Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs: National Day inspires values of unity, loyalty established by the founder

HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah affirmed that the National Day is an occasion that inspires the values of unity and loyalty established by the Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani, pointing out that the 2022 National Day slogan 'Our Unity Source of Our Strength' was quoted from a speech delivered by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

In a statement on the occasion of Qatar National Day, His Excellency told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani has left a rich legacy and firm principles, from which inspirations of values of unity and loyalty are drawn, noting that the Ministry of Defense seeks to translate these values from spoken words into tangible actions and realistic models.

Qatar has gone through difficult times in the past years, His Excellency said, adding that having come across the realisation of the importance of loyalty and unity a long time ago, has made these experiences strengthening and solidifying. His Excellency underlined that the 2022 National Day slogan 'Our Unity Source of Our Strength', which has been quoted from a speech delivered by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, comes to emphasise the importance of that realisation.

Based on its belief in loyalty, the Ministry of Defense has chosen this value as the first one among the system of values adopted by the ministry, as loyalty represents a state of pure citizenship, which strengthens the individual's faith and importance to direct loyalty toward Almighty Allah, the homeland, and His Highness the Amir, as from loyalty comes unity, he said.

In his statement, HE Deputy Prime Minister of State for Defense Affairs addressed the remarkable accomplishments achieved by the Ministry of Defense in 2022, stressing that these accomplishments represent a significant additional value in the strategic system and curriculum that the ministry adopts and follows.

His Excellency explained that among the most important accomplishments is the entry into service of the latest advanced combat systems, including the 'Eurofighter Typhoon' aircraft, which was named 'Al-Dhariyat.'

In 2022, advanced batches of US-made F-15 aircraft and French-made Rafale aircraft have also been received, he said, indicating that all the fighter aircraft, which entered into service this year, will contribute to securing the country's atmosphere during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

HE Dr. Al Attiyah pointed out that the latest war mechanisms have been added to the defence equipment in the maritime, air and land defence sectors.

He emphasised the Ministry of Defense's interest in the national cadre and its highly qualified and trained personnel, noting that the ministry is aware that the national cadre must be optimally invested in, taking into account the training and qualification aspect.

The Ministry of Defense's accomplishments also included the ministry's success in organising the Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2022) after a hiatus due to the Coronavirus pandemic, with the participation of countries interested in the maritime defence industry, he continued, adding that several important agreements and memorandum of understanding in the field of defence cooperation have been signed.

In a related context, His Excellency pointed out the ministry's achievements in the fields of education and training, indicating that the ministry launched several facilities and bodies that serve its development vision.

On the ministry's future plans, HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs affirmed that the ministry is working hard to achieve the goals that it set in the field of national defence within Qatar Vision 2030.