Shura Council elections is a big leap forward in Qatar's history

Thailand's ambassador to Qatar, Nathapol Khantahiran, described the upcoming Shura Council election "as an immense leap forward in Qatar's history that will mark a crucial milestone as the country advances sustainably into the future."

The historic, first-ever elections of the Shura Council are to be held on October 2 as per Decree No 40 of 2021 issued by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.In a statement to 'Gulf Times', the Thai envoy recalled that over the course of his three years in Qatar, he has witnessed a comprehensive development journey in all pillars of Qatar's National Vision 2030. "Indeed, while all the small steps within the development path can be observed in our daily lives, the forthcoming Shura Council election is an immense leap forward in Qatar's history. "Qatar is a nation of new and old. Its resilience has allowed this forward looking country to maintain well-embedded identity while adopting new norms in line with the country's development goals. For a long time, the Qatar government has continuously placed great emphasis on youth, education and human capital formation at the centre of its policies and development agendas. With these high purposes and tireless endeavors towards enhancing wider citizen participation and representation in government, this election process will not only encourage a more inclusive civic and political education among citizens but also cultivate the culture of public awareness on political rights and responsibilities. Most importantly, it will stimulate awareness on the importance of good governance, transparency and anti-corruption; all of which are instrumental for sustainable development. "Domestic and international settings are intertwined. While tremendously advancing the country in all dimensions, Qatar has also played a number of key roles in regional and international political and economic spheres where it has set the examples in human development and humanitarian support within the Middle Eastern region over the past years. In the same manner, I am convinced that the electoral infrastructure and legal framework being established will allow Qatar to continue to create positive impacts into the region and help forge peace and stability in the region."One important point worth mentioning is that this election is a crucial step in empowering Qatari female citizens and their engagements in politics, especially in decision-making roles. I am delighted to learn from the news that at least 40 Qatari women had submitted their applications to register as candidates for the Shura Council elections according to the Election Supervisory Committee, and out of 294 candidates in the preliminary list, 29 of them are women. "I wish to solemnly commend the initiatives of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and all unwavering efforts by Qatari authorities concerned for this historic election in October this year. I wish the State of Qatar a great success."