Shura Council: Achieving Supreme Interests Of Qatar And Its Citizen

(MENAFN- Gulf Times) In light of the strenuous efforts and blessed march, accompanied by confident steps to secure a prosperous present and a bright future for its various generations, Qatar will inaugurate today a new station on the path of its journey to enhance participation in decision-making, in accordance with the directives of His Highness the Amir sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, aimed at supporting and strengthening the edifice of a modern state with solid foundations that enjoys security, stability, progress, development, and growth.
Marking the beginning of a new legislative term, His Highness the Amir will inaugurate this morning the fourth ordinary session of the first legislative term - corresponding to the Shura Council's 53rd annual session - at the Council's headquarters.
On this occasion, the Amir will deliver a speech in which he will address the state's financial, economic, as well as development policies, priorities, achievements, visions and future plans, which express the aspirations of the Qatari people, move Qatar to new stages and promising horizons of achievement and creativity, and outline the features of a renaissance based on transparency that depends on loyal national competencies, within the framework of Qatar National Vision 2030.
On the external level, the speech of His Highness the Amir will address some aspects of Qatar's policy and its firm stances toward a number of Arab, regional, and international issues and files, mainly the situation in the Middle East, especially in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, and the challenges facing our Arab region.
The new legislative term of the Shura Council comes as Qatar, under the guidance of the wise leadership, continues its blessed development journey and strategic plans to invest in people and consolidate the foundations of the state of institutions and the rule of law to advance the country, thus consolidating its distinguished position regionally and globally, enhancing its readiness to face challenges, and moving to the ranks of advanced countries.
The principle of Shura was the most appropriate choice for Qatar to progress and advance this process, as it stems from the teachings of our true Islamic religion, our true Arabism, our authentic heritage, our ancient traditions, and the characteristics and features of our generous Qatari society.
The Shura experience in Qatar is a rich and distinguished experience, characterised by co-operation, giving, harmony and concord between all state institutions, to consolidate participation in decision-making. The Council is proud of its journey extending to more than 50 years, during which it has been a supporter and backer of the modernisation and development process witnessed by the state, and it fulfils its prescribed role through the proposals it presents that touch upon the concerns of citizens and meet their aspirations, within a framework of co-operation and integration with the esteemed government, in light of the uniqueness and distinguished cultural heritage enjoyed by Qatari society, which respects the principle of Shura and attaches great importance to it as a principle rooted in the system of government since the era of the founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani.
The lofty directives of His Highness the Amir are a beacon that guides the Council in its journey, which motivates it to exert more efforts and work to achieve the goals that meet the aspirations of citizens and contribute to development and prosperity in various parts of the country.
In this context, the Council spared no effort during the previous session in studying and approving draft laws, making proposals, and discussing issues of interest to society, based on its keenness to achieve the aspirations of citizens, in a way that achieves the supreme interest of the country.
During its previous session, the Council held 33 regular sessions and 63 meetings of permanent and temporary committees. It discussed and studied 24 draft laws, in addition to draft laws amending some provisions of existing laws. The Council approved 15 draft laws after discussing them in detail, including the draft general budget for the fiscal year 2024, and important draft laws such as regulating real estate registration, judicial enforcement, and nationalising jobs in the private sector.
The Council also discussed nine draft laws amending some provisions of the laws, and submitted 13 requests for general discussion and a proposal of desire on various topics, such as rainwater collections, developing the tourism economy, supporting national and foreign investment, and procedures for domestic workers to leave the country.
As part of its communication with the community, the Council hosted some members of educational institutions and co-operated with the Ministry of Sports and Youth in implementing the“Simulation of Shura Council Sessions” programme, to enhance the role of youth in decision-making.
Issues of concern to citizens have always been at the forefront of the Council's priorities, guided by the directives of the wise leadership and its aspirations to develop national legislation to respond to all requirements of comprehensive development. The Council plays an important and pivotal role in the legislative process, and through the role assigned to it and stipulated in the constitution, the Council carries out its work, keeping in mind the supreme interests of the country.
In order to develop its work and increase the efficiency of its various bodies, the Shura Council approved in January a draft law to issue its internal regulations, which inaugurates a new phase in the Council's work process, in terms of enhancing oversight and legislative work, and outlines the broad outlines regulating the Council's work, and defines the roles of committees and members in requests for general discussion and proposals of desire, and how to co-ordinate with the government and how to implement decisions in accordance with the provisions of the constitution and relevant laws.
The internal regulations keep pace with the development of legislative work in the country and consist of 244 articles distributed over eight chapters, which include general provisions that define the role of the main bodies of the Council, their working mechanisms, and the rules for holding regular and extraordinary sessions. The regulations also define the role of the Shura Council General Secretariat in supervising all the administrative units that comprise it, distributing work among them, and other powers assigned to it.
In terms of its external activities, the Shura Council continued to support and strengthen its parliamentary relations with parliaments in various countries of the world, received many visiting parliamentary delegations, hosted several events and activities concerned with parliamentary affairs, and participated in various regional and international parliamentary conferences, highlighting the bright image of Qatar, its clear policies and firm positions towards various issues, and defending the interests of the nation, citizens, and just Arab and international issues.
The Shura Council represents Qatar in parliamentary unions and international organisations, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Arab Parliamentary Union, the Arab Parliament, the Parliamentary Union of Member States of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World, and others.
The Shura Council was established in 1972 after the approval of the amended provisional basic law of the state on April 19, 1972, to provide its opinion to the Amir and the Council of Ministers in carrying out their duties. Upon its establishment, the Shura Council included 20 appointed members, and its composition witnessed a series of amendments on more than one occasion.
The Shura Council consists of a number of bodies, including the“Council Presidency” and the“Council Office.” It has six permanent committees“according to the new internal regulations.” These committees include the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee, the Internal and External Affairs Committee, the Economic and the Financial Affairs Committee, the Health, General Services and the Environment Committee, and the Education, Culture, Sport, and Information Committee. The Council may form other permanent and temporary committees according to the needs of the work. Each permanent or temporary committee may also form one or more subcommittees from its members. The committee submits a report to the Speaker of the Council on each subject referred to it within thirty days at most from the date of referral, unless the Council decides otherwise. The General Secretariat of the Council is also one of its bodies.
The Shura Council exercises its powers to adopt, approve, or even reject some laws from the draft laws and other matters presented to it. The Council is competent to discuss and propose many issues, the most important of which is the discussion of draft laws, decrees by laws, and the general policy of the state in the political, economic and administrative aspects, which are referred to it by the Council of Ministers.
The Shura Council also discusses the draft budget for public projects, the Council's draft budget, and its final account. It is also responsible for following up on the state's activities and achievements regarding all matters referred to it by the Council of Ministers, as well as all matters related to the social and cultural fields, whether these matters were referred to it by the Council of Ministers or considered on its own initiative. It also directs questions to the ministers with the intention of clarifying a specific matter related to the affairs that fall within its jurisdiction and to make recommendations and express desires to the government regarding the matters referred to.

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