Doha, 07 July 2022 (QT)

By Ashraf Siddiqui

As a well-developed and well experienced city, Busan is well placed to host World Expo 2030 and the Republic of Korea is keen and anxious to organise the event there, the country’s ambassador to Qatar Lee Joon-Ho, has said.

The more than 1,500 year-old port city of Busan is the second largest city of South Korea, the 5th largest MICE city in Asia, and the 13th largest on the world level, the envoy pointed out. Moreover, according to UIA 2019 statistics, the municipality of Busan has a rich experience of hosting as many as 239 international conferences and has outstanding talent and exhibition infrastructure, he added.

In an exclusive interview with Qatar Tribune, the envoy said that Republic of Korea’s President Yoon Seok-Youl, central government headed by Prime Minister Han Duck-Soo, the people of Busan, the local government, executive, the national legislature, as well as the business community will all engage as a team in the wholehearted efforts to achieve the aim.

He expressed hope that all BIE member states will vote in favour of Republic of Korea’s candidacy in view of its great profile and achievements. Talking about the significance of Busan as host city as presented to BIE, a platform of 170 member-states, the envoy said the city is a major cultural hub of the region. “It is a city of festivals, arts and films, which has continued to successfully host a variety of events such as the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), the Busan Fireworks Festival, the One Asia Festival, a global K-pop music festival, and the Busan Biennale, a biannual contemporary art exhibition,” he said.

“Busan’s environment is remarkable for its harmonious relationship among its natural elements like mountains, rivers and sea. The city is blessed with a number of hot springs scattered throughout its geography. “Moreover, it has been Korea’s main point of interaction with the outside world for more than 1,500 years for trade and cultural exchanges.

”The city also laid the foundation of Korea’s economic progress and development as well as the growth of its companies after the Korean War. Its coastline features superb beaches, scenic cliffs and mountains, offering excellent hiking trails and extraordinary viewing spots. Busan enjoys four distinct seasons and a temperate climate that never gets too hot or too cold.

He said that the city’s natural endowments and rich history have resulted in Busan’s increasing reputation as a world class city for tourism and culture. As such, it is becoming renowned as a hot spot destination for international conventions.

The Republic of Korea submitted its letter of candidature for World Expo 2030 to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in June last year. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Italy have also their candidature dossiers so far. Interested countries have time to submit their intention until 7 September, 2022.

BIE will then organise Enquiry Missions to assess the feasibility and viability of the projects submitted by the candidate countries. The host country will be elected on the principle of one-country-one-vote by the 170 BIE member states.

Korean envoy Lee said that Busan as host city to the 2030 mega world event will provide an opportunity to all participants to recognise global challenges and give thought to the environment and new ways of life for humankind. He said that the port city of Busan, which was at the center of the Korean transformation, will set a new course toward a better tomorrow for the earth and humanity.

Lee said that Busan being gateway city in Northeast Asia is accessible via airport, railway, roads and ports. The city has unparalleled experience of hosting the 2002 Asian Games, 2005 APEC Summit, 2014 and 2019 Korea-ASEAN Special Summit, 2015 IDB Annual Meeting among many other large scale international events. The world’s largest meeting place aims to educate the public, promote progress and foster cooperation.

The World Expo is one of the largest international festivals besides the World Cup and the Olympics. Hosting an expo is estimated to create economic effects worth 61 trillion won (US$47.1 billion), according to a study reported by Korean official news agency Yanhop.

Talking about Qatar-South Korean bilateral relations, Ambassador Lee said that since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations on April 18, 1974, the two countries have developed a relationship centred on cooperation in energy and construction. “Qatar is our largest and trusted natural gas supplier and has been supplying natural gas to Korea uninterruptedly for the past 20 years. However, there are various other avenues, where both Qatar and Republic of Korea can cooperate and enhance their relations to much higher levels,” the envoy stressed.

He said that in June 2020, a contract was signed between the three biggest shipbuilding companies in Korea and Qatar, which led to the largest LNG ship construction ever.

Lee said that Qatar is also one of our eight major overseas construction markets, and you can see architectural masterpieces by Korean companies in Qatar including the fascinating Qatar National Museum and the Lusail Plaza Tower, which will be the landmark of the 2022 World Cup.

Lee said that bilateral trade during first quarter of 2022 was recorded over US$ 6.5 billion in which around US$ 172 m worth of exports were from South Korea including marine offshore structures and parts, cars, steel plates, construction machinery and synthetic resin.

Among the exports from Qatar to South Korea were natural gas, crude oil, petrochemical products, nitrogen fertilizer, aluminum and chemical raw materials.

He expressed his deep appreciation of Qatar’s role and various activities on the international stage. It has served as a mediator to promote regional peace, mediating in negotiations between the U.S. and Taliban, mediating in conflicts and crisis in Sudan and Yemen, and most recently, in contacts between Iran and US with the mediation of European Union.

Doha, 06 July 2022 (Qatar Tribune)

By Ashraf Siddiqui

Algerian people achieved the freedom of their homeland after long years of persistence, determination, enormous sacrifices and heroic efforts, as they resisted oppression, coercion and extermination by the French colonialists, the Ambassador of Algeria to Qatar Dr Mustefa Boutora has said.

Algeria achieved its sovereignty 60 years ago on 5th July 1962.

At a reception hosted by him at Diplomatic Club recently, the Algerian ambassador paid tributes to the millions of martyrs who sacrificed their lives during more than 132 years of the struggle for Independence.

Those present on the occasion included Minister of State and President of Qatar National Library, Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwadi; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi; ambassador Abdulla Al-Jaber, Director of African Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ambassador Ibrahim Yousif Fakhro, Director of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ali Ibrahim Ahmed, Ambassador of Eritrea and Dean of diplomatic Corps, ambassadors, members of the media, members of the Algerian community, and guests.

Dr. Boutora said that despite the difficulties and challenges after attaining independence, the country has moved on sustainable path of development and modernization with major political reforms, adoption of Constitution and ambitious leadership.

The Algerian envoy said the country’s leadership believes in investing in human development, education and health. Algeria ranks 7th in Arab world and 91st in the world as per 2022 UN Development Index, a result of the great efforts of public authorities.

There are 66 universities, 47 national institutes, 29,000 educational institutions country wide (20,000 primary schools, 6,000 preparatory schools and 3,000 high schools) with more than 11 million students, with an annual budget of $1 billion (2022).

Dr Boutora said that country has around 400 hospitals and thousands of neighborhood health institutions, having an annual budget of $3.1 billion (2022). In addition to free education, health and social housing, the Algerian state pays close attention to providing a decent living to its citizens, with a very large budget for social transfers and assistance to low-income people, which in 2022 amounted to nearly $12.5 billion.

He said that the government assists young people financially and administratively to set up their own private institutions with qualitative support (interest-free loans, tax exemptions, free agricultural and industrial real estate plots etc.). On the economic front, the government encourages partnerships with global institutions and to attract foreign investments in a profit-winning format to promote sustainable national development, particularly in sectors including industry, agriculture and tourism. The non-petrochemical sector is estimated to generate a revenue of $7 billion by the end of the year.

Talking about bilateral relations between Qatar and Algeria, Dr Boutora said the two brotherly countries have excellent ties based on friendliness and mutual respect and the leaderships of the two countries are in constant consultation.

He said the recent visits by leaders of both countries have opened a new chapter in bilateral relations, including state visits by President Abdul Majid Tabun to Qatar in February 2022, earlier visit in same month by the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the visit on 25 June to participate in the opening ceremony of the Mediterranean games. “These relations are further strengthened by the signing of many cooperation agreements in various fields such as the further investment in expansion of Algerian-Qatari Steel Company (BELARA) Complex, moving to the second phase of production of 4 million tons/year; and in the telecommunication sector with the total investment of around $2 billion, makes Qatar the largest investor from Arab countries in Algeria.

”The agreements include MoUs in the fields of higher education, scientific research, and technology with second executive program 2022-2025; MoU for cooperation, exchange of experiences in the family sector and social development; MoU to establish periodic Joint political consultations at the foreign ministers level, he added

Doha, 11 July 2022 (Doha News)

By Oscar Leon Gonzalez

With questions on Cuba frequently directed at him, the Cuban Ambassador to Qatar writes on the places one should visit upon traveling to the charming island.

The Cuban archipelago covers a land area of 109,886.19 km2, of which 107,466.92 km2 make up the island of Cuba – the largest territory -, and 2,419.27 km2 the Isle of Youth and the rest of the surrounding cays.

Its coastline stretches along more than six thousand kilometers, boasting over 600 beaches. Its capital is Havana, located in the country’s western part.

The island is located in the Caribbean Sea and lies close to several countries such as the Bahamas, Haiti, the United States, Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

It has a tropical climate that alternates between rainy and dry periods, with a pleasant temperature that prevails most of the year, of which the average values range from 24 °C in the plains, to 26 °C and higher along the eastern coasts.

Cuban flora is extraordinarily rich in species, with some 11,000 species reported. Out of this, 6,300 species are endemic (slightly more than 50%), and of these, 4,500 are dicotyledonous plants. 

The country features several mountain ranges, with the highest elevation at the eastern end – the Pico Turquino – rising some 1974 meters above sea level, and forming part of the Sierra Maestra, an emblematic place in history of Cuba. This area witnessed the main operations of the Rebel Army that, under the leadership of Fidel Castro Ruz, led the Cuban Revolution to its triumph on 1st January, 1959.

For those who wish to learn about Cuba’s rich history, several of the best destinations are located in eastern Cuba, in the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguín, and Guantánamo.

There, you can visit, the place where Cuba’s national hero José Julián Martí Pérez died in combat, marked by an obelisk that stands in the town of Dos Ríos; in addition to the farm La Demajagua in Manzanillo, where the long road to Cuba’s independence began on October 10th, 1868, or the historic complex of Birán, the birthplace of brothers Fidel and Raúl Castro Ruz, which is now a national monument.

World Heritage Sites

Probably few people in Qatar are aware that Cuba is home to the highest number of World Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO in the insular Caribbean.

In total, there are nine cultural and natural heritage sites. The first of these is the Old Havana and its Fortifications system, which was inscribed in the list in 1982.

It is an area rich in historical and cultural treasures where Cubans and foreigners like to go. Visitors will find there, among other attractions, military fortifications built in past centuries or the famous Floridita restaurant and Ambos Mundos hotel, which owe much of their fame to the renowned American writer Ernest Hemingway, who was a regular at the former and used to live in the latter.

In 1988, UNESCO granted the same recognition to Trinidad and the Valle de los Ingenios, where you can experience a trip back to times gone by (16^th to 19^th centuries).

The buildings and streets are kept in the best style of their era, although the hostels, mostly privately owned, boast all the modern comforts. In the surrounding valley are preserved ruins of powerful sugar mills recalling the times when Cuba was the world’s biggest sugar exporter.

Seven other sites were listed in the following decade, namely: San Pedro de la Roca Castle in Santiago de Cuba (1997); Desembarco del Granma National Park (1999); Viñales Valley (1999); Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee Plantations in the South-East of Cuba (2000); Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (2001); Urban Historic Center of Cienfuegos (2005); and Historic Centre of Camagüey (2008).

Visitors will find a variety of elements that distinguish the Cuban archipelago in all the sites aforementioned. Like the green landscapes, beautiful waterfalls, a history marked by national and foreign events, the imprint of immigration, and best of all – the hospitality and friendship of the Cuban people.

The Viñales Valley deserves special mention, a fascinating site with unique geological formations in the Caribbean.

The quality of this cultural landscape is enhanced by the vernacular architecture of its farms and villages, where a rich multi-cultural society survives, whose architecture, crafts and music illustrate the cultural development of Cuba and the islands of the Caribbean. It preserves traditional forms of agricultural work, particularly tobacco farming. So those who choose to visit the Valley will enjoy a mix of unforgettable experiences, including dishes of Cuban cuisine.

Everything written so far is just a summary of a few places to visit in Cuba. There are many other attractions which I refrain from mentioning in the interest of keeping this article short.

Those who like sun and sand should not miss the opportunity to dive into the transparent and beautiful waters of Varadero, one of the most famous beaches in the world located just 145 km away from Havana, which is approximately a two-hour drive.

I would further recommend an iconic place of the last 63 years of Cuban history, the Revolution Square in Havana.

There, generations of Cubans have gathered for years to listen to Fidel Castro’s speeches and bear witness to their support for the Revolution.

There also, His Highness the Father Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, delivered a moving farewell speech to his friend Fidel before a million people during the funeral of the leader of the Cuban Revolution. 

I hope that this modest article may contribute to a greater exchange of visitors between Cuba and Qatar thereby consolidating the excellent relations of brotherhood between the two countries.

Mr. Oscar León González is the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to the State of Qatar.

Doha, 10 July 2022 (QT)

By Ashraf Siddiqui

SULTAN bin Hassan Al Jamali, Secretary-General of National Human Rights Committee of Qatar, recently held a series of meetings with senior Turkish officials, including those from the country’s human rights institutions during his two day official visit to Turkey.

The dignitaries with whom Sultan bin Hassan Al Jamali held meetings included Hakan Cavusoglu, president, Turkish Grand National Assembly; Zaki Yigit, chairman, State Council, the highest administrative court in Republic of Turkey; Sharif Malkoj, head, Board of Grievances; Dr Cagatay Ozdemir, deputy director, Directorate of Communications; Prof Muharrem Qalyash, chairman, Turkish Human Rights Committee and Ombudsman Institution, a constitutional public entity affiliated with Turkish Grand National Assembly.

The sides discussed ways to develop training tools and enhance the use of competencies and expertise. Besides, they exchanges experiences in areas of cooperation like organising programmes and activities.

Al-Jamali stressed the need to strengthen cooperation with the Board of Grievances’ secretaries, in spreading the culture of human rights among union members, as well as to introduce the rights and roles of the Board of Grievances’ secretaries.

He gave a brief overview of the National Human Rights Committee and its functions, and the laws that supported its promulgation in the country. Al-Jamali also briefed the other side on NHRC Qatar’s experience in receiving the grievances and complaints and coordinating with the concerned authorities to resolve the issues.

He also spoke about conducting visits to places of detention and the recommendations to the government. He also stressed the importance of building bridges of communication with different nationalities working in State of Qatar by establishing their offices at its headquarters in Doha as well as directly dealing with
their issues.

These practices have helped in the preparation of recommendations to ensure human rights compatibility with international standards. They have also helped in raising and spreading awareness of cultureof human rights, especially for law enforcement personnel.

The Secretary-General of the National Human Rights Committee of Qatar also spoke about the contributions of NHRC with regards to the national legislation under Decrees 40 and 41 (of 2018) regarding the accession of the State of Qatar to the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the establishment of a special committee to study national legislation in light of the ratification on the covenants.

Al-Jamali talked about the extensive labour law reforms as well as about the establishment of the Labour Dispute Resolution Committee (March 2018) to speed up work.

Islamabad,  06 July 2022 (Express Tribune)

Pakistan has slashed the armed forces development programme by Rs72 billion or one-fifth of the allocation made on June 10 in order to meet a major condition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about achieving primary budget surplus in the new fiscal year.

Doha, 05 July 2022

QatarEnergy announced the selection of Shell plc. as partner in the North Field East (NFE) expansion project, the single largest project in the history of the LNG industry.

The partnership agreement was signed today in a ceremony at QatarEnergy’s headquarters in Doha, by Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, and Ben van Beurden. Present on the occasion were senior executives from both companies.

Pursuant to the agreement, QatarEnergy and Shell will become partners in a new joint venture company (JV), in which QatarEnergy will hold a 75% interest while Shell will hold the remaining 25% interest. In turn, the JV will own 25% of the entire NFE project, which includes 4 mega LNG trains with a combined name plate LNG capacity of 32 million tons per annum (MTPA).

Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said: “We are very pleased to have Shell join us as a partner in this mega project, to which we have committed ourselves. We have lived up to that commitment, as well as to our global reputation as a reliable and trustworthy energy provider. Today’s announcement marks the successful conclusion of the selection of our international energy company partners in the North Field East project, through which QatarEnergy and its partners reaffirm their commitment to the energy transition and to the safe and reliable supply of cleaner energy to the world.”

Al-Kaabi said: “We value our long and fruitful relations and strategic partnership with Shell, not just within the State of Qatar, but in many other locations around the world. And, as one of the largest players in the LNG business, they have a lot to bring to help meet global energy demand and security.”

He thanked the working teams from QatarEnergy and Shell, as well as the management and working teams of Qatargas, and concluded by saying: “We are always indebted to the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and to His continued guidance and support of the energy sector.”

Ben van Beurden said: "I am honored that Shell has been selected by QatarEnergy as a partner in the NFE project. Through its pioneering integration with carbon capture and storage, this landmark project will help provide LNG the world urgently needs at a lower carbon footprint. This agreement deepens our strategic partnership with QatarEnergy which includes multiple international partnerships such as the world-class Pearl GTL asset.”

“We are committed to maximize the value of the LNG expansion for the State of Qatar and continue to be a trusted, reliable and long-term partner in Qatar’s continued progress,” Van Beurden concluded.

This agreement is the fifth and last in a series of partnership announcements in the $28.75 billion NFE project, which will raise Qatar’s LNG export capacity from the current 77 MTPA to 110 MTPA.

Doha, 04 July 2022

Qatar Museums’ Years of Culture initiative, in collaboration with Anime Café and Store 974 recently hosted a community event for Doha’s manga and anime enthusiasts. The event featured an on-the-spot manga competition, during which attendees were invited to create a one-page manga and showcase their talents for a chance to win exciting prizes.

The opportunity was organized to mark fifty years of diplomatic relations between Qatar and Japan, supporting ongoing cultural exchange through art that illustrates the connection between Qatari and Japanese cultures.

More than 30 artists joined the event hosted by Khalifa Al-Haroon, founder of I Love Qatar and owner of Store 974, who also served as a judge for the mini-manga competition alongside Aljazi Saeed Al Khayareen, Years of Culture Initiative Coordinator.

Due to great demand and interest from the local community, the Years of Culture initiative extended the deadline for the second edition of “Manga Style!” to August 31, 2022.

“Manga Style!” is organised in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Qatar and Geekdom – Doha Film Institute. The competition invites Qatari and resident manga enthusiasts to submit visually dynamic stories that showcase both countries’ cultures under the theme of “Friendship”.

Original stories can be submitted in Arabic or English through the Years of Culture website (yearsofculture.qa). Entries are free and applicants can submit up to three different stories.

Karachi, Pakistan, 01 July 2022 (Anadolu News)

Pakistan’s national football team is 200th out of 211 teams in the FIFA world rankings, but the country’s more than 200 million people will still be feeling part of the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals to be played in Doha this winter.

New York, 1st July 2022 (IRNA)

Spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations Stéphane Dujarric has underlined that the revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal needs abundant courage, concession, and effort.

Manila, 30 June 2022

64 years old Ferdinand Romualdez "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. took oath today afternoon as the 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines, with a promise of promoting unity and bringing progress to the country.

Marcos, the son of the late former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Sr.(1965-1986), was sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo at the National Museum of the Philippines in the City of Manila.

The 1987 Constitution mandates the President-elect to take oath at noon on June 30, a ceremonial event marking the commencement of his six-year term as the country's new chief executive.

Present on the occasion were Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan; U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff; Philippine's Vice President Sara Duterte; 93 year old former first lady and mother of Marcos Jr. Imelda Marcos; former Presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Joseph Estrada; Marcos' wife First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, their sons Sandro, Simon, and Vincent; sister Senator Imee Marcos and adopted sister Aimee Marcos. However, incoming second sister Irene Marcos-Araneta not seen on the occasion.

The ceremony featured a 21-gun salute, a military parade,  air force jet fly-bys, police, health workers, farmers, and transport workers was featured in the event.

Celebrity Toni Gonzaga, a supporter of Marcos, sang the national anthem.

During the campaign, he and Sara Duterte avoided controversial issues and focused on a vague call for national unity. Marcos won the presidential race after garnering 31,629,783 votes or 58.77 percent of the votes cast in the May 9 national and local elections.

He defended the legacy of his late father, who he said accomplished many things that had not been done since the country’s independence.

Marcos, donning a rayadillo-inspired barong made by multi-awarded designer Pepito Albert, opted for a "very solemn and simple" inauguration.

Prior to the inauguration, Marcos met with his predecessor, outgoing president Rodrigo Duterte, at Malacañan Palace for the latter's departure honor.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, Gen. De Leon thanked its personnel for their hard work which resulted in the peaceful and orderly inauguration rites.

More than 15,000 policemen, soldiers, and other members of law enforcement and national and local government were deployed to secure the inauguration, which was attended by VIPs and foreign dignitaries.

De Leon also recognized the role of leaders, organizers, and members of various groups that held protests for policing their own ranks, which led to the peaceful programs.

Close to 1,000 protesters held a peaceful program at the Plaza Miranda in Manila, which was designated as a freedom park for the event.

Meanwhile, more than 5,000 Marcos supporters trooped to the public viewing area at the golf course in front of the National Museum of the Philippines in Manila before a lockdown was enforced in the area.

Prior to the inauguration, Marcos met with his predecessor, outgoing president Rodrigo Duterte, at Malacañan Palace for the latter's departure honors