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, HE the Speaker of the Advisory Council briefed the Council on his participation in the Development of Parliamentarism International Forum, which was held in Moscow from June 4 to 5 and discussed several important issues for the development of parliamentary work, foremost the role of parliamentarians in enhancing international security, exchanging expertise and benefiting from technology and information technology in the field of parliamentary work.

HE the Advisory Council Speaker also briefed the Council about the outcome of his meetings with HE Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin and HE Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia Ilyas Umakhanov, as well as his meetings with a number of parliamentarians on the sidelines of the Forum where they discussed the parliamentary relations between the State of Qatar and friendly countries and ways od enhancing them.

HE the Speaker of the Advisory Council hailed the understanding showed by the participants of the Forum towards the State of Qatar's position on the unjust siege and its adherence to dialogue as a way to solve problems between States, and their desire to end the siege as soon as possible as it is contrary to international law, human rights principles and good-neighborly relations between States.

The Advisory Council welcomed the outcome of the Development of Parliamentarism International Forum and considered it an important addition to the development of the parliamentary work and the role of parliaments in promoting world peace and respect for human rights, freedom and dignity.

Then, the Advisory Council reviewed the topics on its agenda. The Council discussed a draft law amending some provisions of Law No. (1) of 2016 on the organization of sports clubs. The Council decided to refer the draft law to the Cultural Affairs and Information Committee to study it and report thereon to the Council.

The Advisory Council also discussed a draft law on supporting the competitiveness of national products and combating harmful practices in international trade. The draft law defines harmful practices in international trade, and the aimed national products for support which are the total of what produced in the country for similar products or which accounts for a large proportion Gross National Product (GNP) in the anti-dumping and support investigations.

Under the provisions of the draft law, a committee called the "committee for the support of competitiveness of national products and combating harmful practices in international trade" shall be established in the Ministry of Economy and Commerce. The committee shall be formed by a decision of the Prime Minister and shall include members with expertise in the area of conventions and representatives of the concerned ministries and authorities.

The Advisory Council decided to refer the draft law to the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee to study it and report thereon to the Council.

The Council discussed the report of the Cultural Affairs and Information Committee on a draft law on the protection of Arabic Language, and decided to refer its recommendation thereon to the Cabinet.

Under the draft law, all governmental and non-governmental bodies shall adhere to protecting and promoting the Arabic language in all its activities and events. The draft law stipulates that the legislation of the State shall be drafted in the Arabic language, and that the companies and institutions of commercial, financial, industrial, scientific, recreational and other purposes shall be named Arabic names.

Concluding, the Advisory Council discussed the report of the Services and Public Utilities Committee on the discussions which took place between the Council members and each of HE the President of Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) and HE the President of the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) in the 23rd session held on April 23, 2018 on the work progress in the infrastructure projects being implemented in the country and the achievements done, as well as the plans and programs for the coming period and the obstacles that may hinder the work and ways of addressing them.

The Advisory Council approved the Committe's report and decided to refer its recommendations thereon to the Cabinet.