Qatar’s foreign policy promotes int’l cooperation and solidarity: Envoy
QATAR has adopted over the past decades a foreign policy that strengthens and promotes international cooperation and solidarity with all countries and international and regional organisations to achieve world peace.
It contributes to efforts to realise development in various fields, including by helping developing countries achieve development goals.
The Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva Ambassador HE Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri said this during an interactive dialogue with independent expert on human rights and international solidarity Obiora Okafor regarding his report on his visit to Qatar within the framework of the 44th session of Human Rights Council (HRC).
Al Mansouri thanked Obiora Okafor
for his visit to Qatar from September 2-10, 2019, and praised the transparent, constructive and fruitful discussions he held during the visit.
The envoy thanked him for the report which reflects many positive models and practices adopted by Qatar in embodying human rights.
Al Mansouri said he noted with appreciation the praise of the independent expert to Qatar. Qatar was the first country in the Gulf to extend an open invitation to those charged with mandates within the framework of the special procedures of the HRC.
HE said Qatar’s active engagement with international and regional organisations and its hosting of various United Nations bodies reflect that the country is making a great contribution to solidarity with other member states and people.
He said the Qatari government has taken note of the recommendations of the independent expert. Several recommendations are already being implemented, including those related to strengthening the work of civil society organisations, continuing efforts to achieve sustainable development, introducing human rights education in the various national curricula, reinforcing national efforts related to diversifying the sources of the economy, and addressing the negative effects of climate change.
Mansouri said Qatar will also continue its efforts to promote and protect workers’ rights by taking into account the recommendations of independent expert.
He pointed out that Qatar’s foreign policy contributes to efforts to realise development in various fields, including by helping developing countries achieve development goals.
He said this policy was further promoted by the Qatar National Vision 2030, which called for strengthening the economic, political and cultural role of Qatar internationally and regionally.
Among the most prominent examples that the independent expert mentioned in his report, he said, are the efforts of Qatar in interactive solidarity by providing support to countries affected by disasters, conflicts and climate change, as well as its efforts in preventive solidarity by investing in providing quality education at the national and international levels and implementing a number of programs and initiatives in this regard with many international partners.
On the national efforts to address and reduce the negative effects of climate change, Mansouri said Qatar has implemented several projects and initiatives aimed at reducing air pollutants and reducing carbon dioxide emissions, increasing dependence on renewable energy sources.
One of the most prominent efforts of Qatar in the field of climate change is the project using compressed natural gas as fuel in the transportation sector as an alternative fuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, he said, pointing to the launch of Umm Al Houl power station, which is the largest power station in the Middle East and is characterized by high production efficiency and its use of the best environmentally-friendly technologies in the field of water desalination.
On the promotion and protection of the rights of expatriate workers, he affirmed that Qatar has adopted important legislative and institutional reforms, the foremost of which is the abolition of the sponsorship system and its replacement with a contractual system.