Qatar embracing solar technology to reduce greenhouse emissions

Aiming to reduce both its greenhouse emissions and its use of hydrocarbons to generate power, Qatar is looking to embrace solar technology.

This could lead to the development of a local industry with the potential for exports in the longer term, Global Arab Network reports according to OBG.

On January 9 the international press reported that Qatar was looking to launch an initiative to support the development of alternative energy sources in the Gulf. The announcement was made by Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, the Minister of Economy and Energy, at an electricity conference in Doha. Al Sada said that Qatar would launch pilot schemes in the solar sector as part of a 200MW solar project announced last year.

The initial phase, which is due to be tendered in the coming months, will see small-scale plants generating 5MW-10MW each, installed on underutilized land. Last year the cost of this stage was estimated at $30m. Phase two will involve assessment of the initial sites, with a view to bringing in private investment to increase solar capacity.

Officials at the conference asserted the importance of boosting generation capacity in the Gulf, as well as broadening the energy mix and increasing the proportion of power generated by renewables.

Al Sada said that greater use of renewables could help reduce the use of natural gas to produce power. Qatar is one of the world’s leading gas exporters, and also has a growing petrochemicals industry and substantial desalination needs. Greater diversification of power sources would free more gas for these purposes. Currently, all the country’s electricity comes from oil- and gas-fired plants. Another reason for wishing to increase green energy output and reduce the use of hydrocarbons is environmental.

With these issues in mind, Qatar aims to generate 20% of its energy from renewables by 2024, and have 1800MW of installed green capacity by 2020. These are ambitious targets given the current generation mix, but not an unobtainable one, thanks to the financial resources at its disposal and its year-round sun, which makes it well suited for solar development.

While solar power is still a relatively expensive source – particularly compared to Qatar’s cheap and abundant gas – scientists are increasingly confident that technology will be developed over the coming years to make it more efficient and thus cost-effective.

One driving force behind renewables development in the state is Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec), a venture between the Qatar Foundation, a semi-private non-governmental organisation backed by the royal family; Germany’s SolarWorld; and the government-owned Qatar Development Bank.

In May 2012 QSTec secured financing for a $1bn polysilicon plant in Ras Laffan City, north of Doha. The factory will have initial annual production of 8000 tonnes of polysilicon and will produce enough for photovoltaic panels generating 6.5GW when at full capacity.

A number of international companies are also involved in research and development in the solar sector in Qatar. US energy giant Chevron, best known for its hydrocarbons activities, is investing $10m in the Center for Sustainable Energy Efficiency (CSEE) at Qatar Science & Technology Park, with another $10m coming from local clean energy firm GreenGulf.

The CSEE was inaugurated in March 2011 and aims to develop solar technology that is suited to Qatar’s climate and the specific needs of its energy users. One of the issues that Chevron aims to address is building solar panels that can perform in the hot and dusty Gulf environment. With very little rain, panels can get clogged with sand and dust, and thus absorb less sunlight. According to Chevron, their effectiveness can be reduced by as much as 40% after six months. Photovoltaics also operate less effectively in high temperatures.

As well as working on technology for power plants, the CSEE is researching the potential of harnessing solar energy for uses such as desalination and air conditioning, as well as energy efficiency measures.

Other international firms investing in solar research in Qatar include General Electric, Shell and ConocoPhillips, while the Doha campus of Texas A&M University has a project working on using solar energy to break down natural gas into carbon and hydrogen for industrial uses.

Renewables are still in their early days in Qatar, and an important caveat is that solar power is still considerably less efficient and more expensive than the state’s abundant gas. However, the country has the financial resources to invest in solar research and development and has put itself at the cutting edge of technical advances in the industry. If development continues at this pace, Qatar could become a leader in solar technology. QSTec’s potential capacity could also leave scope for export, while the work being done at CSEE and Texas A&M should, if successful, be applicable elsewhere in the region, and the world.

Source: Global Arab Network.
Link: http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/2013052213032/Energy/qatar-focus-on-solar.html.

Key points in the leadership switch in Qatar

June 25, 2013

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Background on Tuesday's leadership transition in Qatar from the 61-year-old emir to his 33-year-old son, Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

WHY IS QATAR IMPORTANT?

The Gulf state of Qatar is small — only about a third the size of Belgium — but has a carved out a significant global profile in the past decade.

Qatar has huge oil and gas riches that feed one of the world's largest and most acquisition-hungry sovereign wealth funds, estimated at more than $100 billion. Holdings by the fund and other Qatar-controlled groups include stakes in London's Harrods department store, the French luxury conglomerate LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton and football club Paris Saint-Germain. Qatar also has pledged billions of dollars to help businesses in debt-crippled Greece and Italy.

Qatar's political aims are equally ambitious. It has served as mediator for peace efforts in Sudan's Darfur region and among rival Palestinian political factions. It is currently hosting envoys from Afghanistan's Taliban movement for possible U.S.-led talks seeking to stabilize the country before the American troop withdrawal next year. Qatar has played a central role in the Arab Spring by providing critical aid for Libyan rebels last year and is now a leading backer of Syria's opposition.

Qatar's government founded the television network Al-Jazeera in 1996, which transformed news broadcasting in the Arab-speaking world. The state-run Qatar Airways is among the world's fastest-growing carriers.

IS SUCH A TRANSITION UNUSUAL?

It is exceedingly rare among the ruling Gulf Arab dynasties. Most leaders remain for life or have been pushed out in palace coups. Qatar's outgoing emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, took control in a bloodless coup against his father in 1995.

The change in Qatar was believed to be prompted by Sheik Hamad's health problems, but Qatar officials have not publicly disclosed any details.

Yet it reinforces Qatar's bold political style. The transition to the crown prince appears a direct response to the Arab Spring demands for reforms and its emphasis on giving a stronger political voice to the region's youth.

It also upends the ruling hierarchy among neighboring Gulf allies dominated by old guard leaders such as the 90-year-old King Abdullah in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait's 84-year-old emir, Sheik Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah.

WHAT CHANGES CAN BE EXPECTED?

Not many in the short term. The outgoing emir is expected to maintain a guiding hand over Qatar's affairs for years to come. His son also has been involved in most key decisions in recent years as part of the grooming process.

The most noticeable changes will likely be among the top government posts. It's expected that Qatar's long-serving prime minister and others could be replaced as Sheik Tamim puts together his own inner circle.

Another possible new element could be more social media interaction. The British-educated Sheik Tamim was still a teenager when the Internet age began and is well attuned to its influence.

Sheik Tamim also headed up Doha's unsuccessful attempt for the 2020 Olympics. He could give a boost to a possible return bid for the 2024 Games.

Qatar ruler hands power to son to mark 'new era'

June 25, 2013

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — With a few words in a short speech, Qatar's huge energy riches and its expanding political influence passed into the hands of a 33-year-old ruler Tuesday in a seamless transition from a region where old guard leaders have been toppled or besieged by the Arab Spring.

The transfer of power — made official in a brief statement by Qatar's outgoing emir — was stunning for both its simplicity and far-reaching repercussions. It quietly brought a new generation to the forefront of Middle East affairs in an apparent Gulf-style riposte to the pressures for a new style of leadership inspired by the region's upheavals: More youthful and possibly more attuned to demands for a greater public voice in political decision-making.

The rise of the new emir, Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, also reorders the ruling fraternity among the Western-backed Gulf Arab leaders — most decades older than Sheik Tamim — and further boosts Qatar's image for bold-stroke policies that have produced crown jewels such as the Al-Jazeera TV network and serious challenges including its unwavering backing for Syrian rebels.

At its heart, however, the move is certain to be perceived as a direct swipe at traditions among the Gulf's other ruling dynasties that power can only be surrendered through death or palace coup — which is how Qatar's now-former emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, took control in 1995 from his father.

Sheik Hamad, 61, used a televised address to note repeatedly the importance of shifting leadership to more youthful hands — an indirect acknowledgment of the demands for reforms opened by the Arab Spring, which began in 2011 with successful revolutions ousting leaders in Tunisia and Egypt and spread across the Arab world.

But shortly before handing over power, Sheik Hamad showed caution about moving too fast. He extended the term of the country's advisory panel, known as the Shura Council, the official Qatar News agency reported. It didn't say how long the term would last, but the move is likely to delay elections for a more powerful legislative body proposed for later this year.

"The future lies ahead of you, the children of this homeland, as you usher into a new era where young leadership hoists the banner," the outgoing emir said as he announced his abdication and the carefully crafted transition to the British-educated crown prince that has been rumored for weeks.

Qatar has given no official explanation on the transition, but Sheik Hamad is believed to be suffering from chronic health problems. It closed a stunning period of transformation for Qatar, which juts like upraised thumb into the Persian Gulf.

Sheik Hamad and his inner circle pulled the spotlight toward a country that was long content to rake in petrodollars and let other Gulf centers such as Bahrain and Dubai take the lead in regional affairs.

In little more than a decade, Qatar was transformed into a political broker and a center for global investment with a sovereign fund estimated to be worth more than $100 billion. Its portfolio includes landmark real estate, luxury brands and a powerful presence in the sporting world, including ownership of the football club Paris Saint-Germain by Sheik Tamim's Qatar Sports Investments.

Sheik Tamim, a member of the International Olympic Committee, also helped Qatar defeat rivals including the U.S. to win the rights to host the 2022 football World Cup. But Qatar lost its bid for the 2020 Olympics — an effort that could be revived by the new emir for the 2024 Games.

Qatar's riches have been spent, too, on trying to reshape the region with critical aid to Libyan rebels who brought down Moammar Gadhafi and now in Syria with fighters seeking to topple President Bashar Assad. Qatar this week hosted a Syrian opposition conference attended by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and is the venue for possible U.S.-led peace talks with Afghanistan's Taliban.

In a further sign of Qatar's risk-taking policies, it even allowed an Israeli trade office — effectively a diplomatic outpost — for years before ordering its closure following Israel's incursion into Gaza in late 2008.

"While Qatar is not alone in being befuddled as to how to solve the Syrian crisis, this is an ongoing issue that Qatar's new elite will have to cope with immediately," wrote David Roberts, a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank.

But Sheik Tamim is not expected to make any immediate policy shifts. In an important sign of continuity and shared goals, the outgoing emir and Sheik Tamim stood shoulder to shoulder and greeted members of the ruling family and others following the address.

Sheik Tamim has been closely involved in key decisions since 2003, when Tamim became the next in line to rule after his older brother stepped aside. The outgoing emir is expected to remain a guiding force from the wings.

"Sheik Tamim will be driving his father's car, which is already programmed on where to go," said Mustafa Alani, a political analyst at the Gulf Research Center in Geneva. The most closely watched decisions coming up will be the choices made for key cabinet posts, including whether he could bring in women members in another break from tradition. But one of the linchpins under the former emir, Sheik Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, served in the dual roles of prime minister and is likely to exert his influence over the Sheik Tamim's choices.

"Such a daring transfer of power is unheard of in the Gulf and in Arab history," Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a professor of political science at Emirates University, wrote in a commentary in the Dubai-based Gulf News.

No major changes in direction also are expected on Qatar's investment strategies, although Sheik Tamim may redirect more resources to domestic projects as vital gas exports level off, said Rachel Ziemba, a London-based analyst at Roubini Global Economics.

Qatar has the world's third-largest gas reserves, but has mounting bills to cover development plans such as a new seaport and projects to prepare for the World Cup. "There is more need to spend money at home — big budget projects, infrastructure," Ziemba said.

Meanwhile, Qatar has faced criticism from rights groups for joining the Gulf-wide crackdowns on perceived dissent since the Arab Spring. In one of the most high-profile cases, Qatari authorities jailed a poet whose verses included admiration for the uprisings. In February, the sentence against the poet, Muhammad ibn al-Dheeb al-Ajami, was reduced from life to 15 years.

Christopher Davidson, an expert in Gulf affairs at Britain's Durham University, believes some of the tough measures by Qatari officials reflect internal squabbles with hard-liners trying to exert their influence. Such groups could be among the first housecleaning targets by the new emir, he predicted.

"Tamim is seen as focused on domestic issues first," said Davidson. "One of the main tasks will be to establish a new social contract with the population ... What kind of opposition is allowed and what is not will be part of that."

In Tehran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Araghchi told reporters that Iran supports any moves by Qatar that bring "peace and tranquility" for the region. Relations between the two nations have deteriorated over Syria, where Tehran remains strongly on the side of key ally Bashar Assad.

Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, and Adam Schreck in Baghdad contributed to this report.

Qatar seeks MJ-60R Seahawks

Sept. 27, 2011

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Qatar is seeking six MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission helicopters from the United States in a deal worth an estimated $750 million.

The deal would also include 13 T-700 GE 401C engines, communication equipment, support equipment, spare and repair parts, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services and other related elements of logistics support.

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency told Congress the buy, under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, would improve Qatar's capability to meet current and future anti-surface warfare threats.

The MH-60R helicopters would supplement and eventually replace the Qatar air force's aging maritime patrol helicopters.

The prime contractors would be Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, Conn., Lockheed Martin in Owego, N.Y., and General Electric in Lynn, Mass.

Implementation of this proposed sale would require the assignment of 10 contractor representatives to Qatar on an intermittent basis over the life of the case to support delivery of the MH-60R helicopters and provide support and equipment familiarization.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2011/09/27/Qatar-seeks-MJ-60R-Seahawks/UPI-35701317119852/.

Qatari royal appointed head of Al Jazeera

Wed Sep 21, 2011

Qatar appoints a member of the royal family to the head of the Al Jazeera television network following unexpected resignation by the Doha-based satellite broadcaster's former director general.

The replacement is named as Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani, who is also an executive at Qatargas, the world's largest liquefied natural gas company, British newspaper The Guardian reported on Tuesday.

His predecessor Wadah Khanfar, a Palestinian-born journalist, who was credited with revolutionizing the Arab media landscape with daring news broadcasting, announced on Tuesday that he was stepping down after eight years in office.

In his resignation letter, he wrote his goal he had set himself was "to establish Al Jazeera as a global media leader" and that "this target has been met.”

It remained a mystery why he had resigned.

A diplomatic cable released last month by the whistleblower website the WikiLeaks had alleged that the US administration was once upset with the 'disturbing website content' published on Al Jazeera's website, obliging him to remove the material.

Despite the satellite network's being hailed as an outspoken one against many Arab regimes, some analysts say it has been mostly lenient, when it came to the ruling structures in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, and Qatar itself.

WikiLeaks has also exposed Doha's efforts to use Al Jazeera as a foreign policy tool.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.com/detail/200287.html.

Qatar moves to reach food sustainability

By ARIEH O’SULLIVAN / THE MEDIA LINE.
09/12/2011

Gulf country plans to develop 45,000 hectares as it boosts food security, will use most technological advances to overcome natural challenges.

Many Gulf countries have been investing in foreign farmland, mainly in fertile Africa, to serve as their bread basket.

But Qatar has recently announced that it was going to boost its own food security and start investing in a master plan to turn 45,000 hectares (111,000 acres) of its own land into farms. The government’s Qatar National Food Security Program says its plan is to achieve self-sufficiency using the most modern technological advances to feed its booming population.

At the moment, Qatar, an arid country of some 1.8 million inhabitants jutting off Saudi Arabia into the Gulf, can only produce about 10% of its food needs and is desperately reliant on imports. Greenhouses are a rarity at the moment and they exist only about 1% of cultivated land, according Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

As a first step, Qatar plans to set up 1,400 farms, according to Mohamed Al-Attiyah, chairman of the Qatar National Food Security Program. He said these will use the latest agricultural technology and train more people to work in the agricultural sector to improve productivity.

Currently, only 1.6 % of Qatar is arable land and agriculture only contributes 0.1% to gross national product, according to the FAO. Attiyah noted that existing farms were working at only 10% of their capacity since it suffered from a lack of qualified staff and water shortages.

Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, issued a decree calling for a master plan to be ready by 2013 and for full food security to be reached within a decade.

“This decree is an important message that demonstrates Qatar’s willingness to overcome one of its main challenges,” Attiyah said.

Pedro Berliner, an expert in dryland agriculture and director of the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, said this was feasible, but that Qatar faced many obstacles.

“Technology has been able to overcome many natural conditions. You can desalinate water, and add fertilizer. You don’t even need soil and can grow plants hydroponically. It all depends on the costs,” Berliner told The Media Line. “You could grow wheat in a greenhouse, but it would cost about five times what you’d pay on the market.”

This also would require a very high degree of technological skill and you have to acquire that or seek out the alternatives and bring in trained foreign workers, Berliner added.

Attiyah warned in a recent interview with The Peninsula newspaper in Qatar that climate change and water shortages “could pose a very serious problem for future development.”

According to the World Bank, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states of Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates import some 90% of the food they need to feed their 40 million-strong population at a cost in 2010 of $25.8 billion. Qatar itself imports some $1.3 billion in food annually.

“High dependence on imports makes the GCC food supply very vulnerable and highly dependent on the world food market. In the past, any form of disruption in food imports, either due to policy restrictions by exporting countries or natural calamities has affected the region significantly,” according to a recent report by Alpen Capital Investment Bank.

The oil boom brought a population explosion to Qatar and the rest of the Gulf states and food production has not been able to keep pace. Furthermore, food prices and oil prices are interconnected. As oil prices rose so too did food prices. Wealthy Arab states have been trying to create a food pipeline to stave off riots.

In an effort to improve their food security Gulf state countries have been buying up tracts of fertile, but often underutilized land in African countries like Ethiopia, Sudan and Mozambique. Qatar recently leased 400,000 hectares of farmland in Kenya in the Tana River Delta to grow food for home in exchange for a $3.5 billion loan to the government. This “land grab” has raised alarms by these countries who fear they won’t be left with any food for their own people.

The announcement by the chairman of the Qatar National Food Security Program to improve domestic food production seems to reflect a little paranoia that in times of crisis, it would not be able to import food for its residents.

“This is the opposite of globalization,” said Berliner of the Blaustein Institute. “In a global world everyone provides their best product and they are traded around the world so you have what you need. This is going the other way around. It would seem that they do not want to be affected by globalization.”

Source: The Jerusalem Post.
Link: http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=237625.

Qatar embraces Wahhabism to strengthen regional influence

2011-12-18

DOHA - Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani inaugurated on Friday the “ Imam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab” Mosque in Doha.

During the opening, Sheikh Hamad reaffirmed his commitment to spare no efforts to carry the message and spread the teachings of Islam in the whole world, noting that the Muslim nation is now in need of renewal and inspiration of the experience of Wahhab’s da’wah (call) while keeping pace with the era and its developments.

The inauguration started with a recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an followed by the screening of a documentary on the mosque.

Ibn Abdul Wahab (1703-1792) preached a return to "pure Islam" and called for purging Islam of what he considered "impurities and negative innovations."

In his teachings, he urged Muslims to uphold only "the original principles of Islam as typified by the Salaf" and to reject "corruptions introduced by bidah (negative innovations and heresy). The scholar emphasized that there could be no intercession between God and worshipers.

Located in the Jubailat district of Doha the newly-built State Mosque will be formally opened for prayers on Friday.

Situated on the northern side in the central part of Doha city, it overlooks the Qatar Sports Club.

The mosque covers a total area of 175,164 sq.m. As many as 11,000 men can offer prayers in the air-conditioned central hall of the mosque and the adjacent special enclosure is spacious enough for 1200 women.

Ideologically, in recent years Qatar, which like Saudi Arabia is Wahhabi, has assisted Islamic movements in the Arab world.

Islamists, of course, have proved to be major players so far, and with influential clerics such as Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi theologising for years on al-Jazeera's screens, Qatar has since long had a direct channel to most Islamist parties in the region.

Rather than imposing an Islamist agenda on the region, as some have accused it, Qatar is taking advantage of the clout it has built with them over the years to position itself as a leading interlocutor.

Equally at ease with Islamist and secular parties, with liberals and conservatives, Qatar is reaping what it sowed and patiently nurtured years ago, giving it enough political capital on top of its formidable wealth to influence the region.

Source: Middle East Online.
Link: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=49555.

Qatar Charity issues ATM cards to Palestinians

Sunday, 31 July 2011

DOHA: Qatar Charity for the first time has donated funds to many Palestinian families through Automatic Teller Machine cards.

A total of 3,691 Palestinian families were able to withdraw money from banks using ATM cards in different parts of the country. Funds were transferred to their accounts through a Qatar Charity’s project to support needy people in Palestine.

Many poor families, orphans, students and people with special need benefit from this program, during Ramadan.

Ramadan Asay, Director of Qatar Charity in Palestine, said that the project aims to help people in Palestine in the month of Ramadan and they could withdraw money from the banks at any place of the country.

This Qatar Charity project will help 8,500 needy Palestinian families.

Source: The Peninsula.
Link: http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/160621-qatar-charity-issues-atm-cards-to-palestinians.html.

Qatar breaks Arab ranks over Syria

Thursday 21 July 2011
Ian Black

Ian Black: While most Arab states sit on the fence, Qatar is standing up to Damascus over an attack on its embassy.

Qatar lived up to its reputation as a maverick in Middle Eastern politics this week by suspending the operations of its embassy in Damascus. The emir of the small but fabulously wealthy Gulf state has already gone far beyond the Arab consensus by supporting the Libyan rebels, sending cash and weapons to help them in their fight against Muammar Gaddafi. The United Arab Emirates is doing the same, but in a lower profile way.

Qatari investments in Syria have also reportedly been frozen, but the emirate was not reacting directly to Syrian repression. The measures were taken in response to attacks on its diplomatic mission in the leafy Damascus suburb of Ein Rummaneh, which was pelted with stones, eggs and tomatoes in protest at coverage of the unrest by al-Jazeera TV. The satellite channel is owned by Qatar, based in Doha and watched by millions of Arabs.

Qatar's moves, in the words of analyst Karim Sader, were "more like a shrewdly calculated divorce from the Syrian regime than a fleeting spat".

Other, more discreet action, is afoot. Arab media circles are rife with rumors of financial support from Qatar, the UAE and the Saudis for Syrian opposition groups— paying for conferences, communications and perhaps more.

Crucially though, there is no sign that Arab leaders are ready to publicly abandon Bashar al-Assad, five months into one of the bloodiest and most unpredictable episodes of the Arab uprising.

Nabil Elaraby, the new secretary general of the Arab League, certainly stuck to the non-interference script when he criticized Barack Obama for saying that Assad had "lost legitimacy". That was an issue that could be decided only by Syrians, he insisted - a diplomatic disappointment for some critics - after visiting the Syrian president and sounding supportive about his belated, half-hearted attempts at reform.

It was easier for Elaraby's predecessor, Amr Moussa, speaking just before stepping down and launching his bid for the Egyptian presidency. Moussa first criticized NATO's bombing of Libya - despite having being instrumental in providing cover for UN-sanctioned action against Gaddafi - and then spoke of Arab "anger" about the violence in Syria, winning a rebuke from Damascus that he was "unbalanced and politically motivated".

The turmoil in Syria has paralyzed other Arab regimes. The country that describes itself as the "beating heart of Arabism" may not be popular, but it is a powerful regional player with strategic ties to Iran and important relationships with Hizbullah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories - and it craves a better relationship with the US.

Saudi Arabia, Syria's bitter rival, especially in Lebanon, does not want to see chaos if Assad is forced from power or uses overwhelming violence and repression to hold on. Saudi officials have said nothing in public about the Syrian crisis and have no sympathy for the Arab spring. But they would doubtless like to see Assad cut down to size as a regional actor.

Post-revolution uncertainty in Egypt is a powerful reminder to the conservative Gulf states of the potential risks if "stable" dictators like Hosni Mubarak are abandoned by the US and forced from office. And their fear of fitna, which translates as sedition or sectarianism, look not entirely unjustified - as the ugly events in Homs have shown in recent days.

Syria's neighbors Iraq and Jordan are watching anxiously, but keeping quiet. Their assumption is that the cohesion of the Damascus regime, opposition divisions and above all the near impossibility of Libyan-style foreign intervention all mean that Assad is not about to fall.

Israel is also monitoring the Syrian crisis but keeping uncharacteristically quiet. Its listening posts on the occupied Golan Heights, less than an hour from Damascus, must be picking up some unusual intelligence from Syria's telephone and radio networks – and YouTube is a handy source for tracking defections by army officers refusing to kill their own people. As Binyamin Netanyahu acknowledged in an interview with the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya TV - which, like its rival al-Jazeera is covering the Syrian uprising closely - anything Israel says will be counterproductive.

But Syria's crisis is mainly a problem for Arabs. This week the Arab Writers Union, meeting in Cairo, held heated discussions about the situation in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere in the region, but its final communique managed only to condemn the crushing of peaceful protests "in more than one country" - without daring to name which ones.

As Ahmed Asfahani, commentator for the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, put it: "If even Arab writers can't protest about what's happening in Syria, what hope is there that their governments will do anything?"

Source: The Guardian.
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/21/qatar-syria-ian-black.

Al Jazeera turning into private media organization

By Habib Toumi
July 13, 2011

The change from a public entity will allow the Doha-based TV station, set up in 1996, to embark on an ambitious expansion plan and will provide it with more flexibility in its administrative and editorial functioning.

Manama: Pan-Arab Al Jazeera channel is planning to change its legal status and turn into a "private organization devoted to public interest."

The change from a public entity will allow the Doha-based TV station, set up in 1996, to embark on an ambitious expansion plan and will provide it with more flexibility in its administrative as well as editorial functioning, Qatari dailies The Peninsula and Al Sharq reported.

Launching regional channels

Following the change of status, the network credited with changing the media landscape in the Arab world will work on launching a host of regional channels that include Al Jazeera Balkans, Al Jazeera Turkey and Al Jazeera Swahili.

The channel will be able to get involved in wider media activities, social networking sites, mobile and Internet-based news services, the daily said.

The Arab broadcaster, launched on November 1, 1996, has reportedly been given the go-ahead to alter its legal status through an amendment formalised by Law 10/2011 ratified by the Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani in May, the dailies said.

'Al Jazeera Media Network'

The new name will be ‘Al Jazeera Media Network' and the changed status would ensure that the channel becomes a truly international media organization.

Legal experts told The Peninsula newspaper that the change of status could mean that Al Jazeera shareholders and staff members may have to sign new contracts.

"Although it is difficult to get investors because it is a very expensive enterprise, going private would mean Al Jazeera would have private shareholders," a legal expert said.

The channel has a wide network of offices and correspondents.

"Al Jazeera is truly a phenomenon in the world of media, and especially in Arabic media", the unidentified expert said. "However, going private could also mean some job cuts even though that is highly unlikely."

'Private organization devoted to public interest'?

According to the expert, the meaning of the phrase ‘private organization devoted to public interest' is that the channel would not deal with issues that are harmful to national security or stability of the country.

However, the decision was challenged by Khalid Al Sayed, the editor in chief of The Peninsula who in a front-page editorial, wrote that the move raised several questions.

"First, the purported reason for the change is not convincing since Al Jazeera already enjoys the freedom and flexibility to report on controversial issues like no other channel in the Arab world. The need to change its legal status to enable flexibility, therefore, makes little sense," he wrote.

"Then, how can a media outlet become a ‘public utility'? What do they exactly mean by ‘public utility'? And how will Qatar as a nation benefit from this public utility?

This is the first time that we have heard of a media company, which is profit-based, being turned into a public utility. Besides, it will become a private institution.

Our question: What happens to the billions of dollars spent by the Qatar government on Al Jazeera? Will it just be considered as a donation then? Or do they want to utilize Law 21/2006 which gives more autonomy to the management of a public utility."

According to Al Sayed, the reason Al Jazeera is seeking these changes is to bypass the new media law expected anytime now.

"If the government allows Al Jazeera this status change, will it also allow other local media outlets the same opportunity? Maybe, by taking this decision, Al Jazeera is challenging the government to give a similar opportunity to other media outlets."

Another reason, according to the editor-in-chief, could be a drive by Al Jazeera to avoid being questioned in future about its finances by an elected parliament.

"The big question here is how can a company that was financed by government money become a private institution? What is the legality of this action?"

Al Sayed wrote that he had high hopes for Al Jazeera, "especially after the role they played during the Arab Spring uprising in Egypt."

"I thought Al Jazeera will become the voice of the Arab people similar to the radio station, Sout Al Arab, during the era of [Egypt's President] Jamal Abdul Nasser. I was hoping that our Emir will make a present of Al Jazeera to the Arab people and there will be something like an Advisory Council to support the board members of Al Jazeera, and that Advisory Council will have representatives from the different countries in the Arab world," he wrote.

"Al Jazeera would thus become an institution of the Arab people and the real voice of the Arab world. That would stop future regimes from saying that Al Jazeera is biased or has its own agenda since the people managing it would represent the Arab world and not just one country. Al Jazeera would be the free media zone, where all Arabs would be given the chance to have their voices heard."

Source: Gulf News.
Link: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/qatar/al-jazeera-turning-into-private-media-organisation-1.837871.

Qatar has lowest unemployment rate in GCC

Tuesday, 05 July 2011

DOHA: Qatar has the lowest rate of unemployment in the GCC region at 0.5 percent but experts warn that future trends point towards an escalation rather than a decline.

Among the GCC states, Oman and Bahrain top as far as unemployment is concerned as the rate in these countries is quite high at 15 percent each, with Saudi Arabia trailing with 10.8 percent.

The UAE and Kuwait have lower joblessness rates at 2.2 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively, Al Masah Capital said in a report on unemployment in the Mena (Middle East and North Africa) region.

The region (MENA) has the dubious distinction of having the highest unemployment rate in the world, Al Masah said talking of the political upheaval jolting some countries in the region.

The cause of the various civil uprisings in these countries can easily be traced to authoritarian rule, corruption, large rural-urban divide, high inflation and unemployment in the region, Al Masah said in its report.

It added that unemployment, in particular, has played a significant role in energizing the masses.

The situation in the GCC is somewhat better, the report noted, putting the unemployment rate in the region at 4.2 percent. The report, however, said that the total number of new jobs required in the GCC states is 3.3 million.

The services sector accounts for 70 percent of the jobs in the GCC region whereas the average for MENA is 52 percent and that for the world is 43 percent.

Shailesh Dash, founder and CEO of Masah Capital, was quoted as saying that expatriates will keep dominating the jobs market of the GCC since private sector employers prefer foreigners over nationals due to a number of reasons, including their knowledge and skills, lower salaries, higher productivity and flexible recruiting arrangements.

Source: The Peninsula.
Link: http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/157941-qatar-has-lowest-unemployment-rate-in-gcc.html.

Qatari weapons reaching rebels in Libyan mountains

* Mortar set seen in rebel cache bears "Qatar" stamp
* Rebels say weapons, ammo supplied via Tunisia
* Tunisia denies weapons delivered via its territory

By Matt Robinson

ZINTAN, Libya, May 31 (Reuters) - Rebel fighters in Libya's Western Mountains say they are smuggling in arms and ammunition from the rebel coastal stronghold in Benghazi, via Tunisia, and at least some of the weapons appear to originate in Qatar.

Officially, rebels fighting on the western front of Libya's three-month-old war say the only way they replenish ammunition is by taking it from enemy soldiers they capture or kill in battles with forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi.

Some are poorly-equipped, and heavy weaponry does appear to be in short supply. But there is evidence of new weapons and ammunition reaching the mountains through the only supply route, the rebel-held Wazin-Dehiba border crossing with Tunisia.

In the rebel-controlled town of Zintan, 150 km (95 miles) southwest of the Libyan capital Tripoli, Reuters journalists saw a complete, brand new mortar base plate, mortar tube and 42 mortar shells still vacuum-packed.

The set included new scopes and rucksacks to transport the equipment. The packaging had the word "Qatar," in English, stenciled onto it.

The cache included new military fatigues, radios and boxes of German-made Steiner binoculars that cost around $1,000 per pair, though some of the equipment did appear to be Libyan army issue.

At another location, Reuters saw new Milan anti-tank guided missiles.

ARMS "FROM OUTSIDE"

A senior rebel fighter in the region said the rebellion in the mountains was running low on ammunition, but that the insurgents expected more supplies to arrive "from outside".

"It's coming from Benghazi," he said. "From Benghazi through Tunisia. They're saying it's just milk and food. It's easy to bring the stuff in. This is the only way." He said some of the goods originated in France, but offered no evidence.

He said the supplies included ammunition, rocket-propelled grenades and other "heavy weapons".

Qatar has been the Arab country most staunchly supportive of the Libyan rebels and the NATO-led effort to stop Gaddafi's forces from attacking civilians.

Qatar, an OPEC member in the Gulf region, has sold 1 million barrels of crude on behalf of the rebels and said in April it had shipped four tankers full of gasoline, diesel and other refined fuels to Benghazi.

Government officials in Qatar were not immediately available to comment on whether they were supplying weapons to the rebels.

A diplomatic source based in Doha said Qatari authorities had been flying a C-17 military cargo plane loaded with weapons to Benghazi "almost on a daily basis."

"We imagine this is filled with the kind of thing you're referring to (mortars). We understand they've also got some trainers floating around as well," said the source.

Tunisia, cradle of the uprisings that have swept the Arab world, has joined international sanctions against Gaddafi's administration and many ordinary people are sympathetic to the rebel cause in Libya.

Tunisia's army has reinforced the border with Libya after fighting between pro-Gaddafi forces and rebels spilled over onto Tunisian territory.

Tunisian security officials check some vehicles entering Libya at the Dehiba-Wazin crossing, but not all of them.

Asked if weapons were reaching the rebels via Tunisia, a source in the Tunisian foreign ministry told Reuters: "We categorically deny this information."

Tunisia's role in the Libya conflict "consists solely of urgent humanitarian aid and receiving refugees and the injured", the source said.

In Libya's west, the rebels hold a chain of towns stretching more than 200 km across a bleak mountain plateau from the Tunisian border.

Pro-Gaddafi forces hold the desert plains below, and at their closest point sit level with Zintan some 10-15 km from the town center, shelling the desert and the outskirts of Zintan.

The rebels have the advantage of holding the high ground. But their isolation could work against them in the long run since supplies of food and fuel coming through the single border crossing they hold are barely meeting demand.

The insurgents have cleared a landing strip along a stretch of the main mountaintop road they control, saying they hope NATO will give clearance for Benghazi to send food, fuel and weapons to continue the fight. (Additional reporting by Regan Doherty in Doha and Tarek Amara in Tunis; editing by Mark Heinrich)

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFLDE74U0IV20110531?sp=true.

Qatar suspends Yemen embassy oper.

Thu May 26, 2011

Qatar has temporarily suspended the operation of its embassy in Yemen and has withdrawn its diplomatic staff members from the country due to violence.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the decision was made because of the lack of response to the initiative and appeals to resolve the crisis in Yemen, Xinhua reported.

The diplomatic mission would return after the demands of the Yemeni people and their choices are met, the ministry said.

Qatar has taken the decisive step after Britain announced a similar move on Thursday to trim down its staff as the situation in Yemen is worsening since March 23.

The United States on Wednesday said it had ordered all non-essential embassy staff and family members to leave the Arab state.

More than 40 people were killed in clashes in the Libyan capital, Sana'a, on Thursday after President Ali Abdullah Saleh refused to sign a power transition deal brokered by the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council for the third time.

The deal calls on Saleh to step down within 30 days after signing the deal in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

Saleh said on Wednesday that he is prepared to escalate the campaign against anti-regime tribesmen, who are calling for his immediate ouster after almost 33 years of authoritarian rule.

“I will not leave power and I will not leave Yemen. I don't take orders from outside,” Saleh said.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.com/detail/181916.html.

Analysis: Qatar building boom bets on life after World Cup

By Jason Benham and Praveen Menon
Wed Jun 29, 2011

(Reuters) - As Qatar rushes to prepare for the 2022 World Cup, the tiny Gulf Arab state is spending billions to build stadiums, roads, bridges, apartments and hotels on a patch of desert jutting out into the Gulf's waters.

Like cities hosting the Olympic Games, which face the risk of being left with unused venues after the athletes and spectators leave, Qatar is betting that it can accelerate its transformation as a financial and tourism destination to absorb the extra capacity.

It will have to compete with the emirate of Dubai, just up the coast, which also created a glittering seaside desert city on the "build-and-they-will-come" model over the past decade -- only to see a property and asset bubble crash in 2008 and 2009, leaving it with hundreds of empty buildings.

"They have to plan what to with it after the event," said Ziad Makhzoumi, chief financial officer at Dubai builder Arabtec (ARTC.DU). "They are trying to design what is practical for later."

On the plus side, Dubai is on the mend, albeit slowly, and both destinations are wealthy enough to invest for the long term. Both are also reachable from nearly every major city on earth via long-haul flights, making them a natural global hub for trade, finance and tourism.

Goldman Sachs estimates that Qatar, flush with cash, will spend around $65 billion to prepare for the World Cup, when some 500,000 fans will descend on a country of just 1.7 million people, of whom 80 percent are expatriates.

Dozens of cranes line the dusty expanse stretching across Doha's seaside corniche walkway, far fewer than the hundreds that dotted Dubai's skyline at the peak of its construction boom in 2008.

Doha now boasts architectural designs rivaling that of its flamboyant neighbor, such as the al-Bidda Tower -- a 215-meter-high (705 feet) twisting commercial building. Like Dubai, it is becoming an architect's playground, thanks to clients with deep pockets and bold ambitions who helped build grand edifices in Dubai such as Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.

"They (Qatar) have to differentiate between building infrastructure useful for a city and building white elephants, as we saw in Dubai," said Majed Azzam, senior real estate analyst at Dubai-based research firm AlembicHC. "At the end of the day the World Cup and the expansion around it is something Qatar is doing for its pride, to put the country on the map.

"Definitely there will be excesses."

Arabtec, one of Burj Khalifa's builders, is also one of several Gulf Arab contractors who are looking to snap up contracts ahead of the competition -- more than a decade away -- as Qatar builds $36 billion rail network, an $11 billion new airport and a $5.5 billion new deep water seaport over the next five years.

Billions more will be spent on 12 air-conditioned soccer stadiums, boosting the need for additional power capacity in a country where temperatures can soar above 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in the summer, when the World Cup is usually held.

Qatar's expenditure on public projects has more than tripled over the last five years to 58 billion riyals ($16 billion) which the OPEC member plans to spend in the current business year from April.

Another Dubai-based construction firm, Al Habtoor Leighton, an affiliate of Australia's Leighton Holdings (LEI.AX), may pitch for tenders on tunneling, track work and stations for the $35 billion railway and metro project.

The rail network will be one of the first in the region. Hoping to connect their urban centers more efficiently, an ambitious billion-dollar rail system is now being planned to connect the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

DESTINATION DOHA

Qatar is likely to try to claim a share of the millions of tourists flocking to neighboring Dubai, which markets itself as a tourist heaven in the region and has attracted over 1.8 million visitors in just the first quarter of this year.

Qatar had 9,574 rooms available at the end of 2010 and the number of hotels is expected to increase ten-fold over the next decade, leading to likely hotel oversupply, according to Shakeel Sarwar, head of asset management at Securities & Investment Co in Bahrain.

"Based on the discussion we had with some real estate companies, a portion of hotel supply would be designed in such a way that they can be used later as serviced apartments once the event is finished," he said.

The completion of a $3 billion, 40 km (25 mile) causeway linking Qatar to Bahrain ahead of the World Cup would also make it easier to commute between Manama and Doha, enabling tourists to use facilities in Bahrain, he added.

The Gulf state is also planning to use a cruise ship as accommodation for the event.

"The government agencies, property developers and the entire business sector is aware that the tournament is an investment," said Ali bin Abdulatif al-Misnad, treasurer at the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Another potential opportunity is to turn Doha into a meeting and conference hub, an ambition also held by Dubai.

Qatar Tourism Authority is focusing on promoting Qatar as a destination for meetings, conventions and exhibitions in the Gulf Arab region and last year launched its "48 Hours in Qatar" campaign to encourage visitors to extend their stays.

Looking to capture the rush of top executives and corporates expected to travel to Doha ahead of the World Cup, St. Regis Doha is planning a luxury hotel with 336 rooms that boast a personal butler service for each guest.

"We are not just looking at the month of the tournament," said Tareq Derbas, general manager of St. Regis Doha.

"What is more important is what comes before and after the World Cup. We will definitely be busy before ... hopefully we will be busy after it too."

(Additional reporting by Regan E. Doherty; Editing by Reed Stevenson and Mark Trevelyan)

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/29/us-qatar-construction-idUSTRE75S3H820110629.

Qatar launches campaign to keep Ramadan food prices from rising

Qatar's Consumer Protection Department adds 100 commodities to list of items at reduced prices during Ramadan.

By Habib Toumi
June 22, 2011

Manama: Qatar's Consumer Protection Department (CPD) said that it had added 100 commodities to the list of food and non-food items available at reduced prices during Ramadan.

The inclusion boosts the number of commodities under a price freeze to 267, up from 156 in 2010.

The reduced prices will come into force on July 15, two weeks ahead of Ramadan, expected to start on August 1, and will continue until the end of the fasting month, expected on August 29, Qatari daily The Peninsula reported on Wednesday.

Ramadan, the sacred month for Muslims during which they abstain from eating, drinking and sensual pleasures from sunrise until sunset, is based on the lunar calendar.

The full price list is expected to be issued next week and retailers are not permitted to sell the commodities at prices higher than those fixed by the CPD.

Major food items included in the list are edible oil, floor, fish and poultry products, milk, frozen vegetables, pastries and juices. Non-food items include foil paper, tissue paper and several hygiene products.

However, the daily said that it was not clear whether the reduced prices would apply to wheat and sugar, two items that were included in last year's price freeze. Prices of both the commodities, especially sugar had shot up manifold over the past year.

Fruits and vegetables are also not likely to be included in the freeze, despite repeated calls from the public to control their prices during Ramadan.

Wholesalers have been asked to release sufficient stocks of the commodities to the market for the benefit of customers.

Last year, there had been complaints about some traders trying to cut supply to avoid losses arising from the price freeze.

Shaikh Jassim Bin Jabor Al Thani, CPD director, said the department would launch intensive inspections before and during Ramadan to ensure that all traders abide by the price list.

Consumers have been urged to report any violations of the rule to the Department. He said there was a plan, in collaboration with all the municipalities to distribute the price list to the public, ahead of Ramadan.

Shaikh Jassim said the CPD had tied up with 14 major retail outlets to make the Ramadan campaign a success.

The department has also entered into an agreement with Qatar Meat and Livestock Company- Mawashi- to import 20,000 Jordanian sheep ahead of Ramadan, apparently to address the continuing shortage of Syrian sheep in the country.

Source: Gulf News.
Link: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/qatar/qatar-launches-campaign-to-keep-ramadan-food-prices-from-rising-1.825112.

Abdullah bin Zayed welcomes new Arab League's SG, hails Qatari move

Cairo, 15 May 2011 (WAM) - UAE Foreign Minister H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has paid tribute to the outgoing Arab League's Secretary General Amr Musa.

"We will miss him as a Secretary General, but we will win him in another posts," Sheikh Abdullah said during a speech delivered before a meeting of the Arab foreign ministers today in Cairo.

"no one imagined that Mr. Amr Musa will leave his position. It is true that we will miss him as Secretary General, but we will certainly win him in another positions. As for Dr Nabil Al Arabi (who succeeded Musa as the Secretary general), I say, we will also miss you as Egypt's Foreign Minister. Yet, you will be an asset for us as the Arab League's Secretary general." Sheikh Abdullah also praised the Qatari move of withdrawing its candidate to the post of Secretary General in a token of appreciation to Egypt's 25th January revolution.

"Qatar has given us a hope that Arab solidarity is able to overcome all differences," he added.

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM).
Link: http://www.wam.org.ae/servlet/Satellite?c=WamLocEnews&cid=1289993531805&p=1135099400124&pagename=WAM%2FWamLocEnews%2FW-T-LEN-FullNews.

Qatar withdraws candidate to head Arab League - TV

CAIRO | Sun May 15, 2011

CAIRO May 15 (Reuters) - Qatar has withdrawn its candidate to head the Arab League, Al Arabiya television reported on Sunday, leaving Egypt's foreign minister, Nabil Elaraby, as the sole candidate to head the Cairo-based organization.

The next secretary-general will take over from Amr Moussa, who led the League for 10 years. (Writing by Edmund Blair)

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/15/arabs-league-qatar-idUSLDE74E0J720110515.

Libyan local council members express support to opposition in Qatar

May 12, 2011

Members of Libyan local councils gather in Qatar's capital Doha on Wednesday to express their "unequivocally allegiance to, and trust in" the Libyan opposition Interim Transitional National Council.

According to a statement obtained by Xinhua, the local councils representing the western, central and southern regions of Libya gathered to "counter the regime's attempts to cause division and animosity between Libyans of various regions."

They also vowed their unity and continuing struggle to build a new Libya in a two-hour meeting in Qatar, the first Arab nation to recognize the Libyan opposition Interim Transitional National Council.

Source: People's Daily.
Link: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90854/7377830.html.

Qatari Emir Vows to Resolve Bahrain Crisis, Iraq's Sadr Says

By Nayla Razzouk - May 9, 2011

The Qatari emir vowed to “intervene personally” to resolve the crisis in Bahrain during talks yesterday in Doha with leading Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, according to a statement on Sadr’s website.

Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani “has promised to mediate a solution to the crisis in Bahrain and that he would personally meet with Arab presidents and kings to resolve this crisis,” Sadr said in the statement. The emir also said Qatar and Sadr will form a committee to find solutions for Bahrain and follow up on the situation, according to the statement.

Bahrain’s government declared a three-month state of emergency on March 15 after Saudi-led Gulf troops arrived to help quell protests led by members of the Muslim Shiite majority for more democracy and civil rights in the kingdom ruled by a Sunni monarch. Bahrain Human Rights Society says at least 21 people died during the crackdown against the rallies, which were inspired by the toppling of leaders in Tunisia and Egypt.

Sadr and other Shiite leaders in Iraq have voiced support for the demonstrators in Bahrain and denounced the intervention of Gulf troops in the kingdom.

Source: Bloomberg.
Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-09/qatari-emir-vows-to-resolve-bahrain-crisis-iraq-s-sadr-says.html.

Qatar Charity to launch QR11m educational projects in Gaza

Monday, 02 May 2011

Gaza: Qatar Charity, and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and the University of Al Azhar, and the Islamic University in Gaza Strip have signed a memoranda of understanding on cooperation for the establishment of projects to support the basic and higher education sector in Palestine.

The projects are funded by a GCC countries program and is managed by the Islamic Development Bank.

They include repair of school buildings and import of equipment for laboratories as well as setting up of three teacher training centers.

The projects are expected to be completed by end of 2011. The memoranda of understanding were signed at the premises of authorities concerned.

The Charity said it had signed contracts with the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to repair 18 school buildings and refurbish the science and engineering laboratories at the Palestine University in Gaza. QNA

Source: The Peninsula.
Link: http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/150839-qatar-charity-to-launch-qr11m-educational-projects-in-gaza.html.