News | Ministry of Transport

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Speech by HE The Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti

Doha-In his speech at the Hamad Port inauguration ceremony, HE the Minister said: “This magnificent construction, which was completed ahead of schedule and below budget, will be remembered in history as a sign of gratitude from this dignified nation to Your Highness, the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and His Highness the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. This giant gateway carries the Father Emir’s name, which, in our memory and world memory, will be synonymous with the maker of miracles in this land.This would not have been achieved without the guiding directives and unlimited encouragement from Your Highness and the active support from HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Such great support has had a great impact in energizing our drive and increasing the momentum for more work and dedication.We are here today at the heart of this megaproject to emphasize once again that our country is moving ahead on the track you outlined and the building blocks you laid for our modern renaissance. This demonstrates that nothing will destroy our ambitions and dreams given the spirit of togetherness between Your Highness and this faithful nation – a spirit rarely to be found elsewhere.Your Highness the Emir, Your vision not only foresaw all the hard possibilities of the future but is also a motivator for us to face all of its challenges. We say this as we introduce today a major element of Qatar National Vision 2030, which will see Qatar become an attractive economic destination in every sense of the word.Hamad Port demonstrates this most vividly as it has played a very important role recently by providing direct marine shipping routes with key regional and world seaports in a short time, thus contributing to securing the goods, supplies and all that is needed for our vital projects.Hamad Port spans an area of nearly 30 square kilometers. Its full capacity will exceed 7.5 million containers a year on completion of all its construction phases with some QR2.5-billion direct and indirect investment returns. Over 150 million man-hours were spent here without incidents. The project involved 22,000 workers at peak construction times, and will contribute to increasing world trade volumes between Qatar and world markets, creating job opportunities for youth, raising living standards in addition to improving Qatar’s competitiveness by transforming it into a regional business center, which, in turn, will establish sustainable development for generations to come.Hamad Port provides a role model for how the directives of His Highness the Emir are being executed in supporting the private sector and promoting its contribution to the development process countrywide. The private sector took over 60% of the value of all tenders announced for the execution of this megaproject, which exceeds QR10 billion. Moreover, the private sector will have a major portion of the construction works of the second phase of the Port with projects reaching QR5 billion to be completed and delivered between 2020 and 2021.The private sector’s participation has not stopped there. Rather, it has gone beyond the normal convention of construction and building, to its participation in Port operations through operations management company “QTerminals”. This helps enrich the sector’s spirit of investment and localizes applied expertise and technology, adding value to our national economy.At Hamad Port project, the environment has always been key to our strategy. Plants, birds and aquatic organisms have been taken care of and carefully reintroduced. In recognition of this, Hamad Port won the largest smart and green-friendly project award at the Middle East level.We have proven beyond any doubt how much we are flexible but steadfast when it comes to facing challenges without compromising out values, traditions, and ambitions. We have all reason today to keep our heads up, given the amount of difficulties we have overcome and the challenges we have faced.Today, we are stronger and more determined with even more options at hand. We do not wait for the sea to calm - we learn how to sail through the storm.We do not live on the margins of life as was said by Your Highness and today we answer Your Highness: we live at the heart of it, make it and write our names on its face.” Thank You.

Monday, September 4, 2017

HE The Minister Meets with Omani, Kuwaiti Officials

Doha – Qatar HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti held separate meetings here today with Oman’s Minister of Transport and Communications Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Salem Al-Futaisi and the Director-General of the Kuwait Port Authority Sheikh Yousef Abdullah Al Sabah.The two meetings discussed means of developing relations and cooperation between Qatar and the two brotherly countries in the field of transport, seaports and shipping.The two officials also congratulated HE the Minister for the official inauguration of Hamad Port.

Monday, August 21, 2017

HE Minister Launches Qatar Transport Resilience Program

Doha – Qatar HE Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti today launched the Qatar Transport Resilience Program (QTRP) in an event that was attended by HE Minister of Municipality and Environment Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi.The QTRP aims to deliver an intermodal transport network that is resilient, sustainable and efficient, aiming to a higher level of quality to help encourage public transport ridership.The QTRP was developed as part of the Ministry of Transport and Communications’ ongoing efforts to respond to key strategic transport requirements for the nation, in alignment with the Qatar National Vision 2030.The QTRP will be completed across five phases and supporting the development of an integrated Transport Resilience Framework for Qatar, including management and monitoring of key threats and risks and the establishment of a national Transport Coordination Centre (TCC) to support the country’s intermodal operations. One of the key benefits from the Framework is that it will facilitate cooperation and coordination across the transport sector’s relevant entities.Addressing the QTRP launch event, Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalid Al Thani, Director of Technical Affairs Department at the Ministry, said that Qatar’s economy has been witnessing a growing boom under the wise leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. He added that transport system in Qatar was witnessing a rapid growth and continuing changes concurrently with huge investments into transport network infrastructure. The few coming years, he noted, would be the best demonstration of Ministry’s efforts for developing the performance of all transport mediums across the country, particularly with the operation of railroad networks and the upgrading of public transport services in a way that supports sustainable social and economic progress.The plan of action being executed by the Ministry was inspired from the Qatar National Vision 2030. That plan provides the requirements for all the new transport infrastructure investments and a key priority in it is to ensure such investments deliver the expected transport benefits in a safe, consistent and reliable manner and the Program launched today is a central element of that plan, Sheikh Al Thani said.He stressed that resilience nowadays is no longer an option; rather it is continually becoming a necessity that drives all economies.He said that for the successful deployment and execution of the Program HE Minister of Transport and Communications had given directives to establishing a working group for the transport resilience project to develop the required framework.He added that the working group would include representatives from transport and transport-related sectors in Qatar, in addition to industry consultants and experts.The Program working group would be working collaboratively through workshops and joint committees, he said. During the event, the Ministry working group in charge of the Program gave a presentation on the importance of the Program, roadmap to resilience and relevant case studies of where in the world similar programs are in place.

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Qatar hands over ICAO a letter on Blockade Countries’ TV Channels Violations

Montreal – Canada - DohaQatar’s permanent office to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada, handed over an official letter from the State of Qatar to the ICAO’s Secretary General, the Chairman of the Council of the Organization and representatives of the Member States of the Council of the Organization on the blockade countries’ violation through their TV satellite channels in order to intimidate and horrify travelers.The official letter referred to the news report broadcasted by Al Arabiya TV Channel, a Saudi-owned pan-Arab television news channel based in Dubai, UAE, on last Wednesday ( 9 August,2017) on what it called the "right" of the blockade countries to blast a Qatari passenger jet plane (Qatar Airways) in case it flew over its airspaces. This report constituted a clear and serious violation of international conventions and agreements, notably the 1944 Chicago Convention, the International Air Traffic Service (IASTA) and the International Air Law.In the Al-Arabiya three-dimensional video, the voiceover commentary said that 'according to international law, a state has the right to 'bring down any plane entering its atmosphere which is identified as an enemy target, especially in military bases, where Air Defense is unrestrained'. In this piece of footage, the report show a shot of a missile was shown being fired towards a Qatari A-350 passenger plane.The video also said that 'according to international law, a state that bans flights from entering its airspace has the right to deal with the violating plane in any way it wishes', showing the choices the blockading countries could do if their airspace is breached.Among the choices, according to the video, they can either dispatch a fighter plane to force the plane to land. 'After which, its members may be prosecuted for several crimes, such as breaching national security and exposing civilians to danger,' the video said.The video that has been widely circulated in the international media as well as in the social media, was widely condemned by legal experts and specialists in the field of civil aviation in the world.The State of Qatar, through its representative in ICAO, Mr. Issa Abdullah Al-Malki, requested the ICAO to take the necessary measures to remind all States in the Organization of their obligations to the security and safety of aviation under international law and international norms.

Monday, August 14, 2017

HE Minister Receives Missive from Singaporean Minister

Doha – QatarHE Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti today received a missive from Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim, Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information and the Minister in charge of Cyber Security.The message included an invitation for HE the Minister to the 2nd Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW), in addition to means of further enhancing Qatari-Singaporean cooperation in the field of communications and cybersecurity.The missive was delivered by HE Singaporean Ambassador in Doha Mr. Jai S. Sohan.

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

HE Minister Meets with UPU General Director

Doha-HE Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti met here Tuesday with MR. Bishar Abdirahman Hussein, General Director of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in response to the complaint the State of Qatar had submitted to the UPU about blockading countries’ infringements on the UPU Constitution and General Regulations, which are the first of their kind in the world and a dangerous precedent to the UPU conventions.The two officials discussed blockading countries’ violations of UPU systems, particularly Article 4 of UPU conventions relating to freedom of transit of postal items.The meeting also emphasized the postal correspondence is a human right and delivering them to their destinations is a social matter.The meeting also reviewed cooperation in the field of post and means of furthering enhancing and developing them, as well as boosting relations between Qatar and the UPU.The meeting was attended by HE Mohammed Ali Al Mannai, President of the Communications Regulatory Authority and Mr. Faleh Mohamed Al-Naemi, Qatar Post Chairman, and Managing Director.