2016-2017 HH THE EMIR SHEIKH TAMIM BIN HAMAD AL THANI HH THE FATHER EMIR SHEIKH HAMAD BIN KHALIFA AL THANI PUBLISHER & EDITOR IN CHIEF YOUSUF BIN JASSIM AL DARWISH MANAGING DIRECTOR & CEO JASSIM BIN YOUSUF AL DARWISH MANAGER DR FAISAL FOUAD EDITORIAL MARKETING & SALES CHIEF EDITOR MANAGER IZDIHAR IBRAHIM SAKALA A DEBRASS DEPUTY EDITOR TEAM AYSWARYA MURTHY SONY VELLATT CHIEF CORRESPONDENT DENZITA SEQUIERA KARIM EMAM IYAD FAKHOURY SENIOR CORRESPONDENT MATHEWS CHERIAN UDAYAN NAG NISHAD N P CORRESPONDENTS AARTHI MOHAN EVENTS OFFICER KEERTANA KODURU GHAZALA MOHAMMED ART ACCOUNTANT SENIOR ART DIRECTOR PRATAP CHANDRAN MANSOUR ELSHEIKH DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT HANAN ABU SAIAM ESLAM ELMAHALAWY ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR BIKRAM SHRESTHA AYUSH INDRAJITH ARJUN TIMILSINA SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER BHIMAL RAI MAHESHWAR REDDY BASANTA POKHREL PHOTOGRAPHER PRADEEP BHUSAL ROB F ALTAMIRANO COVER DESIGN MIDHAT MUSTAFA Published by Oryx Publishing and Advertising Co WLL P.O. Box 3272; Doha-Qatar Tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584 Fax: (+974) 44550982 Email: [email protected] Website: www.oryxpublishing.com A PRESENTATION PROGRESS 2016-2017 SLUG NAME FOREWORD OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES, QATAR’S MARCH OF DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN PROGRESSING CONFIDENTLY, GENERATION AFTER GENERATION, AND TODAY WE ARE ENTERING A NEW PHASE TOWARDS A PROMISING FUTURE, HAVING WOUND UP THE YEAR 2016 WITH IMMENSE MILESTONES IN VARIOUS FIELDS. This harvest is proof that the eminent position in which the country finds itself today, boasting the highest international indicators in all fields, is not an accident. It is the result of concentrated effort, a strong will and an honest insistence on success that all can testify to. Qatar has sketched the destiny of future generations through implementing many policies that are conducive to enhancing the role of the youth out of its unwavering belief that they are the true and promising future of the country. In spite of decreasing oil prices and an unstable economic atmosphere in the region, the Qatari economy is still solid, thanks to the sustainable growth of the non-oil sector. The State of Qatar enjoys abundant resources that have enabled it to pass through international crises and accomplish remarkable milestones. That is why low oil prices not only did not pose a serious impediment to Qatari development and progress but were rather used as a springboard to formulate its economic options and introduce reforms, some of which were largely welcomed by nationals and expats alike. However, the results of those reforms, like those made to the kafala system, are yet to be seen. Qatar was able to power through due to the momentum created by generous government spending on infrastructure projects including those for the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the vast expansion of non-oil economic activities. The clearly defined policies of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his call to combat the culture of consumption and waste and replace extravagance by developing the culture of planning, work and achievement were also decisive factors in the buoyancy of the country in all these unfavourable conditions. Other factors include reforms such as the privatisation of some state-owned health and educational services and facilities and revising subsidies offered to citizens on some products and services. On the international front the State of Qatar exerted great efforts in the field of education and community building, and in contributing to the achievement of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals which it has considerably cared for. At the World Humanitarian Summit held in Istanbul in 23-24 of May 2016, Qatar pledged $10 billion worth of support over the next 10 years for humanitarian and development initiatives across the world. With these internal and external achievements Qatar is drafting a new roadmap to accomplish its desired objectives. 9 CONTENTS 038 COMMUNICATIONS BACKBONE THE YEAR SAW A GOVERNMENT RESTRUCTURING, WITH ICTQATAR BEING MERGED WITH THE TRANSPORT MINISTRY. BUT THIS MOVE, RATHER THAN UNDERMINING THE IMPORTANCE OF ICT IN QATAR, HAS ENERGISED THE COUNTRY’S TECHNOLOGICAL PUSH FORWARD. 042 STRIVING FOR TECH SUPERIORITY FOR OOREDOO, 2016 WAS A YEAR OF VICTORIES ABROAD AND AWE-INSPIRING TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS AT HOME. HERE 013 ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT HAS BEEN AN EVENTFUL YEAR FOR THE COMPANY. ROBUST AND GOING STRONG DRIVEN BY SUSTAINED GROWTH IN THE NON-HYDROCARBON SECTOR AMID 044 IN TOUCH WITH LOW OIL PRICES AND ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY IN THE REGION, QATAR’S THE COMMUNITY ECONOMY REMAINED STABLE AND REAL ECONOMIC GROWTH IS EXPECTED TO VODAFONE’S PERFORMANCE IN 2016 BE AROUND 3.9% IN 2016. IMPROVED FROM A LOW BASE; THE PREVIOUS YEAR HAD BEEN PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT. HOWEVER, THE TELECOM OPERATOR CONTINUED TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST – EFFECTIVELY ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY. 049 094 MEETING THE INVESTING IN THE NEEDS OF THE NATION NEXT GENERATION QATAR GENERAL ELECTRICITY & WATER GOVERNMENT SPENDING ON RULING THE CORPORATION (KAHRAMAA) CAN BOAST EDUCATION IN QATAR HAS CONTINUED 064 ABOUT MANY ACHIEVEMENTS THIS TO RISE CONCURRENTLY WITH THE GLOBAL SKIES YEAR THAT FURTHERED ITS GOALS TO GROWING POPULATION AND THE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF ITS STORY IN IMPLEMENT STRATEGIC PROGRAMMES NUMBER OF STUDENTS. QATAR IS TO 1997, QATAR AIRWAYS HAS BEEN ABLE TO AND PROJECTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ADD 8-12 SCHOOLS WITH A CAPACITY DEVELOP AND EXPAND ITS INTERNATIONAL THE REQUIRED STANDARDS FOR POWER OF 1,500 STUDENTS PER YEAR NETWORK OF DESTINATIONS IN RECORD SUPPLY CONTINUITY WHICH ACHIEVES THROUGH TO 2022 TO KEEP UP WITH TIME TO BECOME ONE OF THE BEST SUSTAINABILITY. DEMAND. AIRLINE COMPANIES IN THE WORLD. CONTENTS 075 SUSTAINABLE AND RELIABLE ENERGY FUTURE IN RECENT YEARS, QATAR IS MAKING ITSELF A BENCHMARK FOR ALL FUTURE SUSTAINABLE AND RENEWABLE INITIATIVES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. AIMED AT JUDICIOUS USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL 104 SAFEGUARDS, THE STATE IS ON A MISSION TO PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE COMPREHENSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE WELCOME TO QATAR DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL GENERATIONS. AN ACTION-PACKED YEAR OF TOURISM, FESTIVALS AND EVENTS IN QATAR IN 2016 HAS SUSTAINED THE MOMENTUM CREATED BY THE LAUNCH OF THE TOURISM STRATEGY WHICH AIMED AT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING THE CONTRIBUTION OF TOURISM DOLLARS TOWARDS THE GDP. 085 STEADFAST IN ITS FOREIGN POLICY QATAR’S FOREIGN POLICY REMAINED UNCHANGED EVEN AS A NEW FOREIGN MINISTER ASSUMED OFFICE. 100 A HEALTHY NATION A GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE HAS LENT FRESH IMPETUS TO THE COUNTRY’S PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SECTOR, WHICH POWERED AHEAD WITH THE LAUNCH OF SEVERAL NEW HOSPITALS IN 2016. 107 AN ART CONGREGATION 110 NEW HEIGHTS IN THE YEAR 2016, QATAR MUSEUMS BROUGHT THE MEDAL HAUL AT THE OLYMPICS AND TOGETHER A STRING OF ACTIVITIES AND EXHIBITIONS TO PARALYMPICS IN BRAZIL LAST YEAR WAS JUST MAKE ART AN EVERYDAY AFFAIR FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG AS FAR AS QATAR’S THE COUNTRY. SPORTING AMBITIONS ARE CONCERNED. ECONOMY PROGRESS 2016-2017 ECONOMY “There are challenges that we should tackle, which are related to the motives and values of our country's youth and the impact of the culture of consumption on these motives and values. Without that we cannot move forward; wealth alone is not sufficient. Citizenship is an affiliation, a sense of belonging, which incorporates rights on the part of the state as well as duties towards the community and the state.” HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH TAMIM BIN HAMAD AL THANI THE EMIR STATE OF QATAR ROBUST AND GOING STRONG DRIVEN BY SUSTAINED GROWTH IN THE NON-HYDROCARBON SECTOR AMID LOW OIL PRICES AND ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY IN THE REGION, QATAR’S ECONOMY REMAINED STABLE AND THE REAL ECONOMIC GROWTH RATE IS EXPECTED TO BE AROUND 3.9% IN 2016. nother factor driving the further said that hydrocarbon production will CURB SPENDING economic growth has been the again plateau, but solid expansion in non- Hinting that there will be no room for government’s strong spending hydrocarbon activities will sustain overall complacency, HH The Emir Sheikh Tamim bin on infrastructure projects economic momentum in the next two years. Hamad Al Thani gave a clarion call to people to including those related to the “Services will be the largest contributor to growth, fight a “culture of consumption” in order to survive 2022A FIFA World Cup event. followed by construction. As attention turns in a low oil price environment. The country had However, the nominal gross domestic product towards completing current projects rather than challenges to overcome in a new fiscal reality and (GDP) was expected to contract by 2.9%, reflecting starting new ones, and as population growth policies should be put in place to curb spending the drop in global hydrocarbon prices, according eases, growth in the non-hydrocarbon sector is and encourage people to contribute to the local to a report from the Ministry of Development expected to moderate. The real GDP expanded by economy, he said in a speech at the opening Planning and Statistics (MDPS). 3.7% in 2015, but the fall in oil prices during the session of the 45th Advisory Council in November. The report entitled "Qatar Economic Outlook year led nominal GDP to decline, for the first time “There are challenges that we should tackle, (2016-2018)", which was released in June 2016, since 2009, by 20.6%, the report added. which are related to the motives and values of 15 PROGRESS 2016-2017 ECONOMY “Despite global economic challenges and falling energy prices, Qatar’s GDP registered a growth of 3.7% in 2015, exceeding the global average of 3.3% . Our macroeconomic fundamentals are strong and we expect the economy would grow by 3.9% in 2016.” HE SHEIKH AHMED BIN JASSIM BIN MOHAMMED AL THANI MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND COMMERCE STATE OF QATAR our country's youth and the impact of the culture DEFICIT BUDGET AND REFORMS some requirements in government tenders such of consumption on these motives and values.