Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in an address after opening the 47th ordinary session of the Advisory Council yesterday, outlined the unprecedented developments the State of Qatar has achieved since the unjust blockade and the aspirations and targets the country has set for the future.
It was a speech by a confident ruler, who could transform his great visions to reality in a very small span of time and at a very critical juncture during the country’s march towards progress.
At the beginning of the speech H H the Amir explained how Qatar weathered the blockade saying: “Qatar’s economic invulnerability against external tremors has been boosted and our self-reliance has increased, the bonds with our allies have become stronger than before, and our relations with most of the world countries have developed.
Most importantly, the Qataris have become more committed to the ethics they are famous for, and their awareness and realisation of the scale of their country’s accomplishments and the importance of national sovereignty and independence of our political decision, under which these accomplishments were achieved, have been deepened”.
Growth in Qatar was the least affected in the region last year and a drop in the country’s hydrocarbon GDP was offset with about four percent growth in GDP from other sources, which reflected the role of economic diversification. Exports increased by 18 percent boosting the public budget, trade balance and current account.
“The banking system retrieved in less than 10 months to the level of indicators that prevailed before the blockade, while the level of some of them became even better. In addition, Qatar Central Bank regained its reserve level, and the Qatari Riyal has maintained its value and free circulation. The State continued to provide funding for the World Cup projects without compromising the projects required to achieve the National Vision,” H H the Amir said.
H H the Amir also spoke about global credit rating agencies revising up their outlook for Qatar immediately after the blockade and the World Bank’s expectation of the country’s growth rate to accelerate.
H H the Amir stressed: The human beings remains the core focus and target of development plans. High living standard of citizens must be coupled with values, cultural evolution and care for morality. Otherwise, a possibility of welfare degenerating into a state of social corruption base on an unproductive and constantly resentful culture of consumerism and a sense of entitlement that is not based on work and efficiency may arise.”
These words vouch that H H the Amir’s vision is not about just the material development, but it envisions an all round holistic human development including culture, values and morality, which form the mainstay of a community. H H the Amir also spoke about regional and international issues shedding light on Qatar’s strong stance and policies on these issues.
