretary General of the Council readout the Decree No. (34) for the year 2019, Adjourning the Forty-Seventh Ordinary Session of the Shura Council from Tuesday the 6^th, of Dhul Qa'da 1440H corresponding to 9^th, of July 2019.

At the end of the meeting, H.E. the Speaker of the Council delivered a speech on the occasion of the adjourning of the current session of the Council extending in his name and on behalf of the members of the Council great thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani (may Allah protect him), the Emir of the State  of Qatar for the support and care he extends to the Council and for his  keenness and interest  in the full role the Council plays in accordance with its duties and responsibilities .

 

HE praised the government's efforts and sincere and constructive cooperation with the Council in the legislative field, and for its prompt response to the Council's proposals and recommendations in the general discussion requests discussed by the Council on many issues of concern to the nation and citizens such as health, education, land and sea environment, food security, infrastructure projects and traffic accidents and their causes and how to reduce them.

HE Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud expressed satisfaction with the Council's achievements at the internal and external levels, referring to the numerous draft laws, the general discussion requests discussed by the Council and the resulting proposals and recommendations that were the object of the esteemed government's attention.

HE the Speaker also addressed the external action carried out by the Council and that achieved fruitful results in supporting and developing the relations of the State of Qatar with sisterly and friendly countries, praising in particular the role of the parliamentary friendship groups established by the Council with various countries in the world, which proved to be effective although being new.

HE pointed out that during this session, in which all draft laws and decree laws, with proposals and recommendations thereon, were submitted to the esteemed government in addition to the topics proposed by the Council for general discussion.

At the end of his speech, HE the Speaker of the Council thanked the members for their efforts, both in the Council's regular meetings and through its specialized committees, and for their seriousness, responsibility and hard work, characterized by the spirit of one team.

HE also thanked the General Secretariat of the Shura Council and all its staff.