QNA
Doha: Chairman of the General Authority of Customs (GAC) H E Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Jamal (pictured) said that celebrating the National Day indicates that the people of Qatar are moving forward, while preserving the era of the forefathers, to complete the process of construction, development, and prosperity.
He added that this is clear in the immortalization of the history of this country’s founding, making it a periodic celebration to link new generations to their history and inform them of the country’s achievements.
Also, instill the values and principles of loving the homeland among citizens and emphasise preserving national unity.
In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) on the occasion of the National Day of the State, the Chairman of the General Authority of Customs said that the day when Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed took over the reins of government in the country is a historic day for this land by all standards.
He added that Qatar, since that day, has been on a continuous development journey towards the future.
Qatar’s progress illustrates the genius and authenticity of this long journey of work and continuous effort that was initiated by the Founder and continued by the great leaders of Qatar who accomplished the desired goal of achieving pride and dignity for everyone who lives in this land.
Al Jamal noted that the National Day celebrations, which sees the interaction of all segments of society in Qatar, indicate this occasion’s role in promoting the values of loyalty and belonging to this land and allowing successive generations to learn about the heritage and mix the past with the present.
The GAC chairman pointed out that the GAC adopted its future plans several years ago based on the State’s focuses as presented in the pillars and objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy (2018-2022).
He added that the GAC has identified strategic goals and projects compatible with the State’s National Development Strategy while focusing on the economic aspect, as the State included the Authority under this sector in its strategic plan.
He explained that the GAC is determined to converge the outcomes of its strategy with the National Development Strategy’s goals to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030.
Through its current strategic plan, he also said that the Authority seeks to develop customs services to create a stimulating investment climate and facilitate trade exchange to ensure the flow of goods and commodities to and from the State.
Furthermore, the Authority seeks to contribute to the success of the State’s efforts in combating terrorist financing and money laundering and raising the efficiency of controlling crimes of smuggling weapons, explosives, narcotics, harmful psychotropic substance, and dangerous matrials, in addition to raising Qatar’s rank in international reports related to indicators of logistical performance, economic competitiveness and the quality of customs services in general.
Al Jamal affirmed that the GAC followed the Ministry of Public Health’s directions and the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management in implementing all precautionary measures to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
He pointed out that one of the most prominent of these measures is implementing the Amiri decision to exempt food commodities and medical materials from customs duties for nine months.
He explained that the GAC cancelled the customs duties imposed on 905 commodities included in the Customs Clearance “Al-Nadeeb” system. He added that these commodities varied from basic food to medical supplies for personal use and household hygiene supplies.
Al Jamal stressed that Qatar proved to the world its ability to withstand the challenges it faces, which gave the country more confidence to continue building its cultural and political model with persistence and boldness.
