Doha 26 March 2018
The Embassy of Bangladesh in Doha observed it's 47th anniversary of Independence and National Day last Monday starting celebrations from flag hoisting at the embassy premises at sun rise.
Present on the occasion were visiting Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr. Dipu Moni, MP and the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Qatar Ashud Ahmed, Embassy officials and large number of expatriate Bangladesh nationals.
After the flag hoisting, special prayer were offered for the eternal peace of the departed souls of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as well as for the continued peace and prosperity of the country.
The messages from President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh were read out.
A discussion meeting on the significance of the Day was arranged at the Embassy premises after the flag hoisting and munajat.
In his speech Ambassador Ashud Ahmed recalled the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for his unique role in the process of liberation of Bangladesh. Addressing to the expatriate community he said that Bangladesh is now graduating from LDC status to the developing nation. He reminded them that traditionally Bangladesh is sending unskilled workers and the need for these unskilled workers in Qatar is likely to be reduced after the 2022 World Cup in Doha. We all have to look for the sectors where skilled workers can find jobs.
He said that we are also taking initiatives to explore other sectors like trade, investment and business. The Embassy is also working to enhance Bangladesh-Qatar bilateal relations through high level visits from both sides, he added.
A program was also arranged at the Bangladesh MHM School & College, Doha, under the patronage of the embassy. Ambassador of Bangladesh hoisted the National Flag and inaugurated the event. In his speech he encouraged the students to devote themselves to pursue their studies to become worthy citizens by taking forward the country and materialize the dream of Bangabandhu.
In the evening of Monday, ambassador Ashud Ahmed hosted a gala dinner reception celebrating Bangladesh National Day at Hotel Grand Hyatt, Doha. It was attend by Dr. Issa Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi, Minister of Administrative Development, labour & Social Affairs of State of Qatar, Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz, Adviser at Emiri Dewan of Qatar, Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatar, Ambassador Ibrahim Yousuf Abdullah Fakhroo, Director of Protocol, Qatar, Khalid Ibrahim AlHamar, Director Assian Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dignitaries, guests and prominent members of Bangladesh Community.
Ambassador Ashud Ahmed paid his gratitude to the leadership of State of Qatar for providing working opportunities to 400,000 Bangladesh community members thus taking care of needs of their dear ones. He lauded and regarded 'Excellent' relations between both the brotherly countries in all sectors including economic and defence sectors.
He said that beside three weekly flights of Bangladesh flag carrier, there are daily three flights of Qatar Airways from Doha to Dhaka and four weekly flights of two private Bangladesh airlines. He said that there are several sectors, where both the countries can cooperate and work together including pharmaceutical, energy, tourism, etc.
A cake cutting ceremony was held after Bangladesh address to the guest followed by a stage performance of traditional dances by 15 students, 2 boys and 13 girls from Bangladesh School Doha
Doha 29 March 2018
Qatar Petroleum has won exploration rights in 4 offshore blocks in Brazil, as part of two bidding consortia.
The winning bids were announced by Brazil’s National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels (ANP) at a public bidding session held today in Rio de Janeiro. Competing bids were submitted to the ANP and the winners were announced throughout the course of public session.
The exploration blocks were offered as part of the Brazil Exploration Bid Round 15, which covered 70 blocks across a wide range of geological basins of which the key areas of interest to QP were the proven, prolific Santos and Campos basins.
Qatar Petroleum won the exploration rights for blocks 789 and 753 in the Campos basin as part of a consortium comprising affiliates of ExxonMobil (Operator with a 40% interest), Petrobras (30% interest), and Qatar Petroleum (30% interest).
Qatar Petroleum also won the exploration rights for blocks 536 and 647 in the Santos basin as part of a consortium comprising affiliates of ExxonMobil (Operator with a 64% interest), and Qatar Petroleum (36% interest).
Commenting on these results, Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the President & CEO of Qatar Petroleum, said: “We are pleased with the outcome of the bid round, which has enabled an expansion of our footprint in Brazil, in one of the most prospective basins in the world. This successful result is the second in six months, and constitutes an important achievement in executing our strategy of creating a large scale, value-adding international portfolio, while pursuing Latin America as an important core area for Qatar Petroleum."
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Brazilian authorities for promoting a transparent and efficient process, and our consortia partners Petrobras and ExxonMobil for excellent collaboration on this opportunity. We look forward to working with our partners to create long-term, sustainable economic value for the project stakeholders,” Mr. Al-Kaabi concluded.
The relevant legal agreements, including the concession agreements, are expected to be signed between the Brazilian authorities and the consortia members by November this year.
This is the second winning Qatar Petroleum bid in Brazil. In October 2017, Qatar Petroleum was part of a winning consortium with Shell, and China National Offshore Oil Corporation for exploration in the Alto de Cabo Frio-Oeste block in the prolific Santos hydrocarbon basin offshore Brazil. The block was offered as part of Brazil's 3rd production sharing bidding round, which covered 4 blocks located in the "pre-salt polygon" region in the Santos and Campos basins: Pau Brasil, Peroba, Alto de Cabo Frio-Oeste, and Alto de Cabo Frio-Central.
Doha 27 March 2018
A two-week long Festival of Food has started at Lulu outlets yesterday in the region offering the shoppers an opportunity to embark on the appetizing journey through the diverse array of unique flavors. This is the 16th consecutive year that Lulu Hypermarket is organizing the Food Festival. While the festival offers the shoppers a relishing experience, it includes a wide range of activities aimed at educating the customers about different food habits, and to give them insights into various cooking styles and ingredients that goes in to various cuisines.
As part of the Food Festival, the sought-after ‘Big Chef Cookery Contest’ will also be held on April 7th. Customers who wish to participate in the contest can do so by just filling up an entry form with details about the name of the recipe, list of ingredients used and the method of preparation. A panel of judges will evaluate the dishes and will decide the winner based on the various norms viz., appearance, taste, aroma and innovation of the recipe.
Other major attractions of the festival are Rice N’ Spice Festival, Biriyani Fest, Kebab Fest, Cheese Fest and Salad Fest etc.
Eminent South Indian TV fame Kalesh and Matthewkutty will visit the shoppers at Lulu outlets during the festival days.
The live cooking demo on various specialties and delicacies will impart great learning experience for the discerning home-chefs and connoisseurs, who love to dive in to innovations in the art of cooking. During the session, valuable tips on how to prepare special dishes within the stipulated time-frame with consistency and flavor will be shared by the eminent chefs.
Lulu hypermarket outlets will be abuzz with activities, such as live cooking demos, free sampling sessions, cookery contests, and exhibitions, throughout this period. Customers can avail special discounts and offers on ready-to eat items, viz., pastries, bread, fresh food products and lot more. The festival will showcase the best culinary treats from around the world and the customers will have the opportunity to participate in the activities and raffle promotions, and win fabulous prizes.
Special in-store sampling counters have been set at the Fresh Food area, offering customers the opportunity to sample a variety of foods on display.
As part of the festival, an innovative promotion of ‘1500 Free Trolleys with Lulu’ will be run for 17 consecutive days, whereby shoppers will have the surprise of getting their trolley full of items absolutely free while checking out through the point of sale.
Shoppers will receive a raffle coupons on purchase of any Mars Chocolate worth Qr.20.00 Get a chance to Win Lulu GV worth Qr.90,000. from any of the Lulu hypermarkets in Qatar. Apart from this get a chances to win a jeep wrangler through purchase of any of pringles products worth QR 15 To get a coupon for the raffle draw. The draw will be held on April 28th.
Also Half Pay Back Promotion on Readymade Garments, Sarees, Churdars, Footwear, Ladies Bags, Baby Accessories and selected Sunglasses will be run until 14th April.
An official spokesman of the Lulu Group commented that “We at Lulu always find ways to get connected with our large customer base. The food festival will be the best time for our customers to enjoy the ambience, excellent food, and entertainment as well as grab lucrative offers. We have worked out huge discounts and stunning offers to surprise the shoppers”.
“The cookery contest will serve as a great platform to encourage the art of cooking among budding chefs. So, whether you’re a serious foodie or just curious to know more about food, this is the right time to explore and enjoy a feast of the world’s best gastronomic delights prepared by the finest chefs,” he added.
Lulu Hypermarkets have always set the best example of how to provide customers with the best shopping experience and maximum value for money. Lulu stores take pride in catering to every need of its customers at all seasons. The special offers and exclusive seasonal promotions are part of Lulu Hypermarket’s initiative to continuously bring the best of the world to their customers.
Doha 27 March 2018
The 23rd General Assembly of International Civil Defense Organization (ICDO) concluded at Sheraton Doha.
THE General Assembly, having considered the Decision 14 of the 50th session of the Executive Council, unanimously approved the extension for a second term, of the mandate of Dr. Vladimir Kuvshinov as Secretary-General, and the mandate of Mr. Belkacem Elketroussi as Deputy Secretary-General.
In an exclusive meeting with www.asiantelegraphqatar.com, Dr. Vladimir Kuvshinov, Secretary General ICDO lauded the role of Qatar towards the development of World body. He said that 12o participants from 41 member states of ICDO witnesses the importance of the conference being hosted by ICDO member State of Qatar in Doha.
He said that during conference, we will be discussing into further developing of some of the administrative areas of the organization as well as how to support development of member states Civil defense organizations, further development of harmony among the members and some of the professional issues.
He said that all these participants are representing their governments, I understand that Qatar has most modern equipment and a very good system and professional staff. Kuvshinov said that participants will be learning from the experience and policies/program being adopted by Qatar in any disaster situation and the security provided to it's people.
ICDO Secretary General said that it was an opportunity to the participants also to see Qatar's culture and traditions during their stay.
In an exclusive interview, Staff Brigadier Abdullah Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of Civil Defence of State of Qatar said that participation of such a large number of delegations from member states shows importance of ICDO conference at Doha. He said that other than ICDO meetings, on the side a joint exercise in situation of any disaster is also arranged at Ras Laffan area in which seven countries will be participating, however, participating delegates in this conference will be watching this exercise.
On a question of www.asiantelegraphqatar.com on the general challenges being faced by his organization and the member states, Secretary General ICDO said that Civil Defense organizations in all the countries are playing important role in the national security of their country. They have responsibility to protect their population from any national disaster and 21st Century is facing number of challenges from natural disasters to environment protection issues which is a challenge to the sustainable development of the country.
He said that strength of civil defense helps in protecting the people and sustainability of country's development. ICDO Secretary General said that ICDO is developing numerous awareness programs to involve general public and in this way, we including State of Qatar do celebrate each year on 1st of March World Civil Defense Day.
On the sideline of the ICDO conference, Maj. Gen. Dato Azmy bin HJ, Yahya, Chief Commissioner, Malaysian Civil Defence Force said in an exclusive interview that he hopes that Qatar will continue supporting ICDO with it's valuable funding since it is playing significant role in the development of the organization.
He said that Doha conference has its importance and he believes that conference will achieve it's objectives successfully. He said that presence of Prime Minister and Interior Minister of Qatar in conference this morning witnesses seriousness of Qatar in the development of ICDO.
Maj. Gen. Azmy said that Civil Defence Departments main role is to assist general public in keeping safety specially at the time of natural disasters. He stressed that members of the general public must volunteer themselves in their countries and assist Civil Defence Departments in time of need.
Dong hwan Park, Head of the Republic of Korea delegation from Emergency Preparedness Policy Bureau said that Qatar is playing a vital role as front state in the Middle East in the development of ICDO. Park said that he was very happy to be part of the Doha conference. This conference is important to learn from each others experiences in disaster situation.
Doha 26 March 2018
Qatar Museums (QM) announced today that it is launching a call for objects from the local community to be included in the forthcoming National Museum of Qatar.
A limited number of the local community will have the privilege of showcasing historic objects and artefacts belonging to them that will be featured as exhibits within the wider museum.
Opening officially in December 2018, the National Museum of Qatar tells the story of the people of Qatar, giving voice to the country’s rich heritage and history whilst celebrating its future.
The museum represents one of the most significant cultural projects in the country and also one of the most ambitious museum projects of its kind, anywhere in the world.
It will celebrate Qatar’s culture by preserving and reconnecting visitors and residents with the country’s traditions. In this way, the museum is the physical manifestation of Qatar’s proud identity, connecting the country’s history with its diverse and cosmopolitan present.
Exhibitions will combine historic objects and contemporary influences, opening up a dialogue around the impact of rapid change. Innovative presentation techniques will excite audiences and push boundaries.
The museum will be a thriving hub for the public, students, and museum professionals. It will redefine the role of a cultural institution, fostering a spirit of participation and providing the conditions for discovery to thrive.
The museum’s structure surrounds the Old Palace of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Jassim Al Thani. The Old Palace, a former Royal Residence and seat of government, was converted into the original National Museum of Qatar in 1975. It is one of most recognisable landmarks in the country and serves as a monument to a historic way of life in Qatar. The palace has a unique historical significance for the country and will be a fitting central exhibit within the National Museum when it opens.
Commenting on the donation drive, Sheikha Amna bint Abdulaziz bin Jassim Al-Thani, Director of the National Museum of Qatar, said: “The National Museum will be a source of pride for our entire nation. With this donation drive we’re providing a unique opportunity for selected members of the local community to play their part in helping tell the story of the country’s past, present and future. We’re excited to see just how varied and unusual the various belongings and objects we receive are.”
The National Museum symbolises Qatar’s commitment to developing cultural spaces that develop, promote and sustain a thriving cultural sector and build a national spirit of participation.
It also demonstrates the efforts that Qatar Museums is undertaking in fulfilling the cultural goals of the 2030 Qatar National Vision, contributing to a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure for Qatar and helping to build a diversified, knowledge-based economy.
Individuals interested in making a donation should contact the National Museum of Qatar team on 5571 4513 or alwatani@qm.org.qa.
Muscat, Oman 26 March 2018
Qatar Petroleum has joined the largest gathering of oil & gas companies in the Sultanate of Oman with a strong presence at the 11th Oil & Gas West Asia (OGWA) Exhibition & Conference.
The OGWA Exhibition, which is held under the auspices of Oman’s Ministry of Oil and Gas, was inaugurated on Sunday by Mohammed bin Al Zubair, Advisor to the Sultan of Oman for Economic Planning Affairs, at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre in Muscat.
Mohammed bin Al Zubair visited Qatar Petroleum’s exhibition stand together with other top government officials and VIPs, where they were briefed on the Corporation’s history as well as some of its most important achievements in the oil and gas industry, as well as on its expanding upstream footprint across the globe.
Qatar Petroleum is taking part in the event along with Qatar Chemical and Petrochemical Marketing and Distribution Company (Muntajat), which serve as the gateway to Qatar’s exports of chemicals and petrochemicals products.
The three-day exhibition is held until Wednesday, March 28, and includes on its sidelines a conference on enhanced oil recovery techniques, which was inaugurated on Sunday by Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhi, Oman’s Minister of Oil and Gas.
QP’s participation at OGWA 2018 comes a few months after the corporation entered into an agreement with Eni of Italy to acquire a 30% participating in the Contractor’s interest under the exploration and production sharing agreement for Block 52 offshore Sultanate of Oman. The agreement was signed in November 2017 by Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Qatar Petroleum President & CEO, in the presence of Oman’s Minister of Oil and Gas.
Qatar and Oman also have close links in the oil and gas industry through the Dolphin Gas Project, which processes up to 2 billion standard cubic feet per day of natural gas from Qatar’s North Field. The gas is then transported by pipeline and distributed to customers in the United Arab Emirates and in the Sultanate of Oman.
Moscow 26 March 2018 (AlJazeera News)
Qatar Airways is set to buy a 25 percent share in Russia's Vnukovo International Airport, one of the four major airports which serves the capital, Moscow.
Akbar al-Baker, the national carrier's chief executive, made the announcement on Monday, according to a report by Russia's news agency Interfax.
The deal - the financial details of which were not yet disclosed - comes as Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad AlThani is on a short work visit to Moscow.
A spokesperson for Qatar Airways told Reuters news agency on Monday that a memorandum of understanding to buy the minority stake had been signed, with the deal expected to be finalised in eight weeks.
The Vnukovo Airport, which is located southwest of Moscow, is the third-busiest airport in the country by passenger traffic.
Earlier this month, al-Baker said Qatar Airways will report a "very large loss" in the current fiscal year because of a regional political dispute that has slapped restrictions on the airline.
Qatar's national carrier lost access to 18 cities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, and Bahrain when those countries imposed a blockade on the country last June, accusing Qatar of supporting "terrorism". Qatar denies the charges.
In other developments on Monday, Qatar's emir met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The wars in Yemen and Syria and the situation in Palestine were expected to be on the agenda of the bilateral meeting.
On the sidelines of Sheikh Tamim's visit, Qatar Airways also sealed a five-year partnership with Cosmoscow, Russia's only international contemporary art fair.
Doha 25 March 2018
Nurmakhmad Kholov, Ambassador of Russia to the State of Qatar issued a statement before the departure of Emir of Qatar to Russia on the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The statement reads
' In recent years, Russia-Qatari cooperation has stepped up on a much higher level. This concerns the entire range of topics: from political, trade-economic to humanitarian, and scientific. This is confirmed by the constant contacts of the leaders of our states - President Vladimir Putin and Emir Of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad AlThani, heads of foreign and defense ministries, as well as the work of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.
We are now on the right track: we establish and develop contacts in various spheres. The year 2018 is the Year of Culture between Russia and Qatar. It will provide us an opportunity to not only intensify humanitarian cooperation, but will also increase the flow of tourists to our countries, strengthen economic ties, and open new opportunities for cooperation in new directions.
During the last 2 years, we have noticeably stepped up contacts through defense ministries. Our defense ministers have signed an agreement on military and cooperation. State Minister for Defense of Qatar Dr. Khaled Al-Attiyah has visited Russia twice at the invitation of his Russian colleague to participate in the military-technical exhibition "Army". In October 2017 Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu held an official visit to Qatar, during which was signed an Agreement on military-technical cooperation.
As it’s known, Russia and Qatar are the countries that host the World Cups in 2018 and 2022. In this area there is a close interaction between the Organizing Committees "Russia-2018" and "Qatar-2022". We are pleased with the fruitful cooperation with our Qatari partners through national football unions, sharing our experience in the field of ensuring the safety of sport events, as well as in the training of athletes and the development of sport medicine.
We can say that Russia is a reliable partner of Doha both in matters of bilateral and international cooperation. So it’s understandable that Qatar rely on our assistance to the fastest resolution of this crisis. Numerous consultations are held between President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the Emir Tamim Al Thani, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar and Foreign Minister M. Al-Thani, and personal contacts are constantly maintained.
We intend to maintain the achieved level of development of our bilateral relations, filling it with new content.' Unquote
Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad AlThani arrived in Moscow today, Reuters News Agency from Moscow reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin is to meet the Emir of Qatar in Moscow on March 26, the Kremlin said in a statement on Friday.
The two will discuss the development of Russian-Qatari relations, as well as international and regional issues, according to the statement.
AlJazeera News says that Emir of Qatar is accompanied with ministers of finance, foreign relations, energy, and culture, along with a number of other officials,. It also reported that on the sidelines of official meetings, Qatar Petroleum and state-controlled Russian oil company Rosneft are expected to discuss possible contracts, and Qatar Airways will also sign a cooperation agreement with Rosaviatsia, Russia's federal air transport agency.
Doha 25 March 2018
43,000 visitors headed to the Aspire Park over the weekend, 23-24 March, to watch the spectacular 2nd Aspire Lake Festival, which lit up the sky at Aspire Park and its lake with the most beautiful colours and fireworks displays, which could be seen from miles.
The event’s huge popularity on the first day prompted Aspire Zone Festival (AZF) to expand the number of spectator stands from five thousand seats to eight thousand, almost double what the organisers initially expected, in response to requests made from the visitors and social media users.
In keeping with AZF’s role to support small business owners, AZF also provided a platform for Qatari small business entrepreneurs to showcase their products to festival-goers in the Park. Sales from their products throughout the festival amounted to more than one million QAR.
The event was organised by Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF), in partnership with Ooredoo, Qatar Airways, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, and Katara.
It was directed by French artist, Christophe Berthonneau.
Doha 25 March 2018
The 51st Executive Council Meeting and 23rd General Assembly of International Civil Defense Organization (ICDO) will kick off on Monday, with the presence of ministers and senior officials from 48 countries specialized in emergencies and civil defense.
The three-day event will discuss a number of topics related to the organization's line of work, its development, internal laws and future plans. This will contribute to promoting joint global work in the field of civil defense and protecting lives and properties. The event will witness a field exercise by General Directorate of Civil Defense in collaboration with Search and Rescue team of Lekhwiya at Ras Laffan Emergency College.
Brig. Abdullah Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of General Directorate of Civil Defense , in a meeting with Secretary General of ICDO Dr. Vladimir Kuvshinov and Deputy Secretary General Belkacem Elketroussi, said the session will be one of the most prominent events held by the organization, due to the vital and important issues being discussed, which positively reflects on the upcoming phase.
Al Suwaidi said the event will include a field exercise by General Directorate of Civil Defense in collaboration with Search and Rescue team of Lekhwiya with the participation of all the specialized entities in the country. He added that the exercise aims to highlight the great capabilities of the State of Qatar in the humanitarian field and will be attended by seven observer countries which are Singapore, Turkey, India, Australia, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan.
Al Suwaidi highlighted the great number of attendees from the member states adding that the exceptional attendance demonstrates Qatar's international standing and its leading role in promoting international action and credibility in international forums and its outstanding contributions to rescue and humanitarian work.
On his part, the Secretary General of ICDO valued the hosting of the event by the State of Qatar amidst the attendance of ministries and senior officials from ministries and entities specialized in civil defense and civil protection from the member states in the executive council and the general assembly, in addition to the observers. He added that the meetings will be one of the most important events in the history of the organization and humanitarian action in general.
Kuvshinov added that the meeting will be a platform to exchange ideas and joint expertise to develop the mechanisms of civil defense in member states. It will also give a chance to the attendees to take a close look at the civil defense facilities in Qatar and its great potential in this field, expressing his confidence that the meetings would be fruitful and qualitative in the organization's path.
On his part, Deputy Secretary General Belkacem Elketroussi described the event as a historical meeting, as it is held for the first time in the Arab region, and will discuss modernization of the organization's internal law and it is expected to be approved in Doha and will be named after it. He added that Doha's request to host the event was endorsed by member states at the Geneva meeting last year.
Elketroussi referred to the high level attendance of the event comprised of civil defense and emergency ministers, senior officials, officers and directors-generals of the member states of the organization. This came due to the facilities provided by Qatar, and the topics discussed by the participants which is related to developing the organization's work, he added.
The ICDO was founded in 1931 and includes 57 states in the General Assembly, 17 Observer States and 23 Affiliated Members of international bodies or corporations.
It is an intergovernmental organization with the objective to contribute to the development by states of structures ensuring the protection and assistance of population and safeguarding property and the environment from natural or man-made disasters.
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