The 4th Recycling Towards Sustainability Conference and Exhibition (RTS—Doha 2024), organised by the Ministry of Municipality under the slogan 'For a Sustainable Future and a Lasting Legacy', was launched Wednesday at Expo 2023 Doha under the patronage of HE the Minister of Municipality Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah al-Attiyah.
The launch was attended by HE the Minister of Transport Jassim bin Saif bin Ahmed al-Sulaiti, HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Buthaina bint Ali al-Jabr al-Nuaimi, HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie, HE the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohamed bin Ali al-Mannai, and President of Qatar General Electricity and Water Corp (Kahramaa) Eng Essa bin Hilal al-Kuwari.
In his opening speech, HE al-Attiyah said that organising the event for the fourth consecutive year by the ministry reflects the great interest that Qatar attaches to waste recycling for various purposes, including fertiliser production and energy generation, in accordance with the ministry's strategic plan and the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3) that aims to promote circular economy and adopt sustainable and effective practices by encouraging optimal use of natural resources and their sustainability for future generations.
Qatar has accomplished a great deal during the past period when it comes to waste management and recycling. A zero-waste rate was reached during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as well as the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 after turning waste into recyclable materials or to clean energy in a centre dedicated to waste treatment. This is an unprecedented success in the efforts of the country to reduce waste and achieve sustainable development, HE the Minister underlined in his speech.
Director of the Public Cleanliness Department at the Ministry of Municipality Muqbil al-Shammari said that the RTS — Doha 2024 highlights the importance of handling waste.
Al-Shammari also noted the importance of the private sector's participation as well as the scale of initiatives that contribute positively to sustainability and recycling in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 and sustainable development in order to leave a legacy for future generations.
The RTS—Doha 2024 will see a wide range of participants. Discussion panels will cover a number of topics such as technology, waste management and the latest technical methods in the sustainability process, he explained.
A number of governmental and semi-governmental institutions, the private sector, local factories, and foreign parties are participating in the conference, along with an elite group of experts and specialists in the field of sustainability and waste management and treatment.
The two-day conference will see 47 speakers discuss the latest methods in managing and treating waste, review the private sector's experience regarding recycling and sustainability, and discuss some states' successful waste management legislations, in addition to underscoring the importance of cooperation to achieve a greener and more sustainable planet.
RTS-Doha 2024 is taking place in conjunction with Qatar's hosting of Expo 2023 Doha, held for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region, to promote sustainable innovation and combat desertification.
The first day saw the launch of the accompanying exhibition, which includes more than (39) pavilions for ministries, government institutions, private sector companies, and factories, as well as a pavilion for sustainability initiative founders.
The Ministry of Municipality has its own pavilion in the exhibition to display its most prominent achievements in waste management, recycling, and sustainability, as well as to promote waste reduction and the use of recycled materials to both individuals and companies.
Moreover, the 1st day of the conference included five discussion sessions, with the 1st session dealing with sustainability in Expo 2023 Doha, delivered by Secretary-General of the Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha, Director of the Public Parks Department at the Ministry of Municipality Eng. Mohamed Ali Al Khouri.
The 2nd session was on successful waste management laws, the 3rd on the state-private sector partnership in providing public hygiene services, and the 4th session was on circular industries in a circular economy, concluding with the 5th on waste management at times of crises.
RTS-Doha 2024 is held in partnership with Expo 2023 Doha as a strategic partner, Qatar Primary Materials Company as a gold partner, Seashore Group as a platinum partner, Keppel Seghers Engineering Singapore Pte. Ltd as a silver partner, and United Development Company as a bronze partner.
