The Shura Council State of Qatar

HE Shura Council Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud reiterated the State of Qatar's keenness to actively contribute to the international community's efforts to maintain international peace and security, pointing out that Qatar is a major donor to the United Nations in this regard.

His Excellency said in a speech before the 35th General Assembly of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (LACP) that the State of Qatar actively participates and cooperates with the UN bodies concerned with combating terrorism, especially the Security Council and the relevant committees.

He stressed Qatar's assertion that the root causes of terrorism must be addressed and that it should not be linked to any religion, thought or civilization, taking into account the right of peoples to self-determination.

HE the Shura Council Speaker said that the State of Qatar has attached great importance to the mediation for conflict resolution; made sincere efforts to achieve peace and development in many areas of conflict and has achieved important successes in many conflicts.

He also pointed out that the State of Qatar has launched several humanitarian initiatives at the international level, such as the Protect Education in Insecurity and Conflict (PEIC); Reach Out to Asia (ROTA); Silatech (an initiative that provides employment and employment opportunities for young people throughout the Arab world) and Educate A Child (a global initiative aimed at reducing the number of children who have lost their right to education).

He noted that Qatar has made significant economic and development strides, thanks to its integrated economic system, its huge potential and wise investment vision, in addition to being the world largest producer and exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) with 32 percent of the world's gas production.

For all these achievements, Qatar enjoyed the world trust that qualified it to have the honor of hosting the IPU conference two months ago in Doha, in which LACP has positively participated, and the honor of hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022 as the first Middle Eastern country to host this important international event.

HE Al Mahmoud also stressed that the Shura Council in Qatar is making parallel efforts with various state agencies to make and strengthen relations with all parliamentary systems in order to unify the efforts for the rule of law; international security and peace; and human dignity and rights protection, moved by the belief that its peace and stability are an integral part of international peace and security.

In his speech, His Excellency spoke about the unjust blockade imposed on the State of Qatar, saying that Since 5 June 2017 and on the bases of false pretexts, the State of Qatar has been subjected to unjust illegal blockade as well as unilateral measures taken by three neighboring Gulf states - Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain - in addition to Egypt. It all began with hacking the website of Qatar News Agency and publishing a fake statement attributed to HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, followed by false allegations and accusations that Qatar supports terrorism and then making 13 demands, considered by the State of Qatar and many countries as unacceptable for violating the sovereignty of the state.

He added that the countries of the blockade, took a series of unilateral measures to impose air, land and sea blockade; severed all diplomatic and commercial relations; and imposed restrictions against citizens and residents of Qatar in violation of human rights instruments. These measures have been condemned by all human rights bodies as well as the International Court of Justice, which has recently issued an order rejecting the request of the United Arab Emirates ("UAE") for provisional measures against the State of Qatar in a case relating to the UAEs unlawful discriminatory treatment of Qatar and the Qatari people.

His Excellency said: "With God's grace and then with the wisdom of our leadership, the State of Qatar has overcome the effects and repercussions of these measures," adding that the "Painful part is the blockade's negative impact on Qatar's as well as Gulf State's citizens," lauding in this regards the position of the LACP and their understanding of Qatar's stance in addition to their rejection of the blockade.

HE the Shura Council Speaker stressed that the State of Qatar believes that the Gulf crisis solution can only be through dialogue, without preconditions, and on basis of mutual respect for the sovereignty of States, political independence and non-interference in their internal affairs.

He also stressed that the State of Qatar appreciates the mediation efforts of HH Amir of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, to resolve this crisis.

HE Al Mahmoud started his speech in the General Assembly of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament by extending thanks to the LACP for their invitation to the Shura Council to attend this important meeting and for the hospitality and welcome accorded to the Shura Council delegation.

He also conveyed the greetings of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and of Qatar's government and people to the representatives of the Latin American and Caribbean parliaments and their peoples.

His Excellency also congratulated HE Latin American and Caribbean Parliament's President Elias Castillo on receiving the Award of Appreciation for his service in the parliamentary field, expressing his confidence that it was well deserved by a man of diplomacy and parliamentary decency.

He noted the participation of the Shura Council in the State of Qatar in the work of this Assembly and the meeting of representatives of the Parliaments of 23 countries, which represent an important political and economic weight in the light of the growing blocs and the various regional hubs.

In this context, HE Al Mahmoud praised Qatar's accession as an observer member of this parliamentary bloc and the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament and the Qatari Shura Council.

"What fire enthusiasm to promoting cooperation is the numerous similarities between our countries in addition to the significance of this bloc to us in Qatar, which has been reflected in the high diplomatic representation between the State of Qatar and many of the countries of this bloc," HE Al Mahmoud said pointing that about 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries had opened embassies in Doha, and likewise, Qatar opened embassies in those countries.

He added that the Qatari relations with the countries of this bloc are growing steadily thanks to the attention and direction of the leaderships in Qatar and in the bloc's states. The relations have been strengthened through the reciprocal visits made by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Their Excellencies Presidents and officials of Latin American and Caribbean countries, and through dozens of bilateral agreements concluded in all fields following these visits, he explained.

Pointing to the cultural rapprochement between the State of Qatar and the Latin American and Caribbean countries and the presence of a large segment of Arab origins in Latin American countries, HE Al Mahmoud stressed that the diversity of languages; religions and political systems in addition to the population density of nearly seven hundred million people in this bloc, provides opportunities for trade exchange and cultural cooperation as well as a promising environment for investment in all sectors, most importantly industry; development of gas and oil; tourism; sports and health.

He pointed the two sides share the desire to achieve and maintain international peace and security; fight terrorism, poverty, diseases and unemployment; realize human dignity and promote respect for the sovereignty of countries and good neighborliness.

Concluding his speech, HE Speaker of the Shura Council thanked the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament for inviting the Shura Council in Qatar to attend the General Assembly, wishing the meeting success and hoping for further cooperation between the two sides for the benefit of their peoples.

HE the Shura Council Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud and his accompanying delegation, left the Republic of Panama after heading the delegation of the State of Qatar participating in the 35th General Assembly of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament.