In the name of Allah, and by His Blessing, I declare open the fortieth session of the Shura Council.
Dear brothers, members of the Shura Council,
It gives me pleasure to meet with you as we have done every year at the beginning of your legislative session, wishing you success in your important task as per the Constitution on which the State of institutions and rule of law is based, while you focus on our national interests, our human values and the National Vision of the State of Qatar which is aims at achieving the interest of Qatari citizens in sustainable development.
This meeting is of special importance because it goes beyond details to take a look at our journey in general. It is also necessary to remind the young generations of the effort exerted under an comprehensive vision, since no fruits could be reaped without effort and planning to serve the country.
Dear brothers, members of the Shura Council,
The image of the Arab world is changing, and major changes are raging in the region. We must not only congratulate ourselves on our achievements, but we have to check whether our visions and aspirations are compatible with the expectations and hopes of our peoples. I can assure you with clear conscience that we really stand on solid ground, thanks to our joint efforts, and we have always banked on justice and equity, and considered them human values that do not exclude the Arab people, contrary to what was alleged. We are aware that people would not tolerate injustice forever, so Qatar has not found it difficult to accept what's going on. We have a vision; hence we are not sitting secluded regretting a situation rejected by peoples.
We have always preferred that the regimes initiate reforms and lead the required transition to avoid people’s uprising.
Honorable members of the Shura Council,
Speaking about solid ground, we affirm that Qatar’s economy is safe from risks after confidently overcoming the negative effects of the global financial crisis, and went ahead in achieving its development journey according to the vision and strategy that have been worked out for this economy.
The real growth rate of GDP for the year 2010 was (16.6%) making Qatar one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with an annual growth rate of (15.7%) in the period from 2006 to 2010. It is expected to grow more than (20%) by the end of this year. The State of Qatar has ranked first in the world in terms of the ease of getting loans and availability of capital. Qatar's economy has been rated as one of the top five economies in the world. While most developed countries are suffering from a permanent budget deficit to the extent they defaulted on paying their financial obligations, the State of Qatar has continued to achieve rising financial surpluses since 2000. This has allowed us to expand in the extraction and export of natural gas to become a leading country in the world in this field.
We are pursuing the work to increase the proven oil and gas reserves. In spite of some unjustified waste, we did not feel dizzy due to high oil prices; we still maintaining our conservative fiscal policy, as the State budget was based on an oil price estimate of only $55 a barrel. However, we increased the total expenditure by 19%, more than 40 % of which on public projects including the start in the construction of the New Doha Port, the railway project, completing the building of the new International Doha Airport, and other infrastructure projects, while giving priority to health and education sectors.
Despite these achievements, diligent work must be continued to diversify the economy and reduce dependency on oil and gas. We should also examine the sources of strength and weakness in our increasing investments abroad, and their resilience amid any financial crises in the future. We must also change the preparation of the State budget, to make it compatible with the course of National Development Strategy for the period 2011-2016, particularly in areas such as the comparison of programs, plans and performance, verification of cost-effectiveness, and performance evaluation under outputs and results.
Qatar Investment Authority is a long-term investment tool for future generations, and is the responsibility of our generation to secure the future of Qatar’s economy. Hence, we have to check our strategic partnerships and the new projects in which we invest, including the acquisition of assets in international companies on the basis of the benefit envisaged for future generations.
We should also consider the direct benefit envisaged for the State of Qatar through establishing headquarters and bases for these companies in Qatar, and the transfer of technology to the State of Qatar, as well as training our cadres in such major companies.
High growth rates of development, as it is the case in the State of Qatar, may drive inflation; hence the Government should control liquidity in the market by various means. Also it has to make sure that prices do not increase unjustifiably, by increasing supply against demand and combating monopoly. Monopoly is antithetical to competitive economy; and in countries where there are monopolies, prices are imposed from atop, while there is no room at all for monopoly in countries insisting on free competitive economy. There must be competition among suppliers in quality and price, and both are to be placed under state control.
As you know, we have recently increased at high rates the salaries of Qatari citizens both in the State and public sector. The increase of salaries at such rates is an initial strategic step related to the increase in growth rates and to be fair to those who duly complained from low salaries.
But I avail myself of this opportunity to warn against the tendency to take this matter for granted.
We rejoice at the high standard of living of Qatari citizens, and this is their right in a country considered as a rich country. But we will not be insightful if we fail to see the risks posed by the financial reward without an exerted effort or improvement in the performance of Qatari employees. The ministries and you are required to emphasize the culture of work and production against the risk of the spread of the culture of idleness and consumption, particularly when the citizen considers wage rise an easy effortless matter. The future of the State of Qatar is linked to considering the ethics of work, production and perfection as part of our values. This cannot be reached only by preaching and good advice, but needs control, accountability and authentic reports that do not prettify the reality, but present it accurately and honestly to be dealt with adequately. We have a good example in the saying of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH): “Allah loves the one who strives for perfection when doing his job”.
Dear brothers,
We have marched together on a long path and we still have a lot to do. Who among us does not remember the difficult days when we were obliged to enter into major risks as the Qatari economy was in recession in a country producing 300 thousand barrels of oil a day? We had to borrow billions of dollars to engage in major projects, gas and petrochemical projects and the expansion and modernization of oil fields. Those decisions were not easy, and some people considered them adventurous at that time. The percentage of real debt in 1995 was 43.6% of the total GDP of the State of Qatar, and in the year 1998 the debt amounted to 111% of the total product. Oil prices have dropped in that particular period in which we decided to borrow heavily to invest in oil and gas. I declared here before this Council my vision for the need to modernize the national economy to shift it from its troubled condition to the highest international standards. I speak to you now while Qatar’s debit is 23% of GDP, which is a small percentage by economic standards of a State open onto the world. In the year 1995, when we decided to enter with confidence in the major stakes, the gross domestic product in Qatar was 29.6 billion Qatari Riyals, and in 2010 was 463.5 billion Qatari Riyals, meaning it has multiplied about 16 times. In the year 1995 the per capita income reached 59.728 QR and in 2010 stood at 272.733 QR, the highest rate in the world.
To achieve this, we have relied on Allah and our determined people and on their firm conviction for the development and modernization of Qatar. Their concern was not to get quick profit or the consumer-oriented standard of living which comes and vanishes quickly. Rather, their concern was to build a modern state with an independent economy and consequently having an independent political decision, a state capable of investing in the real asset of any society and state, namely the human being. Of course planning was concomitant with every step. We would like to attract attention to this experience to benefit from it, so that this development which took place against the backdrop of international crises and wars that shook the region would not be considered by the Qatari youth as a grant or gift.
We will not be able to maintain the same rates if we do not invest in diversifying the sources of income and in a modern infrastructure; nor can we carry on without investing in education and qualifying Qatari cadres to shoulder responsibility. Once again, I stress that such situation requires the enhancement of the ethics of work, commitment, and sense of duty. These should not remain mere slogans repeated to get admiration but to focus on applying them.
The country is heading towards major challenges and obligations. We have adopted the Constitution and embarked on its implementation. Most of the constitutional goals have been attained. Municipal elections were held, and the Constitutional Court was established, along with other moves which you know and there is no need to repeat them. The implementation of some items was postponed due to reasons relating to the challenges of development in the country and the unstable situation in the region, especially as the implementation of some items needs laws to be implemented.
From the podium of this Council, I declare that we have decided that the Shura Council elections would be held in the second half of 2013.
We know that all these steps are necessary to build the modern State of Qatar and the Qatari citizen who is capable of dealing with the challenges of the time and building the country. We are confident that you would be capable of shouldering the responsibility. And as I reviewed with you some indicators of 1995, this would be also a stage in the country's life that, God willing, we will accomplish in order to plan for the next stage. It is significant that the stages which appear to be modest are part of a long term comprehensive plan comprising goals less modest and more ambitious. And it's enough to compare 1995 with 2010 to know where Qatar was and where it is now. Our people will see how the State of Qatar will be after implementing our plans for 2030.
Dear brothers,
The foreign policy of the State of Qatar is a component of its political and economic strength. It is involved in shaping the vision for our future as a people and a State. The main tenets of Qatar's foreign policy are founded on the principles of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and the promotion of common interests. Driven by our Gulf and Arab affiliation, we participate actively with the international community in maintaining security and peace and achieving development in all fields, while upholding the values of justice, belief in the necessity of respecting human rights and commitment to the importance of settling international disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with the international law.
That State of Qatar is supporting the journey of the Gulf Cooperation Council, strengthening relations between GCC countries, and promoting the bonds of brotherhood and integration between them, as they come on top of the country's foreign policy priorities. However, we believe along with the Gulf citizens that the Council has not yet reached the required standard to achieve the desired and possible economic, social and political integration of its member states.
With respect to the Gulf region in general, cooperation is a must in order to achieve security and stability and to reach solutions to the issues and challenges facing the region through peaceful means, dialogue, mediation, and resorting to international justice.
With regard to the developments of the Palestinian cause, the State of Qatar has always taken a principled stand. We believe that its solution must be just and comprehensive, and this is the only way to guarantee security and stability in the region, and hence international peace and security as well. The State of Qatar has always emphasized its support for the brotherly Arab Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle for their national rights, and the establishment of their independent State with Jerusalem as its capital. The State of Qatar has also recently supported the legitimate and legal demand of the State of Palestine to gain full membership in the United Nations. I would like here to congratulate the brotherly people of Palestine on the acceptance of the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). We also call upon the international community to work on stopping the repeated Israeli aggressions against the Palestinian people, lifting the unjust siege on the people of Gaza who are suffering from inhuman and tragic living conditions, and halting the building of settlements. We also reiterate our backing of the unity of the Palestinian people and call for the rapid formation of a Palestinian national government to help maintain the unity of the Palestinian cause, and to achieve the best interests of the Palestinian people.
The State of Qatar is keen to strengthen its fraternal relations with all the brotherly Arab countries, and works through its diplomacy to unify the Arab position to reach a common vision with respect to the important issues in the Arab arena.
As much as its circumstances allow, the State of Qatar will always stand by all Arab peoples if their aspirations are just and urgent, and refuse to remain silent when they are subjected to wrongdoing. Moreover, we emphasize that the only guarantee for the stability of Arab States, in the short and long terms, lies in the adoption of continuous reforms to meet the aspirations of their peoples, for reality affirms that no country can isolate itself from the current political developments. The peoples have discovered their strength and their ability to claim their rights and to consolidate the values of freedom, dignity and social justice. This requires their courage to open channels of positive dialogue with their people in order to carry out the required reforms in a safe and gradual manner without upheavals. This is what we wished for Syria and Yemen, and for all countries. But, we cannot impose our views. Resorting to the security option in these countries instead of gradual transition has led to the bloodshed that we are witnessing now and that threatens to turn into a civil war.
We hereby congratulate the peoples of Egypt and Tunisia for entering the long and hard path of transition to democracy. We congratulate the people of Tunisia for the fair elections of their Constituent Assembly, and we especially pay tribute to the brotherly people of Libya on their achievement. We also thank all the countries that stood beside it in difficult times, and we thank NATO for two things:
first, for providing direct assistance in preventing a massacre of civilians, and second, for finishing its missions within the specified timeframe without attempting to impose conditions or to intervene in the sovereignty of Libya. On this occasion, we would like to reiterate that our support for the Libyan people has always been a matter of principle. We also emphasize our respect for their will and choices out of trust in their ability to responsibly carry out the tasks of the new phase, within the framework of national unity, and the rule of law as well as building their State on modern foundations to achieve their security, stability and prosperity.
Finally, I wish you again all success in serving your homeland.
May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon you.