The Shura Council State of Qatar

The Shura Council held its regular session today in its 48th session, following social distancing gudelines. The meeting was chaired by H.E. Mr. Ahmed Bin Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud, Speaker of the Council.

 H. E. the Speaker of the Shura Council opened the session, praising the high directives of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, "May Allah save him", for provision of medical assistance to more than 20 countries around the world, as part of the humanitarian solidarity to combat the Corona pandemic (Coved-19), in addition to the financial assistance provided by the State of Qatar to multilateral health care institutions involved in the development of vaccines, and to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi).
 His Excellency praised the efforts of the esteemed Government and its measures to deal with the Corona pandemic and the actions of the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management, as well as the efforts of all ministries and agencies of the the country, especially the Ministry of Public Health. These efforts, thanks to Almighty God and to the awareness and cooperation of all members of the society, have resulted in the start of surpassing the peak phase of the outbreak of the virus and the decline of its spread, thus gradually led to the lifting of the restrictions imposed to combat it and reduce its health, economic and social effects.

Then H.E. Mr. Ahmed Bin Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud referred to the special session held by the Council on the epidemic, and the proposals and recommendations issued to the esteemed government to contribute to its efforts to combat the coronavirus and to reduce its spread. 
The Council then continued to consider its agenda items by discussing a draft law to amend some provisions of Law No. 12 of 2006 on the Cancelled Municipality of Mesaieed. 
The Council discussed the report of its Public Services and Utilities Committee on a draft law to amend some provisions of Law No. 1 of 1986 on the Registration of Pharmaceutical Companies and Their Products.  Under the draft law, the Ministry of Public Health may authorize governmental health institutions to import and trade in medicines that are not registered in the country. Such institutions are specified and the conditions for importing medicines are issued by a decision by the Minister of Public Health. The Council also discussed the report of its Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee on a draft law to amend some provisions of Law No. 12 of 1998 on Regulations of the Central Municipal Council. 
After the due debate, the Council approved the three draft laws and decided to refer them together with the Council's recommendations thereon to the esteemed Government. 
The Council further discussed the report of its Joint Committee combing the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee and the Cultural and Media Affairs Committee on a draft law regulating the Press, Publications, Publishing, Media Activities and the Arts. 

The draft law contains (74) articles distributed over (12) chapters and contains provisions relating to the organization of the press, media, printing and publishing houses, circulation and distribution of publications, film and theatre houses, artistic production, private broadcasting stations, advertising activities, public relations and information services offices. 
After extensive discussions of the draft law, the Council decided to return it to the Joint Committee for further study and to submit a supplementary report thereon to the Council.