Cabinet approves laws regulating publications

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved, in principle, a draft law regulating the press, publications, and publishing; a draft law regulating the practice of advertising, public relations, artistic works, and artistic production activities; and a draft law regulating and managing cinema and theater exhibition houses.

hese draft laws, prepared by the Ministry of Culture, aim to establish a comprehensive legal framework for activities such as advertising across various media, journalism, artistic production, and the establishment and management of cinema and theater exhibition houses.

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani chaired the Cabinet's regular meeting held at its seat at the Amiri Diwan on Wednesday.

After the meeting, HE the Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi issued the following statement:

At the beginning of the meeting, the Cabinet extended its highest congratulations and greetings to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the occasion of the upcoming National Day.

The Cabinet also congratulated the honorable Qatari people on this glorious occasion, recalling with great appreciation and gratitude the historical role of the Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani, expressing pride in the comprehensive developmental renaissance achieved by the state under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir, which has elevated Qatar's regional and international standing.

The Cabinet praised the outcomes of the state visit made by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to the friendly United Kingdom from December 2 to 4, at the invitation of King Charles III.

The Cabinet affirmed that the warm reception accorded to His Highness the Amir, the fruitful official talks His Highness held with the Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and the agreements and memoranda of understanding reached, as well as the wide attention the visit received, reflected the deep and solid historical relations between the two countries and their mutual commitment to developing and enhancing these ties.

The Cabinet noted the joint statement issued at the conclusion of the visit, which laid the foundation for a new phase in the relations between the two countries, including important content and future directions to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields and develop their strategic partnership for the benefit of both nations and their friendly peoples.

The Cabinet also commended the National Food Security Strategy 2030, inaugurated on Wednesday by HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, under the slogan "Resilient, Sustainable, and Fair Food System by 2030."

The National Food Security Strategy 2030 is based on three main pillars that ensure the sustainability of food security in the state: local production, marketing, strategic reserves, early warning systems, and international trade for investment. This strategy thus represents a solid foundation for ensuring food security in the State of Qatar.

The Cabinet then considered the topics on its agenda. It took note of the Shura Council's approval of a draft law amending some provisions of Law No. (16) of 2018 regarding the regulation of non-Qatari ownership and use of real estate. The draft law aims to transfer the affiliation of the Committee for Non-Qatari Real Estate Ownership and Utilization from the Ministry of Justice to the Real Estate Regulatory Authority.

The Cabinet also approved, in principle, a draft law regulating the press, publications, and publishing; a draft law regulating the practice of advertising, public relations, artistic works, and artistic production activities; and a draft law regulating and managing cinema and theater exhibition houses. These draft laws, prepared by the Ministry of Culture, aim to establish a comprehensive legal framework for activities such as advertising across various media, journalism, artistic production, and the establishment and management of cinema and theater exhibition houses.

Furthermore, the Cabinet approved, in principle, a draft Amiri decision to establish the rawda award for excellence in social work. The award aims to consolidate, develop, and encourage the culture of social work in Qatar, enhance community values, and encourage public and private sectors, along with all segments of society, to compete for leadership in community service in all its aspects. This will be achieved by recognizing outstanding achievements and efforts of all contributors toward the social development pillar of Qatar National Vision 2030.

The Cabinet decided that the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers should provide the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau with copies of the draft laws and the Amiri decision, so they can be presented on the "Sharek" platform for ten days to gather any views and observations. These comments will then be sent to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.

In addition, the Cabinet approved, in principle, a draft decision by the Council of Ministers to amend some provisions of Council of Ministers Decision No. (11) of 2009 regarding the reorganization of the Permanent Population Committee. The draft decision aims to align the committee's status and composition with the provisions of Amiri Decision No. (13) of 2024, which established the National Planning Council.

The Cabinet also approved the State of Qatar's accession to the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH). It also approved a draft agreement on mutual legal and judicial assistance in criminal matters between the Government of the State of Qatar and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; a basic contribution agreement between Qatar Fund for Development and the International Committee of the Red Cross for the 2024 institutional appeal; and a draft memorandum of understanding on political consultations on matters of mutual interest between the Government of the State of Qatar and the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

The Council concluded its meeting by reviewing two reports and took the appropriate decisions regarding them. These included a report on the results of the Qatari delegation's participation, chaired by HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, in the One Planet Network Forum, and a report on the results of HE the Minister of Labor's participation in the 10th meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministers of Labor Committee.