Lecture 11 Era of Khalifa bin Ahmad al-Thani (1) PDF

The Era of Emir Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Thani  Inauguration of Emir Khalifa  Inauguration on 22 February 1972  Emir Khalifa’s inaugural radio announcement:  National income is a part of the public budget  Emphasis on development  Raise on salaries for pub...

The Era of Emir Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Thani  Inauguration of Emir Khalifa  Inauguration on 22 February 1972  Emir Khalifa’s inaugural radio announcement:  National income is a part of the public budget  Emphasis on development  Raise on salaries for public employees and also including the disabled, retired, widowed, orphaned.  Establishment of the Majlis al-Shoura to aid the Emir and represent the country  Emir Khalifa’s new laws and  institutions Won praise from both within and without the country  Development of a welfare state  19 April 1972, a constitution that built on the temporary constitution of 1970.  Legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government  Constitution had 5 parts and 71 paragraphs.  Incorporated principles of economic, political, social and educational development  23 April 1972, decree for the creation of the Shura Council (Majlis al-Shura)  A forum for  discussion of state matters and following state affairs  discussion of laws proposed by the ministry council, and voting on laws, before these go to the Emir for approval and enactment.  overseeing public projects  The President of the Shura Council is voted by majority vote and so is the Vice President.  Emir Khalifa’s new positions  May 1972, Majlis Shura convened for the first time. Opened by the Emir with a speech.  Devotion to the raising of a country based on Islamic and Arab principles  The Emir appoints the ministers of the state  Army: In 1972, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa was appointed by his father as head of army  Built up a modern army  Police: Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, head of police  Heir Apparent:  Appointed by the Emir  Needs the Al-Thani family to approve by majority vote  Hamad bin Khalifa appointed the Heir Apparent by majority vote, 31 May 1977 and also Minister of Defense. Given title: His Highness the Heir  The Heir is assistant to the Emir in the development of the country.  Education  Education during the era of Emir Khalifa  Development of schools  Villagers received opportunities to study in their place of residence and locations instead of having to travel to Doha.  Night schools established for men working during the day.  Opening of schools for women  ‫ﻣﺪارس ﻟﻤﺤﻮ اﻻﻣﯿﺔ‬  Schools for elderly men and women.  A school system built from primary school to university  Qatar University  Started in 1973 as the School of Education for both men and women  Legal establishment of Qatar University in 1977 after the first cohort graduated from the School of Education.  Qatar University opened in 1985.  Sheikh Khalifa was the president of the university  Goal : to train skilled cadres who will work to develop the country  The Press  Sheikh Khalifa est. a special ministry for press (media) and culture  Newspapers: Al-Arab, est. 1972, then al-Raya, al-Watan, al-Sharq.  Periodicals (magazines) such as al-Doha, Al-Aruba, and Al-Ahad.  Earned Qatar respect by media world!  Qatar News Agency, 1975.  Its goal was to promote media services, and contribute to Arab issues and human issues  Connect to most countries of the world  Radio established in 1968 and improved broadcasting in 1972  Television (TV) broadcasting started in Aug. 1970 (B&W) and in 1974 (color)  National Economy  Petrol: Appropriation of all the petrol companies and establishment of Qatar Public Petrol Foundation  To supervise excavation, prediction, transportation, and selling all petrol products.  Qatar thus became the owner of its wealth  Gas was not discovered until 1971 in Qatar at Ras al-Ghas in the North.  Excavation of gas off shore from 1984  Qatar signed a number of agreements with some companies for buying of liquid gas,  e.g. Japan, which signed an agreement in 1992 to purchase 4 million tons of liquid gas for 25 years starting in 1997.  Production industries: politics of diversifying the economy started focusing on alternative sources of income to petrol and gas.  CAPCO: chemical factory and industry  QASCO: iron and concrete works  Cement production since 1974  Aluminum production since 1974  Petrol refinery opened in 1975 in Mesaiad  Est. of Ministry of Industry and Public Works: think tank on industrial development as an economic priority.  Farming: Ministry of Country and Agriculture est. in 1972 to provide necessary support for agricultural production  National Economy  Electricity production plant: opened in 1977 to produce electricity and water in the Gulf.  Abu Fantas for Electricity and Water in North of Doha.  Important plant of desalinating sea water and providing Doha with dirking water.  National currency : Qatari Riyal founded in 1973.  Non-Qataris in commerce: Trade was in the hands of Qataris but the on-Qataris were allowed ot participate in commerce based on certain conditions, eg. That the Qatari owns 51% of the capital.  Foreign Policy  Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)  Qatar was part of GCC on basis of tribal , linguistic, religious, and historical ties with other Gulf states  GCC est. on 25-26 May, 1981 by common agreement among heads of the Gulf countries in Abu-Dhabi  Among those present was Emir Khalifa bin Hamad, who signed the GCC into existence  GCC members: Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, and Bahrain  The major goal was to counter any foreign enemy: establishment of a military power for land, sea, air defense of these countries.  Qatar’s policy was to also establish economic unity in the region, which would serve as a basis for any political union.  E.g. suggestion of common currency for GCC member states in order to aid political unity.  Qatar policy always about cooperation and solidarity with GCC countries.  Foreign Policy  Relations with Arab and foreign nations  Commitment to Arab affairs as a priority, e.g. Palestinian cause and other Arab causes and international solidarity with Arab countries  Membership in OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Export Countries)  In 1973, in solidarity with OPEC, Emir Khalifa stopped export of petrol to USA and Holland due to their siding with Israel in October War of 1973.  In his interview with Der Spiegel (German news magazine) on 19 Nov. 1974, Emir Khalifa explained that these countries’ actions were against the interests and rights of Arabs.  Policy of openness and mutual respect towards countries of the world, many of whose leaders visited Qatar:  In 1979 Q received visits from: Queen Elizabeth II, and Kurt Waldheim, Head of UN Security Council  Emir Khalifa went on tours of foreign countries to establish relations based on mutual respect and cooperation in politics and economics, and mutual non-intervention in internal affairs.