BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 2 Rayyan on verge of INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2 – 7, 28 COMMENT 26, 27 Ooredoo Group winning REGION 8 BUSINESS 1 – 10, 16 – 20 16,787.45 9,969.25 34.34 ARAB WORLD 8 – 10 CLASSIFIED 11 – 15 posts net profi t of +270.85 +76.93 +0.59 INTERNATIONAL 11 – 25 SPORTS 1 – 12 QSL title +1.64% +0.78% +1.75% QR2.1bn in 2015 Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978 WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10015 March 2, 2016 Jumada I 22, 1437 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir meets Education Excellence award winners UN aims to restart Syria In brief peace talks on March 9 QATAR | Funding PM visits housing Reuters project in Tunisia Geneva HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani he UN will delay the next round yesterday paid a visit to the Omar of Syria peace talks by two days al-Mukhtar housing project in the Tto allow the cessation of hos- Sijoumi district, Tunis. The project tilities in force since Saturday to take is funded by Qatar Friendship Fund hold, UN Syria envoy Staff an de Mis- (QFF). During the visit, the Prime tura said. Minister listened to a briefing on International observers have ac- the final stages of the project, knowledged violations of the agree- which includes 810 social housing ment intended to halt nearly fi ve years units at a cost of $29mn, 40% in a of fi ghting while reporting that the level form of a gift from the QFF and the of violence has decreased considerably. 60% in a form of interest-free loan. “We are delaying it to the afternoon of (March) 9th for logistical and tech- nical reasons and also for the ceasefi re QATAR | Collaboration HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met yesterday at the Ritz-Carlton Doha with the winners of the ninth Education Excellence Day award for academic year to better settle down,” de Mistura said QDF donates $90mn 2014-2015. HH the Emir said that he was keen on meeting the winners to listen to their views on the country and development. Page 3 yesterday. The talks had been pencilled in for March 7. for Swaziland The cessation of hostilities was “a The Qatar Development Fund glimmer of hope”, Syrian President (QDF) yesterday signed a $90mn Bashar al-Assad said, although he ac- grant agreement with the cused the opposition of violating the Swaziland Ministry of Commerce, agreement. Industry and Trade for the Internet- The opposition in turn says the Syri- led e-commerce (Traders-Link) an government has breached the fragile project. In his speech on the EAA in deal to educate truce by repeatedly attacking its posi- occasion, Qatar’s ambassador in tions, which the government denies. Mbabane Yousef bin Mohamed al- The cessation of hostilities agree- Mahmoud said that “we are proud ment, drawn up by the US and Russia, to be the excellent sponsors for the is seen by the UN as an opportunity to project.” revive peace talks which collapsed be- fore they had even started a month ago 2mn high-risk children in Geneva. QATAR | Aviation It also hopes the truce will allow hu- HIA ranks joint second Refugees and internally displaced Syria crisis an education and the Syria manitarian aid to be sent into besieged children in Syria, Afghanistan, conference aims to achieve this for all areas where many Syrians are living in in 2015 ASQ Awards Pakistan, South Sudan, Kenya, children in the region. dire conditions. Doha’s Hamad International Airport Nigeria and Ghana will benefit “Our partnership with Education However, the opposition said it had ranks joint second with Abu Dhabi from the agreement Above All will ensure that vulnerable yet to be offi cially informed of a new International Airport in the Best children in low income and developing round of talks on March 9, insisting Airport Middle East category of wo million children in high- countries, as well as those aff ected by that no serious discussions can begin winners of the 2015 Airport Service risk communities will receive confl ict, don’t miss out on the chance before detainees are freed and block- Quality (ASQ) Awards announced Tprimary education after Edu- to go to school and the hope for a bet- ades are lifted. yesterday by Airports Council cation Above All’s Educate A Child ter future.” Riad Nassan Agha, a member of the International (ACI) in Montreal. programme (EAC) and the UK Depart- In addition to working together on High Negotiations Committee, said Jordan’s Queen Alia International ment for International Development education in the target countries, EAC the opposition would study the call Airport in Amman won the first (DFID) signed a fi ve-year partnership and DFID will collaborate on global for talks based on developments on place in the Middle East category agreement in London. advocacy, fi nancing and delivering the ground, adding that it heard of the while Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd The agreement will benefi t refugees education programmes, conducting March 9 date only through the media. International Airport in Dammam, and internally displaced children in research, and co-ordinating organi- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Dubai International Airport and Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, South sational capacity and professional de- and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Sudan, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana. Al- velopment programmes. Lavrov said there was an urgent need to Airport came joint third. most 30% of the 59mn out-of-school EAA’s aim is to build a global move- implement the agreement and for the children globally live in these coun- HH Sheika Moza bint Nasser, Justine Greening MP, Fahad al-Sulaiti and a DFID ment that contributes to human, warring parties to return to the negoti- tries. off icial at the signing ceremony. PICTURE: AR Al-Baker/HHOPL social and economic development ating table, a UN statement said. BUSINESS | Finance HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, through quality education and other “They agreed on the importance of Al Meera sees record founder and chairperson of EAA, and the traditional education system in an vests $100 per child so that, together welfare programmes and initiatives. urgently moving forward simultane- Justine Greening MP, Secretary of eff ort to alleviate some of the barriers with our partners, we can provide With a particular focus on areas af- ously on implementing the cessation results in retail sector State for International Development to accessing education. quality primary education for some fected by poverty, confl ict and disas- of hostilities agreement, providing Al Meera Consumer Goods of the UK, witnessed the signing of the Fahad al-Sulaiti, CEO of Education of the world’s most hard to reach chil- ter, EAA champions the needs of chil- vital humanitarian assistance to civil- Company has posted a net profit of agreement. Above All, expressed hope that others dren,” al-Sulaiti explained. dren and youth and empowers them to ians, and returning to political nego- QR162.1mn in 2015 with a “record- Earlier, HH Sheikha Moza and Sec- will be inspired by the example set by Desmond Swayne, Minister of be active members of their communi- tiations,” the statement said. breaking” performance in its retail retary Greening discussed the impor- EAC and DFID and invest in the future State, UK DFID, said that investing in ties. US Secretary of State John Kerry said sales and leasing segments. The tance of accelerating eff orts to enrol of the world’s children. education is absolutely fundamental By meeting the demand for educa- on Monday that while eff orts were being company’s Board of Directors has out-of-school children in quality This partnership is an innovative to tackling extreme poverty and build- tion, EAA equips them to support sus- made to track down alleged violations recommended distribution of a education programmes, especially for way to tackle funding for education. ing secure, sustainable communities. tainable development and to nurture of the cessation of hostilities, there was cash dividend of QR9 per share, those living in confl ict aff ected re- Each side will operate according to its “For children, an education is their environments of peace, security, jus- currently no evidence to suggest they which is equivalent to 90% of the gions. strengths – DFID by focusing on fund- fi rst step to being able to take control tice and prosperity. would destabilise the fragile peace. nominal share value. Business HH Sheikha Moza emphasised the ing government systems, and EAC by of their lives and build the future they EAA is the umbrella organisation In a telephone conversation yester- Page 20 importance of dedicating resources funding local and international NGOs want. No child should miss out on this overseeing three core programmes: day, Lavrov and Kerry reaffi rmed the specifi cally to support children aff ect- and UN agency projects – to maxim- opportunity simply because of where Educate A Child, Al Fakhoora and importance of coordination, chiefl y ed by the Syrian crisis and advocated ise the pledge’s impact for the world’s they happen to be born. Protect Education in Insecurity and military, between Moscow and Wash- REGION | Accident for the support of alternative educa- most vulnerable children. “The UK has helped give a quarter Confl ict, as well as the Kakuma/Kenya ington to strengthen the truce, the 18 killed in Oman tional approaches and modalities to “Typically, Education Above All in- of a million children aff ected by the Project.