DOHA: The Cabinet yesterday approved a draft law on water that aims at achieving water security and protect the country’s precious resources from pollution and depletion.
The Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani chaired the weekly Cabinet session at the Emiri Diwan.
The draft law considers all water resources as national wealth, a state-owned public property, to be used under specific plans and controls to preserve them for sustainable development.
It has provisions for rationalisation of usage, desalinated and sewage water, water for industrial use, handling of emergencies, administrative action, judicial proceedings and penalties related to water consumption.
Following the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs H E Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud said the session also took measures to issue a draft decision amending some provisions of Decision No. 8 of 2010 to establish Qatar Committee for Alliance of Civilisations.
The panel will be formed under the chairmanship of the Foreign Minister and Qatar’s representative to the UN Alliance of Civilizations as deputy chairman with members from the Emiri Diwan, the ministries of Foreign Affairs; Youth and Sports; Labour and Social Affairs; and Culture, Arts and Heritage, Supreme Education Council, the Chairman’s Office at Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, Doha Centre for Media Freedom and Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue.
The Cabinet reviewed a letter from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs on the outcome of a meeting of the committee in charge of studying the reorganisation of dispatching government employees on scholarships for further studies and training.
In a report, the panel set up by the Cabinet to prepare regulations, said the draft law should consider including rules.
The Cabinet then discussed a memorandum by the Foreign Minister on Qatar’s report on the Comprehensive Periodic Review mechanism.
The report included a study on developments in the promotion and protection of human rights, legislative and institutional measures and global cooperation. It also explained measures, strategies and policies adopted by Qatar.
The Cabinet also reviewed a memorandum by the Minister of Finance on the outcome of the 97th meeting of the GCC Financial and Economic Cooperation Committee in Riyadh in October 2013; and the annual report of Hamad Medical Corporation on its achievements during 2012-2013.
It approved Qatar’s accession to Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78). The Cabinet took measures to endorse a memorandum of understanding between Central Bank of Qatar and Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador.
The Finance Minister also briefed the meeting on preparations for the general budget for 2014-2015 and guidelines to achieve objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030.
He also informed the Cabinet about reasons for delay in the disbursement of foodstuff, especially rice, recently and measures taken to ensure smooth supply.
QNA
