1996 - 2021 SILVER JUBILEE YEAR Qatar among Barty tops world's largest Azarenka to markets for reach Miami Islamic finance quarters Business | 01 Sport | 10 WEDNESDAY 31 MARCH 2021 18 SHA'ABAN - 1442 VOLUME 26 NUMBER 8578 www.thepeninsula.qa 2 RIYALS Qatar vows $100m Amir and US Mayors discuss bilateral relations support for Syrian humanitarian needs THE PENINSULA — DOHA and stability and maintains the unity of Syria. The State of Qatar pledged another He said that the State of Qatar $100m to alleviate the Syrian human- stresses the importance of the Syrian itarian crisis. constitutional committee in helping to This came during the speech of end the crisis, and its commitment to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of support the committee in cooperation Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed with the UN Special Envoy for Syria, by bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the 5th engaging with Syrian parties and sup- Brussels conference on Supporting the porting the voluntary return of Syrian Future of Syria and of the Region, which refugees. took place yesterday via video The Deputy Prime Minister and Min- conference. ister of Foreign Affairs said that holding His Excellency stressed the impor- today’s conference reflects the interna- tance of having a collective response tional community’s continued support and enhancing contributions in alle- of the Syrian people in alleviating their viating the suffering of the Syrian humanitarian crisis that has been people and the region. He added that ongoing for 10 years. `P2 the State of Qatar’s financial and humanitarian aid to the Syrian people Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met at Sheikh Abdullah Bin Jassim Majlis at the Amiri Diwan yesterday morning was more than $2bn since the start with a delegation of Their Excellencies Mayors of a number of US cities, on the occasion of their visit to the country. H H of the crisis, whether in the form of The State of Qatar’s financial and the Amir met with Mayor of Miami, Florida, Francis Suarez, who is also the Second Vice-President of the US Conference governmental support or through humanitarian aid to the Syrian of Mayors, Mayor of Quincy, Illinois, Kyle Moore, and Mayor of Rochester Hills, Michigan, Bryan Barnett. The meeting dealt non-governmental and charitable with reviewing the strategic friendship and cooperation ties between the State of Qatar and the friendly United States of people was more than $2bn since America, in addition to discussing a number of issues of joint interest. organisations. the start of the crisis, whether in The Deputy Prime Minister and Min- ister of Foreign Affairs renewed the State the form of governmental support of Qatar’s position of supporting inter- or through non-governmental and national efforts aiming to reach a political charitable organisations. Age limit for COVID-19 vaccination lowered to 40 resolution to the Syrian crisis in line with Geneva I statement of 2012, UN Security QNA — DOHA conditions, health care leading to significant who are eligible for the H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Council resolutions, and in particular res- workers and other key numbers of people being vaccine at this stage will be olution no. 2254 which meets the aspi- Abdulrahman Al Thani The Ministry of Public Health essential workers, MoPH admitted to hospital and contacted directly by rations of the Syrian people for security (MoPH) has announced that added. intensive care every day Primary Health Care Corpo- it has lowered the age At present priority with severe symptoms. Since ration via SMS or phone call threshold for COVID-19 groups for COVID-19 vacci- the start of the pandemic it to arrange their vaccine eligibility to 40 years nations are people aged 40 is the elderly who have been appointment. People who of age. years of age and above most at risk from severe meet the new 40 years of The change comes as regardless of their health complications, but in this age and above eligibility cri- part of the phased roll-out conditions, people with second wave of the virus the teria and who have already of the National COVID-19 moderate chronic medical health care system is now registered their interest Vaccination Programme, conditions, additional health seeing more younger people online via the MOPH vaccine which prioritises those care professionals and other becoming sick and needing registration service will be members of the population key workers in different medical care. Lowering the given priority for appoint- most at risk from ministries and industries, age limit to 40 years will ments over the next three to COVID-19. including teachers and enable this age group to get four weeks. More than 765,000 administration staff in vaccinated and reduce their Anyone who has not doses have been adminis- education. risk. already registered their tered since the start of the In the past few weeks, The appointment interest in getting vaccinated campaign to older people, the number of COVID-19 process for vaccinations can do so at www.MOPH. those with chronic cases has risen continuously, remains the same. People gov.qa QP to become 100% owner of Qatargas (1) from first January 2022 THE PENINSULA- DOHA Mitsui. QG1 was the pioneering as well as to continue serving the ExxonMobil, for stepping in at a LNG project to be developed in world’s need for cleaner energy.” critical juncture of the project and Qatar Petroleum (QP) has Qatar, whose success has paved Minister Al Kaabi added, “I leveraging their experience to announced that it will not be the way for the development of would like to thank our valued help making the project a reality; renewing the Qatargas Liquefied Qatar’s LNG industry, leading to partners, Total, ExxonMobil, and to Mitsui and Marubeni for Natural Gas Company Limited where it stands today. Marubeni and Mitsui for their their valuable contributions in (QG1) joint venture upon the Minister of State for Energy Established in 1984, QG1 is a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum efforts in the development and securing anchor offtakes for the expiry of the relevant agree- Affairs, the President and CEO of and affiliates of Total, ExxonMobil, Marubeni and Mitsui. QG1 was the operation of QG1 over the past project and for their great support ments on December 31, 2021. As Qatar Petroleum, H E Eng. Saad pioneering LNG project to be developed in Qatar. three decades. Each one of them during the early phases. Thanks, a result, Qatar Petroleum will bin Sherida Al Kaabi, said: “The has played an instrumental role and appreciation are also due to become the sole owner of 100 takeover by Qatar Petroleum will With a production capacity of approximately 10 million tonnes per in the success of QG1. In par- Chubu Electric, QG1’s foundation percent of the QG1 assets and conclude more than 25 years of annum of LNG, QG1 facilities will continue to be operated by ticular, I would like to express my customer, for their key role in facilities on January 1, 2022. successful operations of QG1, sincere thanks and appreciation anchoring this project as the Established in 1984, QG1 is a from which the first ever Qatari Qatargas on behalf of Qatar Petroleum to Total, for being a foundation primary LNG buyer as well as to joint venture between Qatar LNG cargo was exported. This is shareholder from inception and the other Japanese buyers and, Petroleum and affiliates of Total, a momentous event that high- to further enhance the utilisation benefit of our country and its for their valuable contributions of course, the country of Japan as ExxonMobil, Marubeni and lights Qatar Petroleum’s efforts of our natural resources for the current and future generations throughout this journey; to a whole." `P2 MoI plans awareness drive to reduce motorcycle accidents banking Mobile banking usage set Qatari banks show Trends to watch in banking to rise further `P 04 resilience amid challenges `P 05 industry `P 06 Special Supplement Wednesday 31 March 2021 SIDI MOHAMED a list of all motorbikes and roads further saying they needed Digital transactions rise as banks innovate The delivery companies and motorbikes in SACHIN KUMAR banking apps, digital cheques that allows customers to payment using the D-Pay plat- introduced a brand new THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA and other such innovations process Commercial Bank form without having to carry version of its Corporate Inter- have made doing banking con- QNB, cheques via the bank’s mobile their wallets, credit cards, net Banking portal with delivery companies after the awareness programmes. nnovations in the Qatari venient for customers. application. The bank has debit cards, or smartphones, new additional features banking sector have QNB, Commercial Bank, Commercial also launched e-Gift feature and enhancing customer related to payments, trans- encouraged customers Dukhan Bank, QIB and other Bank, Dukhan which allows customers to experience at the checkout. fers, cards management and particular increased during the past year with to move towards digital banks have already launched Bank, QIB and send cash gift to their loved Dukhan Bank launched trade finance. The introduc- transactions. Banks in contactless debit and credit ones. Customers can send an fixed and mobile POS termi- tion of the new portal has led IQatar have launched several cards which have become other banks have e-Gift as a transfer through nals that allow companies and among others, to achieving a increase in motorcycle linked Al Hajri pointed out that the innovative banking solutions popular among banks. The its ATM network in Qatar, or retailers in Qatar to accept 100 percent local & Interna- already launched and initiatives that have made contactless cards have done as a local or international payments using credit cards tional digitization of wages’ performing banking transac- away the need for pressing contactless debit account transfer.