Shura Council praises Amir's participation in G20 Summit, discusses draft state budget

The Shura Council held its regular weekly meeting at Tamim bin Hamad Hall, on Monday, under the chairmanship of HE Speaker of the Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim.At the outset of the session, the council praised the participation of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in the G20 Summit 2024, held in Rio de Janeiro, the Federative Republic of Brazil, under the theme "Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet".The Shura Council considered that His Highness's attendance at this summit, upon the invitation of HE President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, reflects the State of Qatars preeminent standing and its central role in enhancing international cooperation, along with its ongoing contribution to addressing global issues.The council welcomed the outcomes of the official visit of HH the Amir to the Republic of Costa Rica, which included the strengthening of bilateral relationship, noting His Highness's honoring of the winners of the Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award (ACE) during the ceremony held in San Jose.The council affirmed that the award demonstrates the State of Qatar's steadfast commitment to promoting the values of transparency and integrity. It commended the global interest the country receives as an inspiring model for backing global anti-corruption efforts.Additionally, the council welcomed the outcomes of the successful official visit of HH the Amir to Colombia, emphasizing that it constituted an opportunity for enhancing bilateral relations and discussing prospects of cooperation in multiple fields.Thereafter, the council discussed the draft state budget for the fiscal year 2025, in the presence of HE Minister of Finance, Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, and several officials from the ministry.At the beginning of the discussion, HE the Minister of Finance delivered an overall presentation on the draft state budget for the fiscal year 2025, which included a detailed vision of the budget that focused on strengthening developmental spending, ensuring economic sustainability, while maintaining the country's priorities in backing key sectors such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure.HE the Minister of Finance responded to queries of Their Excellencies the members of the council pertaining to various sectors of the budget.Afterwards, HE Speaker of the Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim commended the efforts made by the Ministry of Finance in preparing the draft budget, noting the overall presentation, which highlighted a balanced vision that ranges between expenditure on vital sectors and ensuring financial sustainability.HE the Speaker of the Council asserted that the draft budget reflects the prudent policy of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and the foremost priority he gives to primary sectors such as health, education and infrastructure projects which constitute core pillars to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030.For their part, Their Excellencies, the members of the Shura Council, applauded the directions that the new budget has focused on, in terms of advancing public services, supporting strategic investments, and prioritizing development projects that enhance the quality of life for citizens.Members of the Shura Council expressed their appreciation for the achievements and gains accomplished under the wise leadership of HH the Amir, stressing the importance of building on those efforts to realize the citizens' aspirations and bolster the country's standing at various levels.They underscored the importance of focusing on economic diversification by supporting non-oil sectors and encouraging investment in innovative and technological fields that contribute to achieving economic sustainability and reducing dependence on conventional resources, in addition to continuing efforts to foster the efficiency of government expenditure and ensuring that it is directed toward projects that meet the needs of citizens and achieve sustainable development.The members hailed the crystal clear and transparent presentation delivered by HE the Minister of Finance, which emphasizes the government's keenness to foster partnership with the Shura Council to confer on financial issues in a way that serves the public interest.On the other hand, HE Speaker of the Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim, briefed the members of the Shura Council on the visit of HE President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Dr. Tulia Ackson, to the State of Qatar at the invitation of the Shura Council.HE the Speaker of the Council highlighted his meeting with HE the President of the IPU, which discussed enhancing bilateral partnership, affirming that she praised the progress the country is witnessing in various fields and congratulated the State of Qatar on the successful referendum on the constitutional amendments.His Excellency underlined that the meetings that were held on the sidelines of this visit represent a crucial step toward reinforcing cooperation between the Shura Council and IPU, in addition to supporting the parliamentary dialogue in addressing global challenges and achieving the sustainable development