Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                       07 June 2018                                                                                                                                                                                      (QNA)

The Ministry of Municipality and Environment and ExxonMobil Qatar signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in aim to promote cooperation in the field of research and environmental sciences.

The agreement was signed by Assistant Undersecretary of Environment Affairs at Ministry of Municipality and Environment Eng. Ahmed Mohammad Al Sada and Research Director at ExxonMobil Research Qatar (EMRQ) Dr. Mohamad Yacoub Al Sulaiti. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi, Minister of Municipality and Environment , Alistair Routledge, President and General Manager for ExxonMobil Qatar, representatives from the ministry and ExxonMobil Qatar.

The ceremony was held at EMRQ offices in the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP).

"Our relationship with ExxonMobil has furthered the general impact on a number of our projects at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, and we are pleased to be entering another phase of our strong partnership," said Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Rumaih.

He said "Our teams have been actively working together to protect habitats and species for years now. With ExxonMobil Research Qatar's support, we are collecting scientific data that can be used to help assess the overall health of various species that are indigenous to Qatar, and allows us to understand what needs to be done to ensure their longevity.

Alistair Routledge said on the occasion "We are pleased to build on our longstanding relationship with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment with this MoU signing.

He said that "ExxonMobil is committed to responsibly support the sustainable development, and the work we do at EMRQ supports this commitment. By sharing knowledge with our partners in Qatar, we aim to contribute to programs that are important to the country and its people."

Eng. Ahmed Mohammad Al Sada said the ministry aims to protect the environment in Qatar, diversify its resources and preserve its in order to achieve sustainable development. The ministry also aims to protect the longevity of living and non-living natural resources, fisheries and ensuring the quality of the environment and health through increased environmental awareness.

Following the ceremony,  AlRumaihi inspected EMRQ's laboratories and training facilities. He met the geologists, engineers and environmental scientists. It is to note that a big number of Qatari nationals are working in EMRQ.

EMRQ, an affiliate of ExxonMobil Qatar, has worked closely with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment since its establishment. Over the years, ExxonMobil's technical consultants have collaborated with several of the administrative units at the ministry, providing advice and support for various projects and workshops.

EMRQ was set up at QSTP in 2009 to conduct research in areas of common interest to the State of Qatar and ExxonMobil, including environmental management, water reuse, LNG safety and coastal geology.

ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world's growing energy needs. It holds an industry-leading inventory of resources, is the largest refiner and marketer of petroleum products, and its chemical company is one of the largest in the world. The term ExxonMobil is used for convenience and may include Exxon Mobil Corporation or any affiliates it directly or indirectly stewards.

The programs of ExxonMobil Research Qatar also covers several areas such as risk management and preparedness for emergency management, environmental management, education and professional development.