BUSINESS | 13 SPORT | 16 Qatar’s access to QSL Cup: Al Gharafa TIR system to boost to begin title defence international trade against Qatar SC Tuesday 4 September 2018 | 24 Dhul-Hijja I 1439 www.thepeninsula.qa Volume 23 | Number 7639 | 2 Riyals Qatar most open country in Middle East: UNWTO THE PENINSULA The high ranking already reciprocating. reflects a string Brigadier Mohammed DOHA: Qatar has become the Ahmed Al Ateeq, Director most open country in the Middle of visa facilitation General of General Directorate East and the 8th most open in measures introduced of Passport in Qatar’s Ministry the world in terms of visa facil- by Qatar, including of Interior, said: “MOI has long itation according to The World allowing nationals been committed to working with Tourism Organisation’s its partners to enhance the (UNWTO) recently updated visa of 88 countries to visitor experience while opti- openness rankings. enter Qatar visa-free mising resources. We are The high ranking reflects a and free-of-charge. delighted to see the results in string of visa facilitation As a result, Qatar’s this remarkably improved measures introduced by Qatar, openness ranking, which places including allowing nationals of openness score has Qatar in a stronger position to 88 countries to enter Qatar visa- leapt by 71.3 points negotiate better mobility for its Qatar Development Bank honours banks for supporting SMEs free and free-of-charge. As a since 2014, when it citizens.” Qatar Central Bank Governor H E Sheikh Abdulla bin Saoud Al Thani (third left) with top executives result, Qatar’s openness score ranked 177th. Qatar embarked on a of the award winning banks (QIIB, al khaliji, QIB, QNB) and QDB officials during the ‘Best Partner has leapt by 71.3 points since journey to enhance visa facili- Bank Award’ event hosted by QDB to honour the banks for supporting SMEs through its Al Dhameen 2014, when it ranked 177th. tation and ensure Qatar is ready Program, yesterday. PIC: BAHER AMIN / THE PENINSULA →SEE ALSO PAGE 13 Already, Qatar’s increased to welcome the world in 2014, openness is showing in the journey. We will continue to when QTA commissioned growing number of visitors from work with our partners on UNWTO to conduct a visa facil- markets which can now access further facilitating entry to Qatar itation study. the country visa-free. Notable through additional streamlining “Qatar has implemented and increases in arrival volumes in of the immigration process at over-achieved the recommen- the first half of 2018 compared Qatars ports of entry, as well as dations of the study, setting an Ministry of Finance starts budget discussions to the first half of 2017 came ensuring that all visitor visas and example by spearheading safe from India (18%), China (43%) visa procedures are and seamless travel, enhancing THE PENINSULA implementation. The Ministry’s financial stability of the country. and Russia, which grew most electronic.” the visitor experience and better discussion with different Minis- The Ministry has asked gov- significantly with a 366% The UNWTO also measures placing itself to improve DOHA: As a part of its efforts to tries and institutions started from ernment institutions to provide increase. the mobility of a country’s cit- mobility for its citizens,” said prepare budget for 2019, which September 2 and will continue their estimates for 2019 budget, Hassan Al Ibrahim, Qatar izens, or the extent to which cit- UNWTO Secretary-General starts from January 1 and ends until September 25. vision and expectations for two Tourism Authority’s Acting izens are affected by other Zurab Pololikashvili. on December 31, the Ministry of The budget plan focuses on financial years, including Chairman, said: “Openness and countries’ visa policies with In September 2016 an Finance has issued directives to enhancing food security by estimate of revenue and ease of access are crucial ele- highly mobile citizens being able agreement was signed between different Ministries and boosting local production and expenditure along with targets ments of the visitor experience. to travel easily and seamlessly QTA, Qatar Airways, Qatar’s government institutions to supporting food sector, increasing that need to be achieved. The That is why, in addition to the to most other countries. Ministry of Interior and VFS prepare budget. contribution of non-oil sectors by Ministry directive have set three accelerated development of our While Qatar currently ranks Global to create an online The instructions, copy of encouraging and supporting standards for preparation of tourism offering, we have com- 106th in the world in terms of platform for processing visa which is with Lusail newspaper, private sector and attracting local budget. One of the criteria is mitted to providing a seamless mobility, it is worth noting that applications and issuing e-visas. issued by Minister of Finance and foreign investments. The maintaining the current policy experience to our visitors even 20 of the countries benefiting H E Ali Shereef Al Emadi, include budget aims to achieve efficiency of the state to estimate the oil as they are planning for their from the Qatari visa waiver are →CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 rules and guidelines for its in expenditure and maintain and gas prices. Roof installation of Al Bayt Stadium begins THE PENINSULA tonnes. Each truss was fabricated into major lifting required on-site and means eight pieces at the workshop, trans- the big cranes can soon be removed.” DOHA: The construction of Al Bayt ported to site, and welded together at Engineer Majid Al Bader, Aspire Stadium in Al Khor City, a proposed a dedicated area outside the stadium Zone Foundation’s Al Bayt Stadium, semi-venue for the 2022 FIFA World before being lifted into place. Al Khor City Project Manager, added: Cup, has taken another step forward The lifting of the roof trusses is “We’re very pleased with the as work began on installing the done only when there’s little or no progress to-date and look forward venue’s retractable roof. wind, takes approximately three to unveiling this unique stadium to Once fully assembled, the roof will hours, and can be done every two to the world.” weigh around 1,600 tonnes – the equiv- three days. Designed in the style of a traditional alent of almost 380 medium sized Aspire Zone Foundation’s Project Bedouin tent, Al Bayt Stadium – Al Khor motor cars. It will be possible to close Director for Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor City will have a capacity of 60,000 the roof at the touch of a button, in a City, Dr Nasser Al Hajeri, said: “This during the World Cup. Post-tour- three-phase movement that takes structure will allow more flexibility nament, the capacity will be reduced approximately 20 minutes, the Supreme in lighting and climate conditions to approximately 30,000, with parts of Committee for Delivery and Legacy within the stadium, making it fit for the stadium donated to countries in announced yesterday on its website. the purpose all year round.” need of sporting infrastructure. Workers watch as a section of the roof truss is being lowered onto the top of the Al Bayt Each roof truss measures 94.4 “Installing the roof structure is a sig- Stadium in Al Khor City. metres and weighs between 82 and 104 nificant milestone as it completes the →CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 HTC treats around 2,000 trauma cases annually FAZEENA SALEEM HTC at the Hamad service and it goes to all the to entities of different min- operating room machine can THE PENINSULA General Hospital is the hub of way up to rehabilitation. The istries which could provide save them as they have died the national trauma system in HTC is right at the centre of direct intervention to prevent at the scene. We are working DOHA: The Hamad Trauma Qatar and provides care to the system and it provides the accidents. to avoid this 70 percent of Center (HTC) receives around people who get serious most emergency and urgent The most important part preventable deaths,” said Dr 2,000 cases annually, and injuries across the country. care needed by patients. The of the HTC is prevention. We Consunji. among them 40 to 45 percent Besides providing highest ambulance service provides are doing our best to provide “We were able to prevent are due to road-related acci- standard of care to patients, the pre-hospital service,” said local based evidence for pre- 30 percent of deaths through dents. HTC also aims at prevention Dr Consunji. ventive measures for eve- quality improvement, hospital These accidents involve as 70 percent of deaths due to HTC, through the Hamad ryone in Qatar including programmes, increasing motorists, pedestrians, motor- trauma occur prior to hospital Injury Prevention Program children, adults and workers. capacity of physicians, quality 8 8 1 0 1 cyclists as well as ATV riders, admission. (HIPP), is actively involved in “We want to reduce the of equipment and training of said Dr Rafeel Consunji, Con- HTC also receives around preventing trauma and number of injuries and deaths. all healthcare professionals,” sultant, Director Injury Pre- 35 to 40 percent of patients of injuries among the population. Because, 70 percent of people he added. The number of people from Qatar and vention, Department of work related injuries. In this regard it provides evi- who die from trauma or HTC has received the around the world seeking registration as Surgery at Hamad Medical “The entire trauma system dence-based data on trends injuries in Qatar are in the Trauma Distinction award volunteers to support Qatar 2022 is Corporation (HMC) while starts from the 999 emergency of accidents and globally pre-hospital services, no from Accreditation Canada continuously increasing at a fast pace.