Government initiatives in human development has catapulted Qatar’s ranking to advance by 11 points in the World Economic Forum’s 2017 Human Capital Report, HE the Minister of Development Planning and Statistics Dr Saleh bin Mohamed al-Nabit has said.

In a speech delivered by Assistant Undersecretary for Planning Affairs of the Ministry Hamad Rashid al-Athba during the ‘Development of Human Capital towards Achieving Sustainable Development’ seminar held, the minister said Qatar “has made significant strides in the development of human capital, thanks to the state’s great attention to education.”

Al-Nabit said the attention to the education process in the state was reflected in the net enrollment rates in education, which reached 94% for children enrollment in primary education, 87% for enrollment in secondary education, and 99% for enrollment in adult literacy in 2016.

On Qatar’s “great progress” in the field of human development, al-Nabit said the 2017 Human Capital Report showed that Qatar ranked 55 out of 130 countries in the human capital index at 64 points, achieving an 11-point progress compared to 2016.

He said the ministry is working on issuing the 5th National Human Development Report in recognition of the growing national, regional, and international necessities to meet the challenges in the areas of human development, and in implementation of the directives of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

“We are still facing the challenge of development. First of all, we are talking about human development. It is our most important wealth. Investment in education, health, infrastructure, and others is linked to achieving this task, by which our success in development is measured,” said al-Nabit, quoting HH the Emir’s directive.

In the preparation of the 5th National Human Development Report, he said the ministry has decided to strengthen the national contribution to the preparation of reports through the effective participation of government agencies, the private sector, and civil society institutions. He added that the report will support the national development strategies and current and future planning policies.

Al-Nabit said the National Development Strategy 2018-2022 is consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 agenda, which adopts a comprehensive and holistic approach to human-centred sustainable development, while seeking integration and sustainable economic, social and environmental development to meet the aspirations of the present and future generations.

He stressed that human capital “is the most important element” in achieving the goals of sustainable development.

“This is why Qatar National Vision 2030 gives priority to building an education system that keeps pace with the international educational standards, and meets the needs of the citizens and the Qatari community in this aspect through a national network of government and non-governmental education that provides children and youth with the necessary skills and motivation to contribute to building their community,” al-Nabit said.

The 5th National Human Development Report will provide an overview of the efforts of various responsible institutions in the state in promoting investment in human capital in the Qatari society, supporting the national development planning, and providing inputs and motivation. The reports provide a tool to formulate policies that are consistent with the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030 and with national development strategies, the MDPS said.

The MDPS added that the report will provide insight into the process through which human capital is acquired, promoted, and utilised over the course of life. The report will also address the various challenges facing Qatar when building human capital and employing it at every stage of development.

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