Al-Raya, Al-Sharq: Qatar at Forefront of Countries Supporting Joint Arab Cooperation

Doha, March 21 (QNA) - In their editorials Monday, Al-Raya and Al-Sharq newspapers affirmed that the State of Qatar has always been at the forefront of Arab countries calling for the promotion of joint Arab integration and cooperation in various fields, for the interest of the Arab peoples to achieve sustainable development and to address the issues and crises of Arab countries that prevent their progress and development. In this regard, the newspapers referred to HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's meeting on Sunday with Their Excellencies the Ministers of Electricity and Energy from the sisterly Arab countries participating in the Seventh General Conference of the Arab Union of Electricity which began Sunday in Doha, expressing confidence that the conference embodies a quantum leap in the joint Arab action and opens promising prospects for the future. Al-Raya daily said that at the outset of the meeting, HH the Amir welcomed Their Excellencies the Arab Ministers, whishing them success in the conference, which would contribute to strengthening joint Arab cooperation in the fields of energy and electricity. The State of Qatar, the paper said, is aware of the importance of Arab cooperation in the field of electric energy, exchanging experiences and benefiting from successful experiences, noting that such conferences contribute to unifying the vision towards the issues of the electricity and energy sector to be a starting point for major partnerships for the benefit of the Arab citizen and to find solutions to Arab electricity problems and achieve a real development that contributes to the progress of Arab countries. Choosing the theme "Towards a common vision to achieve a promising future for electricity in the Arab world" reflects the importance of the conference, referring to President of Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation's (KAHRAMAA) affirmation that the conference is a unique platform for meeting and consultation, as it brings together decision-makers and a group of specialists and workers in the electricity sector in the Arab world and presents their research papers and achievements in the field. The newspaper drew attention to the fact that scientific research and innovation is a major criterion for achieving success in all fields, and that the conference is a unique opportunity to communicate with international experts specialized in energy to keep pace with the latest technologies and developments in this field. The paper underlined that the presence of strong Arab electricity networks that meet the needs of the Arab countries have important positive effects that will be reflected in the development and prosperity of these countries, stressing that ensuring the supply of electric energy will encourage production and enhance the economy, as the energy sector contributes to achieving significant economic growth. In conclusion, Al-Raya expressed hope that the Conference would come out with binding recommendations and decisions that would advance the electricity industry in the Arab countries. For its part, Al-Sharq affirmed that the 7th General Conference of the Arab Union of Electricity is a qualitative leap in the Arab work cooperation, and opens up promising prospects embodied by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's meeting with Their Excellencies Ministers of Electricity and Energy from the sisterly Arab countries participating in the conference, and His highness' support for them in a way that contributes to strengthening joint Arab cooperation in the fields of energy and electricity. The newspaper said in its editorial that the conference, which began yesterday in Doha under the patronage of HE Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani and in the presence of Arab ministerial delegations headed by a number of Their Excellencies the Arab Ministers of Electricity and Energy, has an exceptional importance due to the vital role of energy in economic, social and industrial development amid the dangerous tensions that the world is witnessing, which affect, in its entirety, global energy supplies and their vital composition, including electricity, oil and gas. The newspaper considered that the conference came as a valuable opportunity to shed light on the opportunities and challenges facing this vital sector, and discuss ways and prospects for its development and advancement to the best levels, in a way that ensures a prosperous future for all Arab peoples. The newspaper pointed out that HE Minister of State for Energy Affairs Eng. Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi expressed in his opening speech the hope that there would be an opportunity to form a more profound and accurate vision through the interest and follow-up of the Arab Union of Electricity, with the aim of building a unified Arab strategy based on best practices in the field of energy and renewable energy at the Arab and global levels. Concluding, Al-Sharq said that the convening of this conference in Doha coincides with the Arab Electricity Union's completion of the first phase of the reform initiative, which was launched three years ago, and that preparations are being made today for the second phase to complete the reform and development workshops as part of the second strategy, which will last for the next three years, expressing hope that this will be achieved in light of the support and attention given by the State of Qatar to everything that would strengthen Arab solidarity in various fields, especially the field of development. (QNA)