QNA

DOHA THE Emir His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani who is also Chairman of the Supreme Council for Economic Affairs and Investment presided over the council’s second meeting of the year, on Sunday.

The meeting was also attended by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al Thani who is also the Executive Member of the council.

Minister of Economy and Finance HE Yousef Hussain Kamal said in a statement that during the meeting the council discussed topics on the agenda and took the appropriate decisions.

The council was briefed on a provision pertaining to the follow up of its previous decisions and relevant measures taken on them, especially projects of Qatar Petroleum International and its current situation with regard to the company’s organisational activities, the latest developments in the field of oil exploration, development and production, gas, electricity and petrochemical sectors.

HH the Emir had directed that the concentration should be on these projects and their implementation according to the time schedule.

Kamal said the council agreed on redressing the deficit in the civil and military retirement fund, most of which was due to the increase in employees’ salaries.

The council was also briefed on two draft laws on Qatar Central Bank and the regulation of financial institutions and Qatar Financial Market Authority and took note of the latest developments with regard to the development and regulation of financial services in the country, through the development of Qatar Central Bank law, especially in the field of banking confidentiality, he added.

He further said that HH the Emir had directed that necessary measures to this effect were to be taken. The council also heard two presentations on the creation of a QR1 billion public shareholding contracting company and the establishment of an infrastructure financing institution in the Arab world. He said the council agreed on a study of the two projects