Next-Generation ICT Services for Qatar Rail
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BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Lekhwiya bounce back INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2 – 9 COMMENT 26, 27 All signs point to with 4-0 rout REGION 10 BUSINESS 1 – 9, 14 – 20 17,634.90 10,008.77 35.73 ARAB WORLD 11 CLASSIFIED 10 – 14 deal on oil output of Al Nassr -102.10 -225.59 +0.03 INTERNATIONAL 12 – 25 SPORTS 1 – 12 -0.58% -2.20% +0.08% at Doha meeting Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978 WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10050 April 6, 2016 Jumada II 28, 1437 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Deputy Emir meets Moroccan prime minister In brief Business REGION | Militancy IS claims attack on initiative Saudi police colonel A Saudi police colonel was shot dead in the Riyadh region yesterday, the interior ministry said, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State militant group. Colonel Kattab Majid al-Hammadi was killed by gunfire “from an unknown source” to benefi t in the town of Duwadimi, the ministry said in a statement, adding that an investigation had been launched. The attack is the second claimed by the extremist group against Saudi police in the past four days. Page 10 farmers HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani held talks with Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane and WORLD | Documents the accompanying delegation on the occasion of their visit to Doha to participate in the sixth session of the Qatari-Moroccan The Jahiz initiative focuses on Qatar, al-Khalifa told Gulf Times that one Iceland PM resigns Joint Higher Committee. During the meeting at the Emiri Diwan, they reviewed relations between the two countries and leasing complete and equipped of the main pillars of QDB’s evaluation ways to enhance them, in addition to a number of issues of common concern. HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister facilities to Qatari SMEs and process “is to ensure that the project fi lls over Panama Papers Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani attended the meeting. Page 2 entrepreneurs to encourage the gap for local needs”. Iceland’s Prime Minister Sigmundur the establishment of innovative “We have synchronised the local farms David Gunnlaugsson resigned and environmentally-friendly with the raw material requirements to yesterday, becoming the first businesses ensure that their products are aligned casualty of leaked documents from with the end product of entrepreneurs a Panamanian law firm which have By Peter Alagos and SMEs,” he said. shone a spotlight on the finances Business Reporter “We always believe that the private of an array of politicians and public Next-generation ICT sector is smart enough to come up with figures worldwide. The more than opportunities that make sense, capitalis- 11.5mn documents, leaked from n addition to small and medium-sized ing on the local farms and how they can the Panamanian law firm Mossack enterprises (SMEs), local farmers in transform their produce into competitive Fonseca, have caused public IQatar are also expected to gain from products that could be sold in both the outrage over how the world’s rich services for Qatar Rail the 14 industrial facilities to be estab- domestic and international markets,” he and powerful are able to stash their lished under Qatar Development Bank’s explained. cash and avoid taxes. Pages 16, 19, “Jahiz 2” initiative. Qatar Development Bank head of Busi- 20, 22, 23 oredoo and Qatar Railways “QDB has provided 14 new indus- ness Development Saleh al-Khulaifi said Company (Qatar Rail) yes- trial facilities to support the growth of that QDB’s evaluation process also de- Oterday signed a memoran- the food and beverages sector in Qatar,” termined if SMEs could source their raw dum of understanding (MoU) to es- CEO Abdulaziz bin Nasser al-Khalifa an- materials locally. tablish a collaboration framework to nounced following a workshop on Jahiz 2 “When two SMEs apply for the initia- provide next-generation ICT solu- on Monday. tive, it would be very hard to select if they tions for the design, construction “The initiative was an off shoot of Ja- are outstanding and complex projects. and operation of the Qatar Rail De- hiz 1, launched several months ago, and But since one of the criteria requires velopment Programme (QRDP). features 32 industrial facilities aimed at sourcing products locally, the applicant The MoU was signed by Ooredoo supporting several industry sectors, in- that complies with the criteria gets extra Qatar CEO Waleed al-Sayed and cluding chemicals, plastics and wood and points because this means that the ap- Qatar Rail CEO Dr Saad al-Muhan- electronic materials,” he explained. plicant creates business, which is why we nadi at a ceremony attended by sen- The Jahiz initiative focuses on leasing are incentivising entrepreneurs who are ior executives from both companies. complete and equipped facilities to Qatari in talks with diff erent farmers,” he said. Qatar Rail is currently driving SMEs and entrepreneurs to encourage the Al-Khalifa said QDB would start re- the development of one of the larg- establishment of innovative and environ- ceiving applications from mid-April until est rail projects in the world, and mentally-friendly businesses. September 15. This also signals the sec- the technology agreement is one of The initiative also aims to acceler- ond stage where applications are evalu- the most far-reaching and compre- ate the trend towards a diversifi ed and ated. hensive ever agreed by a leading ICT knowledge-based economy to achieve He said the evaluation process would provider and a rail infrastructure sustainable economic development, take nine weeks, which would be followed developer. which is considered a key element of Qa- by personal interviews with QDB, lasting The agreement positions Ooredoo tar National Vision 2030. for six weeks. The winners will be an- as the primary ICT solutions suppli- “The Jahiz initiative’s fi rst phase was nounced in February 2017. er for the QRDP. It will support the a huge success, with a large number of Al-Khalifa said each facility spans provision of next-generation ICT entrepreneurs applying for the ben- 2,230sq m and is divided between two services and infrastructure across Ooredoo’s al-Sayed and Qatar Rail’s Dr al-Muhannadi at the MoU-signing ceremony. efi ts provided to them. We expect Ja- fl oors. The ground area is 1,784sq m, while the Qatar Rail network. hiz 2 to achieve similar success. There the administrative offi ce fl oor measures Upon completion, citizens, resi- Ooredoo provides world-class tech- support the development of dedi- are now 46 industrial facilities serving 446sq m, leased at QR5sq m per month. dents and visitors to Qatar will all nology and networks at every stage cated smart solutions for manag- fi ve diff erent industrial sectors, all of “QDB also supports the winning en- benefit from a range of communi- of the roll-out and deploy smart ing rail transportation, including which was accomplished within a few trepreneurs by providing a package of cation services provided both on- technology that enabled significant full control centre functionality and months,” he said. advisory and fi nancing programmes that board and at stations. environmental and financial ben- data centre services. Asked about the role of Jahiz 2 in pro- give them the best possible start,” he In addition, the ICT services will efits,” he said. The agreement is designed to sup- viding opportunities to local farms in added. provide vital connectivity during Dr al-Muhannadi said the agree- port Qatar Rail’s vision to provide the development phase of each of ment would bring the full benefit customer-centric integrated railway the essential national projects. of world-class technology and cut- services that are accessible, effi cient, Al-Sayed pointed out that Qatar ting-edge networks to Qatar Rail safe and reliable while maximising Rail is leading one of Qatar’s “fore- projects and ultimately to the cus- social, economic, and environment most projects”, creating a national tomers who travel on the national benefi ts. railway network that will support rail system. Ooredoo has demonstrated its the National Vision 2030 and deliver Under the terms of the agree- experience and expertise in con- incredible benefits to the people and ment, Ooredoo will provide Qa- necting Qatar with world-class ICT future generations. tar Rail with the latest infrastruc- infrastructure on major national “By integrating a full collabo- ture and solutions, including fixed projects, including Lusail City, Ha- ration framework into the devel- and wireless connectivity services. mad International Airport, Katara opment plan, we will ensure that In addition, the agreement will and Souq Waqif. QDB’s Saleh al-Khulaifi and Abdulaziz bin Nasser al-Khalifa. Museum of Islamic Art Park to open round-the-clock he hugely popular Museum of cording to the website. Bikes, as well as Many children fi nd the park “hov- MIA Park is the perfect place to take a Islamic Art (MIA) Park will now smoking in the area, are strictly prohib- erboard-friendly” because of its well- stroll or for your children to run around Tbe open round-the-clock. MIA ited. built walkways. These toys have been in complete safety.” Park made the announcement on its The MIA Park draws a large number banned in most of the malls and other But it announced that the car park- Twitter account yesterday morning, of visitors, especially during the week- business establishments across Qatar. ing area would be closed due to main- saying: “MIA Park lovers rejoice, as of ends. Other physical activities such as bik- tenance and ongoing improvements today MIA Park will be open 24/7.” The MIA Park’s small hills and green ing and skateboarding for all ages are a “until further notice”.