News | Ministry of Transport

Monday, April 14, 2025

Minister Meets with Saudi GACA, Kuwaiti DGCA Chiefs

Minister of Transport H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani held separate meetings today with President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia H.E. Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, and Head of Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Sheikh Humoud Mubarak Humoud Al-Sabah, on the sidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Facilitation Conference (FALC 2025), which opened in Doha today.The officials discussed bilateral relations in the areas of air transportation and ways to enhance them.

Monday, April 14, 2025

Minister of Transport Inaugurates ICAO Facilitation Conf. 2025

Under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Transport H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani today inaugurated the ICAO Facilitation Conference (FALC 2025), hosted by the State of Qatar and organized by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) in cooperation with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).ICAO FALC 2025 is attended by more than 120 ministers and aviation authority chiefs from around the world and numerous high-profile officials, experts and leaders representing civil aviation industry in 190 countries.Held under the theme “Facilitating the Future of Air Transport: Collaboration, Efficiency, Inclusivity,” the conference offers a unique platform for states and aviation industry stakeholders to explore advancements in air transport facilitation. It encourages dialogue on improving cooperation and operational efficiency in global air travel, while fostering collaboration among participants to develop a comprehensive global facilitation strategy that can adapt to the sector’s rapid evolution.The ICAO Facilitation Conference is distinguished by its High-Level Ministerial Segment, which sets the strategic tone for the event and reaffirms global commitment to strengthening air transport facilitation. This segment provides a key platform for ministers to discuss and endorse initiatives aimed at connecting communities and enhancing seamless international mobility.In his welcome address, Minister of Transport H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani emphasized the importance of hosting the 2025 ICAO Facilitation Conference at a time when the civil aviation industry is facing increasing challenges. He noted that reinforcing operational resilience, responding to regulatory and economic shifts, and embracing digital transformation have emerged as strategic priorities. The conference, he said, serves as a pivotal platform for developing innovative and proactive solutions to drive a more efficient and sustainable global air transport system.Speaking on the significance of Doha hosting the event, the Minister noted that Qatar’s hosting of such a major conference highlights the country’s strong commitment to civil aviation as a cornerstone of economic growth and enhanced regional and global connectivity.Lauding Hamad International Airport and Qatar Airways, the minister said that HIA, the winner of numerous world awards, is symbolic of the country’s commitment to providing a world-class infrastructure for an exceptional passenger experience, and Qatar Airways, named the world’s best airline for several years, embodies such a commitment in the form of offering an integrated travel experience based on latest traveller data systems that helped cut wait time, and improve security check procedures, in addition to being a main partner to global facilitation initiatives in association with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), thereby putting best universal practices in place.H.E. the Minister invited participants to take full advantage of this opportunity to deepen international cooperation and engage in productive discussions that lead to meaningful collaboration and impactful solutions for improving air transport facilitation and the traveller experience.He also invited ministers and senior officials to the High-Level Ministerial Segment, where a joint ministerial declaration will be announced. This declaration aims to promote a unified and comprehensive approach to air transport facilitation, support future initiatives, and ensure continued progress based on shared strategic principles.In his address, Mr. Mohamed bin Faleh Al-Hajri, In Charge of Managing QCAA, welcomed all attendees to Doha. He emphasized Qatar’s emergence as a global aviation leader, driven not only by its advanced infrastructure but also by its intellectual leadership, active engagement in ICAO initiatives, and ongoing efforts to raise international standards in the sector.Mr. Al-Hajri emphasized the importance of the conference’s theme, stating: “It underscores the need for collaborative efforts to achieve efficiency, inclusivity, and resilience in the transport of passengers and cargo, ensuring smooth and secure global movement.” He added: “This is not just an operational necessity but a key factor in strengthening the aviation sector’s role and its positive impact on the global economy. It drives connectivity between nations, particularly as the industry undergoes significant transformation and rapid technological advancement. This requires a proactive, cooperative approach to address emerging challenges and capitalize on new opportunities in air transport facilitation.” Mr. Al-Hajri also reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to advancing international facilitation through active participation in ICAO activities and involvement in various technical committees and working groups.Furthermore, Mr. Al-Hajri drew attention to the value of the conference sessions, which will focus on addressing vital topics for the development of air transport facilitation. He emphasized that fostering international cooperation is key to strengthening the global aviation system’s resilience and adaptability. This approach aligns with ICAO’s vision to advance the sector, and he urged all member states and participants to engage in open dialogue that promotes the exchange of experiences, best practices, and practical solutions to support global facilitation frameworks.Over its four-day program, the ICAO Facilitation Conference will feature numerous sessions covering key issues related to cooperation and coordination among relevant authorities in the field of facilitation. Topics include cargo release clearance and automation processes, travel document integrity and border control, addressing inadmissible persons, deportees, refugees and stateless persons, combating human trafficking and irregular migration, assistance to aircraft accident victims and their families, capacity building and implementation support for states, and innovation in facilitation. The conference will conclude with the announcement of the adoption of the Doha Declaration on Facilitation of International Air Transport.Accompanying the conference will be an exhibition featuring participation from various organizations and companies, offering a unique opportunity to showcase the latest procedures and technologies in air transport facilitation.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

MOT Begins Developing Qatar Public Transport Master Plan

The Ministry of Transport has started developing the Qatar Public Transport Master Plan (QPTMP) aimed at creating a more efficient and competitive public transportation system and striking a balance between Qatar’s rapid urban growth and its commitment to sustainability, leading ultimately to a more efficient and future-ready public transit systemزThe QPTMP also aims at improving accessibility and coverage, raising service reliability, and exploring innovative mobility solutions that keep pace with latest advancements.Bypassing conventional frameworks, the QPTMP will strategically guide the evolution of the transit system to address challenges associated with escalating vehicular dependency, conges-tion, and environmental impact. The QPTMP will study the status quo of traffic congestion of both private vehicles and public transportation and carbon emissions and their impact on Qa-tar’s climate quality with a view to suggesting suitable solutions.Leveraging advanced and efficient public transportation solutions, and sustainable and eco-friendly infrastructure is among QPTMP’s top priorities through providing advanced electric transportation systems to help lower carbon footprint and, consequently, improve Qatar’s cli-mate quality in step with the QNV 2030’s pillar of environmental development, in addition to serving a diverse audience, including policymakers, government officials, developers, investors, consultants, engineers, and planners by equipping those stakeholders with actionable frame-works and guidelines for effective planning, design, implementation, and operation of public transit services.The QPTMP will also encompass prescriptive policies, laws and regulations, accompanied by a robust monitoring program for integrated and comprehensive solutions through harnessing innovation to meet the growing needs for a coherent, advanced, and sustainable national pub-lic transportation system. This aligns with MOT’s endeavour to achieve the goals of the National Development Strategy and QNV 2030.The QPTMP is poised to serve as a bedrock of a future where public transportation could sig-nificantly contribute to generating economic, social, human, and environmental opportunities, and enhancing resilience and progress for all who live and thrive in Qatar.The QPTMP's ripple effects will have far-reaching societal and environmental benefits, support-ing healthier lifestyles, fostering economic vitality, and mitigating the ecological footprint of urban expansion through reducing carbon emissions utilizing smarter transit solutions and rub-ber-stamping Qatar’s commitment to sustainability.The MOT believes in the importance of society’s participation and pays great attention to ful-filling their aspirations in the QPTMP to provide solutions that meet their needs. For that, the MOT will be conducting public surveys to gather data on people’s mobility preferences and opinions on public transportation modes. The surveys will be conducted from April to August 2025 at metro, tram and bus stations, public markets, and shopping malls.The MOT is pleased to invite the public to cooperate with its survey teams and take a few minutes to answer the survey to ensure the accuracy of the data gathered and help reach a better understanding of people’s needs in this respect. All the data gathered will be treated with full privacy and confidentiality and used exclusively for the purposes of the survey.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

MOT's New Inspection Drive on Maritime Vessels

A new inspection and control drive on maritime vessels to ensure all safety measures are followed has been conducted by the Ministry's Maritime Transport Affairs professionals, as well as maritime specialists from MOI’s Gen. Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security, Ministry of Municipality and Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.They inspected helmsmen's compliance with safety measures in accordance with laws and regulations in place. They also inspected safety and security equipment and their availability onboard and validity.MOT continues these inspections to ensure maritime navigation safety on Qatari waters, in addition to protecting lives and property.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

ICAO Council Approves Implementation of Doha FIR/UIR Phase Two

The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has approved the implementation of Phase Two by the State of Qatar for the management of the Doha Flight Information Region/Upper Information Region (FIR/UIR) and the Search and Res-cue Region (SRR) following the successful implementation of Phase One where Qatar fulfilled all safety and security requirements.Phase Two, which covers the management of air traffic over international waters north of Qatar, is a critical step toward fully realizing the benefits of airspace modernization. The implementation of Phase Two applies to vertical limits extending from sea level to an unlimited altitude.By standardizing altitude limits, Phase Two will enhance safety, protect the environ-ment, and improve operational efficiency, benefiting both national and regional inter-ests. This phase also brings numerous operational and environmental advantages, in-cluding reduced fuel consumption and emissions, increased capacity, and greater flexi-bility. In addition, it will strengthen safety, boost efficiency, improve regional and inter-national connectivity, and reinforce Doha’s strategic position as a key global aviation hub. Furthermore, it will enable more efficient operations for airlines.“We, in the State of Qatar, are proud of the qualitative achievements we have achieved over the past few years, which contributed to reinforcing the country’s positioning on the map of global aviation industry and enhancing its effective role in that vital indus-try,” said Minister of Transport H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani.“These achievements have been crowned recently with an ICAO Council’s approval to going ahead with implementing Phase Two of the Doha FIR in a significant step toward improving the management of air traffic over international waters north of Qatar and providing more efficient and resilient operations.”“This approval is the culmination of the success over the past two years since the im-plementation of Phase One began and the State of Qatar has proven its deservedness and compliance with highest safety and efficiency standards, something which strengthened the international community’s belief in our technical and operational ca-pabilities.”As Phase Two begins, he said, “we will progress on our ambitious course to create a modern civil aviation system consistent with our national vision and in step with best and highest universal practices in the industry.”Mr. Mohamed Faleh Alhajri, in charge of managing the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority said that the ICAO Council’s decision adds up to the advanced steps and previous achievements by the State of Qatar since the approval to go ahead with implementing Phase One of Doha FIR, which was a milestone in the history of Qatari civil aviation.In this regard, he added, Qatar has gone a long way in developing its air navigation sys-tems in line with latest global standards and specifications, something that reflects the excellence it has reached it terms of providing air services to the best efficiency levels, let alone its compliance with highest safety, security and sustainability standards.The QCAA has over recent months implemented a range of operational practices and requirements to prepare for the activation of Phase Two. That included adopting safety procedures and committing to ICAO standards, ensuring a seamless transition to the next phase without compromising operational safety. Additionally, infrastructure and technologies have been upgraded, all systems and devices updated, and automation processes enhanced to better handle the ongoing growth in air traffic.In terms of human resources and training, enough air traffic controllers, technicians, and specialists have been recruited and subjected to intensive training programs and field simulation exercises, in accordance with the requirements of Phase Two.

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Qatar, Algeria Sign Air Transportation Services Agreement

The State of Qatar and The People's Democratic Republic of Algeria have signed an air transportation services agreement, allowing for the designated airlines of the two countries to operate unlimited and unrestricted traffic rights for both passenger and cargo flights, thereby enhancing their economic and tourism ties.The agreement was signed by Minister of Transport H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani and Algerian Minister of Transport H.E. Saïd Sayoud.The pact comes in the context of enhancing Qatar’s connection with world countries through new air services agreements that allow for the national carrier to expand its network and fly to more destinations around the world.Meeting after the signing ceremony, the two ministers discussed bilateral relations in the areas of transportation, civil aviation, transportation activities, and ways to enhance and take them to broader horizons.The signing ceremony and the meeting were attended by Mr. Mohammed Faleh Alhajri, in charge of managing the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, and the delegation accompanying H.E. Minister Sayoud.