Borgo Egnazia, Apulia, Italy, 14 June 2024

(European Union Council)

The G7 50th summit hosted by this year's Italian G7 presidency took place in Borgo Egnazia, Apulia, Italy from 13-15 June 2024.

The EU was represented by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

The summit in Apulia was an opportunity for G7 leaders to demonstrate their strong determination to uphold the international order based on the rule of law, and to strengthen their engagement with developing nations.

The main issues addressed during the six working sessions were:

• Africa, climate change and development
• the ongoing situation in the Middle East
• Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
• migration
• Indo-Pacific and economic security
• artificial intelligence, energy, Africa-Mediterranean

At the end of the summit, the leaders adopted a leaders' communiqué.

• that it presents, in partnership with countries of origin and transit. We will focus on the root causes of irregular migration, efforts to enhance border management and curb transnational organized crime, and safe and regular pathways for migration. We launched the G7 Coalition to prevent and counter the smuggling of migrants.
• Deepening our cooperation to harness the benefits and manage the risks of Artificial Intelligence (AI). We will launch an action plan on the use of AI in the world of work and develop a brand to support the implementation of the International Code of Conduct for Organizations Developing Advanced AI Systems.
• Fostering strong and inclusive global economic growth, maintaining financial stability and investing in our economies to promote jobs and accelerate digital and clean energy transitions. We also remain committed to strengthening the rules-based multilateral trading system and to implementing a more stable and fairer international tax system fit for the 21st century.
• Acting together to promote economic resilience, confront non-market policies and practices that undermine the level playing field and our economic security, and strengthen our coordination to address global overcapacity challenges.

In taking forward all these priorities, our partnership in the G7 will continue to be guided by our joint commitment to cooperate openly and transparently in a coordinated manner.

We are grateful for the presence of His Holiness Pope Francis and for his contribution.

In a spirit of shared responsibility, we warmly welcome the participation of the Leaders of Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, India, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritania, Tunisia, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates.

G-7 Group History

Doha, 12 June 2024

Chief Executive Officer of Rosneft Igor Sechin delivered a speech at the Energy Panel of the 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum paying special attention to the energy transition and discussing the forecast by OPEC of which Qatar is also a part.

Rosneft has established significant connections with Qatar in the energy sector. One notable partnership is its collaboration with Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the sovereign wealth fund of Qatar. Additionally, Rosneft has explored cooperation opportunities with Qatar in various areas of the energy industry, including joint ventures, investment projects, and technology exchanges.

Talking about the forecast by OPEC, an organization enabling the co-operation of leading oil-producing countries, the Rosneft CEO said, “It is not surprising that global oil demand continues to grow despite the expectations of the so-called ‘oil peak’. I believe that OPEC's forecast paints quite a realistic picture of the future of the global energy industry,” he said.

According to OPEC forecast, oil demand is to grow almost by 20% to the value of 116 million bpd by 2045, and oil is to continue to account for about 30% of the global energy mix. According to the Rosneft CEO, developing countries will be the main drivers of oil consumption in the coming decades. By 2030, demand growth in this group of countries is expected to account for 95% of global consumption growth in aggregate. The highest growth in oil demand is expected in Asian countries, which are Russia's main trading partners.

According to Igor Sechin, aggressive promotion of the green agenda means declaring an energy war on most of the world's population. “Overcoming energy inequality is impossible without reliable supplies of oil and gas. In addition to petroleum products, oil is used for the production of a huge number of day-to-day goods, without which the life of modern humans can no longer be imagined,” he said.

Throwing light on increasing talks on alternative energy resources, he said, “Despite huge investments made over the past decades, alternative energy sources have not led to the displacement of fossil fuels from the energy market and failed to occupy a significant share in the global market. At the same time, there is an imbalance in the energy market, which is caused by irresponsible and aggressive policies of the Western countries,” Igor Sechin said.

According to Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, “it is necessary to focus on the interests of the majority. The energy transition should be well-balanced and focused on addressing the interests of the majority that will ensure the growth of energy consumption in the coming years, i.e. developing countries.”

It will be interesting to note here that according to reports developed countries account for 65% of the cumulative emissions produced over the last 200 years; the world's 10% wealthiest population is responsible for half of all CO2 emissions; the world's 1% wealthiest population accounts for twice as much carbon dioxide emissions as the poorest 50% of the world's population.

Pointing out that the developed countries have contributed most to the climate crisis, Igor Sechin said “To achieve energy security, it is necessary to ensure the sufficiency, affordability and reliability of energy sources. Electric vehicles are not a panacea for all environmental challenges. Revision of electric vehicle subsidy policies demonstrates the lack of planning and haste with which Western countries initially approached electrification of vehicles. While they succeeded in attracting buyers with high subsidies a few years ago, Western governments are now planning to impose taxes on electric vehicles to plug budget holes,” said Sechin.

Over the past decade, Western technology giants have worked hard to demonize fossil fuels, shut down power plants that provide reliable electricity supplies, and promote unreliable renewable energy. “The growing demand for electricity on the part of data centers can no longer be met with existing capacity. Introduction of new technologies in the context of energy transition requires huge investments. In particular, the cost of transition to electric vehicles in large megacities is estimated in tens of billions of dollars,” he said.

There are no profit-making sources for the “green” transition, and its implementation is an illusion, which leads to withdrawal of investments from the traditional energy sector. That is, there will be neither, the Rosneft CEO said.

Igor Sechin added that “Now that the failure of the ‘green transition’ concept is evident, we have to develop a new strategy for a reliable and secure energy supply tailored to the needs of developing countries.”

In his speech, the Rosneft CEO also said that in recent years, the use of the dollar as an economic weapon, and the uncontrolled growth of the U.S. national debt have set in motion the process of de-dollarization. The growth of US national debt is one of the factors in undermining confidence in the dollar and shifting problems from the financial sector to the energy market and the rest of the world.

Doha, 12 June 2024

Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of State of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani affirmed Qatar's commitment to bridging the gap and bringing parties together to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all prisoners and hostages.

During a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken,  he said that today's meeting built on a series of important discussions and deliberations over the past eight months regarding the war in Gaza and ways to end it,

in addition to discussing working to prevent the expansion of violence and conflict in the region. Qatar Prime Minister added that he discussed with the U.S. Secretary of State the response Qatar received yesterday, Tuesday, from Hamas and the Palestinian factions regarding the latest proposal on a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal.

He said that the response is currently being studied, and coordination with the concerned parties on the next steps is underway.

He stressed that Qatar, Egypt, and the United States are committed to their partnership to end this war and reach a prisoner and hostage exchange deal. He expressed appreciation for the intensive efforts exerted by U.S. President Joe Biden to unify visions and reach this proposal in a way that approximates, as much as possible, the perspectives of all parties.

The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar underscored Qatar's commitment to bridging the gap between the parties and its continuous efforts to resolve these differences in the best way to end the war as soon as possible.

He stressed that every day lost is a loss in civilian and innocent lives, Everyone should take a clear stance to demand an end to this war, explaining that since the beginning of the crisis, nearly 37,000 have been martyred and 84,000 have been wounded so far, in addition to the ongoing policy of collective punishment and starvation used against the brothers in Gaza.

He said that reaching an agreement to save innocent lives during this period is very important, in addition to its role in saving the region from being on the brink of collapse and explosion. His Excellency pinned hopes on the American role and Qatar's partners in Egypt and all countries to pressure all parties to reach an agreement to end this war.

He added that the conflict has reached a turning point to find sustainable solutions, not temporary ones, that would bring security and stability to Gaza, the West Bank, and everyone living in this region. His Excellency emphasized that the permanent solution is a just solution by establishing a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital according to international legitimacy resolutions, on the 1967 borders.

He pointed out, during the press conference, that the countries in the region are open to having a clear peace plan according to the Arab Peace Initiative, noting the movement at the UN General Assembly to accept Palestine as a full member of the UN, contributing to a two-state solution.

He expressed his appreciation for the cooperation and strategic partnership with the United States in this crisis and in many common issues between the two countries.
In response to journalists' questions, He confirmed that Qatar's efforts in the negotiation process are not new, as they undergo phases of give-and-take to reach an agreement and usually do not include a definitive yes or no answer.

He expressed hope to reach an agreement as soon as possible. He said that there was hope for more momentum in the past few days, but that unfortunately there were challenges. His Excellency reiterated Qatar's commitment to providing proposals to bridge the gap between the parties.

He noted that having three countries (Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S.) as guarantors of this process ensures that these negotiations will continue to reach a permanent ceasefire.

Sheikh Mohammed added that the coming weeks will see a proposal for elements of that plan, including concrete ideas on how to manage Gaza, security, and reconstruction.

He pointed out the importance and necessity of this plan to transform the truce into a permanent end to the war, and to convert the end of the war into a just and lasting peace, which can serve as a foundation for building a more integrated, stable, and prosperous region.

During the press conference, he mentioned that he had heard many stories from Palestinians who managed to leave Gaza and learned about the conditions of their families and relatives there, saying that this drives him to work on ending this suffering, ending the conflict, and putting everyone on a path to just and lasting peace.

Earlier, both Qatar Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and Secretary of State, United States of America Antony Blinken had discussed close strategic relations between Qatar and US and ways to support and enhance them.

They also discussed the response of Hamas and the Palestinian factions to the recent truce proposal, in addition to the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories and the latest updates in the joint mediation efforts to end the war on the Strip.

Doha, 11 June 2024

2024 Philippines National Day Celebrations Executive Committee is composed of 12 leading Qatar based community organizations led by OKEC Charter President Joseph Timothy Rivera, Chairman of the Filipino community organizing committee. Among other Committee members include Mrs. Kamila Bellamlih, Cluster Director of Creative Events & Kobeco Concept; events advisor Dr. Jeanette Gotangogan; Juan Paolo Ferrer, Chairman, Filipino Association of Manpower Services (FAMS).

The Committee announced the details of the community mega celebrations at a press conference to make this year’s annual gathering to be truly meaningful.

Joseph Rivera on behalf of the Executive Committee thanked Embassy of the Philippines in Doha and officials back home in Philippines of their support and participation in the forthcoming event. He paid his gratitude to all community forums over their overwhelmed support and participation.

Under the theme 'MAKULAY ANG KALAYAAN 2024' (Our Colorful Freedom), three day colourful and vibrant event covers cultural presentations & competitions, trade fair exhibitions & bazaar, authentic cuisine offerings, motor show & inspiring celebrities from the Philippine.

The event is spread over from 20-22 June 2024 to be held at the Ezdan Palace Hotel, Duhail, Doha organized by Oryx Knights Eagles Club (OKEC) in partnership with Creative Events & Kobeco

Starting with an opening gala dinner on the first day on 20 June 2024, the 3-day festivity will kick-off with the launching of the event’s corporate responsibility (CSR) initiatives involving special attention to children with cancer currently confined at the Hamad General Hospital (HGH) as well community outreach programs on skills enhancement of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in Qatar in partnership with the Filipino Association of Manpower Services (FAMS).

Special programs to address the need of additional Filipino schools in Qatar will also be revealed during the said event. Attending guests and benefactors will be serenaded by lively musical rendition from select Filipino bands in Qatar. In addition, Students of Philippine International School of Qatar & the Philippine School Doha will present their performances.

The celebrations also include Middle East finalists event to the upcoming Dance World Cup in Prague.

Second Day highlights include Traditional community parade / sagala participated by record over 86 Qatar based Filipino community forums followed by a spectacular opening ceremony to be attended by Philippine embassy officials, visiting VIPs, community leaders, and the general public.

Philippine Senator Loren Legarda will be attending the ceremonies virtually.

Among various performances and activities include pageant finals of the Ginoo at Binibning Agila ng Kalayaan (Mr& Miss Eagles of Freedom). The qualified wining lady contestant will be further competing to the Miss Philippine Eagles 2024 pageant in Manila hosted by The Fraternal Order of Eagles – Philippines Eagles (TFOE-PE) with more than One Million Pesos in cash prizes are at stake. Said pageant is in support the First 1,000 days of a child (F1KD)

Rivera announced that 3rd day program in addition to the food, trade & service exhibitions, art, culture & environmentally friendly motor vehicle displays, include special livelihood seminars, CSR activities, community awarding ceremonies.

He said that special activities supporting the celebration of the Philippine Eagles Week under Presidential Proclamation No. 600-1995 issued by the late President Fidel V. Ramos, all 4 active Eagles clubs in Qatar are expected to converge during this milestone event.

In their closing remarks, the Executive Committee members at the press conference appreciated on the tremendous support from both the civic and business community. They affirmed that they will be delivering  not just a good show that the Filipino community is accustomed, but rather a spectacular world class national day celebrations are designed and well prepared as per Bellamlih.

She assured that latest cutting-edge entertainment systems powered by Kobeco Concept and the elite event management team of Creative Events are deployed in this Independence day celebrations.

Aside from the traditional raffle prizes ranging from round trip airline tickets to the Philippines, travel certificates, staycation vouchers, free cargo & novelty items, exclusive vouchers to the Meryal Water Park will also be made available at promotional rates during the event.

Doha, 10 June 2024

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim AlThani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, of State of Qatar officially inaugurated the Korean Medical Center (KMC) in Lusail City.

KMC is run by 155 Korean and international medical staff.

Doha, 10 June 2024 (QT)

Bangladesh Forum Qatar (BFQ), a prominent business and professional forum of expats from the South Asian country, has extended its gratitude for the recent official visit of the Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Dhaka.

During the Annual Members Night held recently, speakers expressed satisfaction about efforts to further enhance bilateral relations between Qatar and Bangladesh with the recent visit by HH the Amir of Qatar, especially in the areas of trade, investment, joint ventures, information technology, pharmaceuticals, and cultural exchange.

Five agreements and five memoranda of association were signed between the governments of Qatar and Bangladesh during HH the Amir’s visit.

Ambassador of Bangladesh to Qatar Nazrul Islam congratulated BFQ on its annual event and commended the Qatari trade delegation on their recent successful visit to Bangladesh.

He promised the full support of the Bangladesh Embassy in enhancing the socioeconomic ties between the two nations. He reiterated his commitment to collaborating with BFQ to bolster Qatar-Bangladesh business relations.

BFQ Vice-President Azad Ashraf expressed gratitude to the governments of Qatar and Bangladesh for facilitating the significant visit of HH the Amir. He highlighted the progress made in various business initiatives after the visit and emphasised BFQ’s recent initiative of organising a trade delegation from Qatar to explore potential business opportunities in Bangladesh by engaging with government entities and major private business groups.

In his vote of thanks, BFQ President Shahed Ahmed thanked all the guests and participants for attending the event despite their family commitments on the week-end.

He briefed them on BFQ’s past achievements in fostering socio-economic development and enhancing the relationship between the two countries, reaffirming the forum’s commitment to continue such endeavours in the future.

Bangladesh Forum Qatar is a registered with the Qatar Financial Centre. It is dedicated to boosting the socio-economic ties between Bangladesh and Qatar. Through events, initiatives and collaborations, BFQ promotes business ties and strengthens the community bonds of Bangladeshi professionals and business owners residing in Qatar.

The event was moderated by BFQ’s Additional Vice-President Dr Shiban Khan. A short documentary was presented on the occasion showcasing HH the Amir’s historic visit to Bangladesh. The documentary was specially produced for the event by BFQ’s Additional Vice-President Dr Amit Khandakar.

Istanbul, 09 June 2024 (Anadolu)

Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz resigned Sunday evening from the emergency unity government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The commander of the Israeli army’s Gaza Division announced also his resignation on Sunday over his failure to protect Israeli military bases and settlements during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, according to Israeli media.

“On October 7, I failed in my lifetime mission to protect the Gaza border communities,” Brigadier General Avi Rosenfeld said. “Everyone has to take responsibility for their part and I am the one in charge of the 143rd Division,” he added.

Addressing a press conference in Tel Aviv, Gantz called on Netanyahu to hold early elections “as soon as possible.”

“Do not let our nation tear apart,” he said.

“Unfortunately, Netanyahu prevents us from reaching true victory,” Gantz said. “To ensure a real victory, it is appropriate that in the fall, a year after the disaster, we will go to elections that will eventually establish a government that will win the people’s trust and be able to face challenges.”

The resigned minister called on Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to resign from Netanyahu's government.

At least 37,084 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip since last October, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said on Sunday.

A ministry statement added that 84,494 others have also been injured in the onslaught.

"The Israeli occupation commits eight massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, resulting in 283 martyrs and 814 injuries during the past 24 hours," the statement said.

Shenzhen, China, 06 June 2024 (Media Reports)

In a landmark move, China has pledged to offer free artificial intelligence (AI) training to 200,000 Pakistanis. This initiative is part of a series og agreements signed between Chinese technology companies and Pakistan, aimed at enhancing cooperation in various technological fields.

The agreements also encompass the establishment of safe cities in Pakistan, advancements in e-governance, cloud services, and the digitization of the economy.

During a visit to Huawei’s headquarters in Shenzhen, China, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, accompanied by members of his cabinet, was greeted with traditional music and saw the facility adorned with vibrant Pakistani truck art. This cultural exchange underscored the deepening ties between the two nations.

Prime Minister Sharif met with the Chairman of Huawei and extended an invitation for him to visit Pakistan and explore investment opportunities. Speaking at the Pakistan-China Business Forum, Sharif emphasized the importance of looking forward, stating, “If you stay in the past, you will not be able to achieve anything.”

Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is in China on a five day official visit to attend the Pak-China Business Forum.

During his current visit, he witnessed signing of 32 MOUs in various sectors including energy, infrastructure development, farming, engineering, construction and logistics sectors, alongside successful bilateral negotiations with the Chinese companies.

Upon his arrival at the Beijing airport on the 2nd day of his official visit to China, he was received by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong.

Federal Minister for the Board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan announced that 500 Chinese and 100 Pakistani companies participated in the Pak-China Business Forum. 

The forum, aimed at strengthening business ties between Pakistan and China, featured extensive discussions and agreements, further enhancing economic collaboration between the two nations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held meeting with Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Friday at the Peoples Hall, Beijing.

President Xi pointed out that China and Pakistan are good neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, good friends who share faith and righteousness, good partners who help each other, and good brothers who share weal and woe.

Xi said that China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership had continuously deepened and enjoyed solid public support with a strong internal driving force and broad prospects for development.

He said that China stands ready to work with Pakistan to firmly support each other, strengthen cooperation, deepen strategic coordination, accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and make greater contributions to regional peace, stability, development, and prosperity, Xi noted.

He stressed that the key to the ever-strengthening ironclad friendship between China and Pakistan lies in mutual understanding, high trust, and firm support between the two sides. He thanked Pakistan for its long-term and firm support for China on issues related to China's core interests and major concerns.

China will, as always, firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, and in resolutely combating terrorism, he noted.

Xi said that China is ready to promote the alignment of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with Pakistan's development plans, carry out cooperation in agriculture, mining, and social livelihood in light of local conditions, make the high-quality development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) go deeper and be more concrete, and help boost Pakistan's economic and social development.

It is hoped that Pakistan will continue to create a safe, stable, and predictable business environment and earnestly guarantee the safety of Chinese personnel, projects, and institutions in Pakistan, Xi said.

Beijing, 06 June 2024 (Xinhua)

China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan signed today a key agreement in Beijing on a new railway project to connect the three nations.  The railway project will involve the construction of more than 50 tunnels and 90 bridges, all within the highest mountains of Kyrgyzstan -- some more than 3,000 meters high.

Construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway will begin in October this year according to President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, which he has said around three months earlier. 'In October, construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is planned to begin. We will become a transit country for the world. We will enter the world market. Through the railway we will go out to the sea,” he reportedly said.

Beijing, 07 June 2024 (APP)