Shura Council Speaker H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud chairs the closing session of the 49th ordinary session of the Council, which was held via videoconferencing.
Doha: The Shura Council held yesterday via videoconferencing the closing session of the 49th ordinary session, chaired by the Speaker of the Shura Council H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud, at the Council’s headquarters.
On the occasion of the adjournment of the current session and the expiration of the term of the Shura Council tomorrow, the Speaker delivered a speech expressing thanks and appreciation to the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for the confidence and support he gave to the Council, which enabled it to carry out its tasks and perform its role in the service of the country and the citizens.
Al Mahmoud said that the Council studied all the draft laws sent by the esteemed government and made recommendations regarding them, adding that they were important draft laws that directly impact all aspects of life in the country.
He pointed out that among the most important draft laws that the Council studied, discussed, and recommended was a draft law on the election system of the Shura Council and a draft law on the Shura Council.
Thus, the Council contributed to preparing the ground for the elected Shura Council, which election comes as a continuation of the constitutional process and the implementation of the vision of the Amir in developing the Shura approach in the country and expanding popular participation in legislation and oversight.
Since its re-formation in 2017, the Council has been working permanently internally and externally in its past four sessions.
It has reached many important achievements thanks to the members’ efforts and the government’s cooperation, despite the unjust blockade imposed on the country, and the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected and continues to affect all aspects of life, the Speaker said.
Al Mahmoud explained that the Council’s work was not limited to studying and discussing draft laws and giving recommendations on them, as there were sessions through requests for general discussion and suggestions at the Council’s request, which were attended by a number of Their Excellencies the concerned ministers. He added that topics discussed during these sessions varied from economic affairs, health, education, environment, traffic accidents, food security, retirees issues, foreign policy, university education, promoting values, principles, ethics in society, Qatar National Vision 2030, and others.
He emphasised the Council’s pride in its active and effective parliamentary action on the regional and international levels, strengthening Qatar’s relations with many countries, especially in the parliamentary field. These actions resulted in the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) presidency and the transfer of its general secretariat office to Doha. Also, Qatar’s hosting of the Office of Parliamentary Participation in Preventing, Combating Terrorism, its activities covered all parliaments of the world, and Doha hosted the largest international parliamentary event, the 140th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), in April 2019.
The Speaker said that two books have been prepared on the Council’s progress and history, one entitled, “The Shura Council... half a century of giving,” which highlights the Council’s activities since its establishment, and the other book entitled, “Spotlight on the Shura Council: the Council’s achievements during the last four sessions.” He added that the books would be issued and published soon.
On the upcoming phase of the Shura Council, Al Mahmoud said that Qatar is preparing for a new phase with an elected Shura Council after closing this one, which lasted for nearly half a century.
He pointed out that if the closing Council was the stage of establishment, evaluation, and gradual development, then the next is the stage of broader popular participation under the wise leadership and the guidance of inherited norms, morals, values, and traditions. The components for its success are concentrated in consolidating national unity and keeping away from narrow affiliations so that belonging to the homeland is first and last, to its glorious history, prosperous present, and brighter future, with the help of God, he added.
Al Mahmoud thanked the Deputy Speaker of the Council, the observers, and the rapporteurs of its permanent committees in the past four sessions of the Council and the Council members, stressing that they were up to the national responsibility and performed their tasks with honesty, sincerity, and impartiality. He thanked the General Secretariat of the Shura Council for its appreciated efforts, all the Council’s employees and workers, and the honorable citizens for their opinions and suggestions, and the newspapers and media outlets who followed the Council’s sessions and its internal and external activities.
At the end of the session, several Shura Council members expressed their thanks and appreciation to H H the Amir for the trust and care and his wise policy and sound directives.
They also expressed their pride in the significant achievements of the Council during its last four sessions and the great role it played in deepening and consolidating the Shura approach and in supporting the comprehensive renaissance of the country under the wise leadership of H H the Amir.
