Doha: Innumerable changes and events unfolded in Qatar in 2022, including the inauguration of public projects, the easing of COVID-19 restrictions that allowed for increased tourism, introduction of new projects to enhance e-government services, discovery and development in science in different science-research and hospitals in Qatar, among others.
Similarly, Qatar demonstrated its commitment to sustainability last year by following through on its pledge to reduce carbon emissions and help fight climate change.
Furthermore, international and local leaders and officials have congregated in the country to talk about a range of political, economic, and aviation-related topics. In addition to holding global conferences and seminars, the country’s several government organisations solidified their positions by bagging multiple awards reaffirming their positions on a variety of issues, including health, culture, aviation, and the environment, to mention a few.
Take a look back on the developments and happenings in Qatar for the first six months of the year 2022.
January
In January, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) completed the improvement works of 27 schools across the country. The works involved modifications, expansions, building additional classes and upgrading firefighting systems.
With the third wave of COVID-19 hitting the country in January 2022 many precautions were taken and some restrictions were re-enforced.
On January 8, the Ministry of Labour’s decision to extend the probation period for domestic workers from three months to nine months went into effect in implementation of decision No. (21) of 2021 amending some provisions of decision No. (8) of 2005.
On January 13, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani inaugurated the 31st Doha International Book Fair, which was held under the slogan ‘Knowledge is Light’ at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center.
On January 23, Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued Amiri Resolution No. 10 of 2022 appointing H E Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi as Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Regional Affairs.
On January 24, Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology opened a new laboratory to increase capacity for COVID-19 testing and ensure test results are processed rapidly.
The GAC launched its new visual identity, which included changing the official logo with a new logo that fits with the future phase of its journey. The inauguration of the new identity coincided with World Customs Day, celebrated annually on January 26.
In January, Microbiologists at Sidra Medicine developed a new blood processing method to quickly identify bacteria and other microbes in blood infections such as sepsis.
Qatar Tourism (QT) new song to celebrate National Day and the country’s attractions generated over 2.2 million views on YouTube. The song showcased the country’s offerings through a music video that follows four young girls as they embark on a tour of Doha while singing “This is Qatar!”
Qatar Airways Cargo was accredited CEIV Live Animals certification by IATA in January. Also in January, Qatar Airways ordered up to 50 777-8 Freighters, expanding its commitment to the Boeing 777X family. It also signed order for GE9X Engines to Power Boeing 777-8 Freighters.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani meeting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in Jordan H E Dr. Ayman Al Safadi.
February
On February 6, the Ministry of Labour launched a fast-tracking service to allow new labour recruitment requests to be done electronically.
On February 7, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani and Head of Government of Kingdom of Morocco H E Aziz Akhannouch co-chaired the meeting of the 8th session of the Qatar-Moroccan Joint Supreme Committee.
On February 12, Ashghal opened the carriageway and underpass at Fereej Al Ali Intersection, popularly known as Al Tadamon Intersection, on D-Ring Road.
On February 13, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani witnessed the ceremony of World Health Organization’s (WHO) accrediting the municipalities of Doha and Al Rayyan as health cities and the Education City of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development as a healthy educational city.
QT signed a superyacht luxury cruises partnership with Swiss-based cruise company Emerald Cruises in February.
In February, HMC announced the commencement of Nuclear Treatment of tumours following the opening of the first Radiopharmaceutical Laboratory in the country. The new laboratory, located at HMC’s National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), provides cancer patients with diagnostic and therapeutic care locally.
With February 14 marking International Epilepsy Day, Sidra Medicine implemented an integrated program to identify a genetic diagnosis for unresolved patients, especially those with intractable epilepsy.
On February 17, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, visited ‘Barahat Al Janoub’ in Al Wakra area, which is a residential city with integrated services for workers, developed by Barwa Real Estate Group.
On February 20, the Ministry of Labour, represented by the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, announced the launch of direct means of communication to report complaints regarding abuses related to human trafficking cases and crimes.
On February 24, Minister of Municipality H E Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, launched the Zero Waste Campaign.
Also in February, in cooperation with the Supervisory Committee of Beautification of Roads and Public Places in Qatar, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) completed development works in Al Wadi Park Natural Reserve in Al Wajba East.
Qatar Airways successfully sealed participation at 5th FIFA Club World Cup as Official Airline Partner in February. Also Qatar Airways unveiled a unique retro livery aircraft to celebrate 25 years of operation.
Qatar Museums’ Department of Architectural Conservation has completed restoration project of the historic Al Rakiyat fort in the north-east of the Qatar peninsula.
March
In March, the NHRC resumed its awareness campaign, ‘Together We Work, You Have A Right, You Have A Duty,’ to deal with the health, working hours, rest times, adequate housing, and occupational safety of workers.
On March 9, the Ministry of Labour announced the launch of the “Women’s Work Group” initiative, with the participation of many State actors from ministries, the private sector, and academic institutions, to serve as a joint cooperation platform for exchanging experiences, information, best practices and research to enhance women’s potential at all levels and their presence in the labour market.
On March 10, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani inaugurated the ninth edition of the Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ), and the third edition of Qatar International Environmental Exhibition (EnviroteQ) at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center.
The Cabinet decided to ease some of the COVID-19 restrictions, which were in place to limit the spread of disease, from March 12, 2022.
On March 13, Minister of Environment and Climate Change H E Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali Al Thani honoured governmental bodies with distinguished environmental initiatives that participated in the Qatari Environment Day 2022.
On March 16, Minister of Commerce and Industry H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al Thani said that Qatar, which has QR528bn of Islamic finance assets, has been consistently ranked among top 10 of the world’s leading Islamic financial markets over the past 10 years. He said after inaugurating the 8th Doha Islamic Finance Conference.
On March 20, Ashghal accomplished the construction works of Community College of Qatar for Girls in Al Kheesa area. The facility includes a four-storey building in a vast campus with built area of 27,000 square meters.
Also in March, Ashghal opened the Logistics City Interchange to traffic which is located at the south entrance of the G-Ring Road at the Free Zone, southwest of Hamad International Airport before the Airport Interchange.
March 2022 saw major milestones in the health sector. In a major achievement, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) won the grand prize in the field of epidemiological response presented by the Arab Hospitals Federation.
Five facilities and services at HMC received the Patient Satisfaction and Service Excellence Award in March 2022, including the Communicable Disease Center, Home Health Care Services, Private Nursing Service, Daycare Centre, and Enaya Specialized Care Center, which was part of a two-year pilot program to receive the Patient Satisfaction and Service Excellence Award by Planetree international.
On March 21, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior held a talks session with Prime Minister of South Korea H E Kim Boo-kyum, at Al Marmar Palace.
On March 22, the Ministry of Municipality launched a “Follow-up of Building Permit Requests” service on the ministry’s website and on the Oun App.
On March 23, the State of Qatar participated in the 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, under the theme of ‘Building Partnerships for Unity, Justice, and Development’. The Qatari delegation to the session was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
On March 28, HMC’s Trauma and Emergency Center opened an expanded area for the assessment of female patients presenting at the Center in need of medical support. The expansion resulted in a 60 percent increase in bed capacity within the female assessment area and is delivering improved access to emergency care services for these patients.
In March 2022, Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) celebrated its 10-year-anniversary since the Emiri Decree No.15 issued in 2012, aiming to effectively provide primary health care services according to the policies adopted in Qatar.
The 20th Doha Forum started late March with theme ‘Trans-forming for a New Era’. Ukraine’s president made a video appearance at Doha Forum, calling on nations to boost their production to counteract the loss of Russian energy supplies.
Qatar Foundation launched its ‘Earthna: Center for a Sustainable Future’, a non-profit policy centre, at the annual Doha Forum summit.
Doha Forum, through the Permanent Committee for Organizing Conferences (PCOC) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, signed a partnership agreement with Aspiration, a US-based global company, with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality, so the Forum will be one of the first carbon neutral conferences in the world.
On March 31, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani participated in the third Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, held in China.
Also on March 31, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani received FIFA T-shirt from FIFA president H E Gianni Infantino during the FIFA Congress held at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC).
Qatar Tourism (QT) received five awards at the Horizon Interactive Awards 2021. The awards are renowned in the field of interactive, web design, and creative media, and recognise compelling websites and website designs, videos, and mobile applications.
QT also won ‘Best in Show’, ‘Best Overall Mobile App’, ‘Best in Category for Web Tows & Municipalities’, ‘Best in Category for Web Travel & Tourism’, and ‘Gold in Global Campaign for Social Media Strategy’.
QT launched a guidebook titled ‘Qatar Now’, which is a comprehensive country guide of Qatar as a destination. Available for free at traveller touchpoints across the country, it will be issued on a biannual basis and will be available at hotels, Hamad International Airport (HIA), museums, and other visitor-facing locations, as well as embassies.
QT entered an agreement to handover Doha Exhibition Centre for 10 years to Qatar Museums for the establishment of the Qatar Auto Museum. The venue will serve as a home to the country’s latest museum which is dedicated to supporting Qatar’s aim to developing unique cultural and tourist attractions.
Qatar Airways adopted Avios as the reward currency for all members worldwide in March. It also celebrated an important milestone in its history as it marked 25 years of services to the UK.
Qatar Museums opened Liwan Design Studios and Labs, a space dedicated to supporting and connecting design professionals who are integral to Qatar’s burgeoning creative community.
April
On April 4, the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council and Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) signed a cooperation agreement solidifying the two parties’ efforts to leverage innovation as a means to further protect Qatar’s environment.
On April 9, the Ministry of Labour inaugurated the Digital Transformation Management and Service Automation Unit, with the aim of accelerating the implementation of the Ministry’s plan to provide all services electronically without using paper and relying on digital solutions.
On April 19, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education held a forum for physical education (PE) teachers for guided readings, with the aim of exchanging experiences among PE teachers and coordinators.
On April 21, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, participated in the reception of HM King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein of Jordan, to the foreign ministers participating in the Fourth Meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee in Charge of International Action to Confront Illegal Israeli Policies and Measures in the Occupied City of Jerusalem.
Qatar Tourism announced the launch of its Tourism Hotline to boost communication with stakeholders, visitors, and residents. The new hotline can be reached at 106 and is operational 24/7.
Qatar Airways reactivated strategic cooperation with IndiGo, India’s largest airline in April. It also launched a voluntary carbon offset programme for corporate customers.
May
In May, Dr. Hanadi Al Hamad, National Lead for Healthy Ageing for the Qatar Ministry of Public Health (National Health Strategy 2018 – 2022) and Medical Director of Rumailah Hospital and the Qatar Rehabilitation Institute at HMC was among a cohort of international recipients of World Health Organization.
Qatar Tourism hosted the first-ever Eid Festival that which took place from May 3 to 5 at Doha Corniche. It also hosted the 18th edition of the Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition 2022. More than 65 exhibitors, including 500 renowned international brands, as well as exclusive pavilions from Turkey and India participated in the event. Qatar Tourism participated at the Arabian Travel Market at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
On May 9, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani inaugurated the 18th edition of the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center.
With normalcy returned after COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar Foundation Convocation on May 10 celebrated the academic achievements of 2020, 2021, and 2022 classes of QF partner universities. The event honoured 800 graduates who joined the growing ranks of Qatar Foundation alumni, which now totals more than 8,000.
Also the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), in cooperation and coordination with Qatar Foundation launched the “rasekh” initiative, a new online educational platform affiliated with Qatar Foundation which will be available to all schools across the country.
On May 10, the Ministry of Labour announced upgrading the employment contract authentication e-service, whereby contracts are now checked automatically within minutes after completing the contract authentication request.
On May 12, Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Municipality, secured first place in the 4th GCC Prize for Municipal Work 2021-22. The prize was given by General Secretariat of GCC for a project entitled ‘Management of Recycling and Waste Treatment in Qatar.’
On May 15, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani officially opened Hamad Medical Corporation’s new Al Maha Pediatric Specialized Care Center.
On May 17, the Ministry of Labour and QF signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of localising jobs in the private sector, through the qualification and training of national human cadres to get engaged in the labour market, and support the graduates of Education City’s universities for employment.
From May 21, people were no longer required to wear masks at public places, indoors or outdoors, with the exception of health facilities and public transportation.
On May 22, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, represented by the Private Education Affairs Sector, issued the Code of Ethics for Private Schools and Kindergartens, with the aim of regulating the relationship between all parties to the educational process.
On May 24, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani inaugurated the 14th edition of Milipol Qatar at t the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC).
On May 24, on the sidelines of the 14th edition of the Milipol Qatar exhibition, the Ministry of Interior launched the “Qatar Digital ID Card” application service. This came within the framework of constant efforts of the Ministry of Interior to provide the latest and distinguished services to the citizens and residents.
Last year Ashghal fully opened the Mesaimeer Interchange.
On May 29, Ashghal opened Mesaimeer Interchange to full traffic and the final route connecting Al Wakra to Doha, as drivers coming from Mesaieed Road can reach Nuaija, Fereej Al Ali, Rawdat Al Khail Street and D Ring Road, shortening travel time by 70%.
Qatar Airways unveiled a new strategic partnership with Virgin Australia and unveiled enhanced strategic partnership with Malaysia Airlines, that expanded both airlines’ codeshare cooperation. It also tied up with flydubai, Kuwait Airways, Oman Air and Saudia to connect match ticket holders to Doha via Match Day Shuttle flights for 24-hour experiences, during the tournament period.
Qatar Museums and the Qatar’s General Customs Authority hosted a conference revisiting the Unesco 1970 Convention on Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property.
June
On June 1, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani participated in the joint ministerial meeting between the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and the Russian Federation.
In June, a team of neurosurgeons at HMC performed a highly specialized brain tumour removal procedure resection of a complex brain tumour, known as a Glioma. The procedure, the first of a kind in Qatar, was performed with intra-operative neuro-monitoring and neuropsychological support.
Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani and Minister of Public Health H E Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari at the inauguration of Al Maha Pediatric Specialized Care Center at Al Wakra Hospital.
On June 12, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani held at the Amiri Diwan an official talks session with Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova H E Natalia Gavrilita.
In June, Ashghal, represented by the Roads Projects Department (RPD), won nine international safety awards from the British Safety Council (BSC) for the Local Areas Infrastructure Programme projects during 2021.
On June 26, the Department of Endowments at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs inaugurated seven new residential villas from the endowment of Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Ali Al Misnad near Al Thumama Stadium.
On June 27, Ashghal, represented by the Roads Projects Department’s (RPD) Local Areas Infrastructure Program, won three global awards in 2022 from Harvard Business Council (HBC), which is based in New York, USA.
Qatar Tourism latest and largest promotional campaign, Experience a World Beyond, bagged the Adobe Experience Maker Award. Experience a World Beyond campaign featured customised digital experiences, including a responsive website, mobile app, personalised campaign programs, and marketing automation initiatives.
Qatar Tourism, in partnership with Explorest, unveiled 75 of the greatest places to take photos across the country.
Two Qatari youth participated in the first edition of the UNWTO Global Youth Tourism Summit which took place from June 27 to July 3 in Sorrento, Italy. With the support of Qatar Tourism, Saleh Al Hudaifi and Noura Al Osaimi represented Qatar at the event to discuss the future of the global tourism industry.
The national carrier, Qatar Airways, hosted the 78th International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit in Doha. It announced a record profit in its 25 year history of $ 1.54 billion for the FY 2021-2022. This is 200 percent above its highest annual historical profit.
Qatar Museums announced a wide-ranging series of cultural initiatives in fall 2022 that confirm the nation’s position as a preeminent arts and culture destination in the region and internationally. The programme began in September, with exhibitions remaining on view into 2023.
Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg’ happened in June which focused on efforts on equalising global economic recovery. It convened heads of state and more than 500 business leaders to discuss ways to equalise the global economic recovery.