The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) has released its aviation statistics for February 2024, which show a significant increase in the number of aircraft movements and passengers.

According to the preliminary air transport data for the month, there was a 30.1 percent increase in aircraft movement compared to February 2023.

The total number of aircraft movements registered in February was 22,736, while the same period in 2023 saw a total of 17,479 flight movements.

The number of passengers also witnessed a huge surge during the month, with a 34.9 percent increase compared to February 2023.

QCAA reported that the country recorded over 4 million passengers in February, with over 3 million arrivals.

In addition, air cargo and mail showed an increase of 15.4 percent last month compared to the same period in 2023.

The air cargo and mail carried 198,639 tonnes during February 2024, as compared to 172,085 tonnes in February 2023.

The data also showed an increase of 23.8 percent in aircraft movements during January 2024 compared to the same period last year.

The region registered 23,994 flight movements in January 2024, while the same period in the previous year saw 19,377 aircraft movements.

Passengers travelling through Qatar’s Hamad International Airport also significantly increased during the month by over 27 percent compared to January 2023.

The month registered 4.5 million passengers, while last year’s data showed a total number of 3.5 million individuals arriving in Qatar.

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The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) in Doha, Qatar has initiated a project to rehabilitate 100 meadows over five years.

The goal of this project is to preserve the local ecosystem and address climate change. Qatar’s mainland has 1,273 open habitats or fields, vegetated with grass, herbs, and other non-woody plants, and the project aims to rehabilitate 36 meadows this year.

The rehabilitation process includes cleaning the meadows of waste and planting local trees.

The project aims to develop the plants that grow in the meadows and restore vegetation cover to their natural state.

The meadows will also be fenced to prevent vehicles from entering, while allowing individuals to enjoy the natural diversity these areas offer.

The project will prioritize meadows that are threatened by the destruction of their plant cover, including rare plants.

Some environmental and social standards will be considered in choosing the meadows for rehabilitation.

Each phase of the project will include the restoration of a specific group of meadows, after collecting data on these areas.

MoECC officials, including Assistant Undersecretary for Protection and Natural Reserves, Dr. Ibrahim Al Muslimani, and Director of the Wildlife Development Department, Muhammad Ahmed Al Khanji, recently visited Rawdat Al Qaiya, a meadow in the north of Qatar.

Al Khanji stated that the department’s priority is rehabilitating and protecting the Qatari mainland. The department is working to develop vegetation cover in all regions of the country and launch awareness programs.

The Ministry has developed plans to implement these steps over the coming years.

The department plans to complete the project for listing meadows in the country and launch its database next year.

The Ministry is making great efforts to protect meadows throughout the country since several meadows have been entirely closed to protect rare and endangered plant species.

Some meadows have also been partially closed for planting and rehabilitating them so that the vegetation can regain its normal condition and growth.

Some meadows have been preserved and protected as an important source of plant genetic resources in Qatar.

MoECC efforts over the past years have resulted in the rehabilitation of 31 meadows in various parts of the country.

Additionally, 17,463 wild trees have been planted in various rehabilitated sites, and 4,980 wild trees have been transferred from the sites of state infrastructure projects to meadows that are being rehabilitated under expert supervision.

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A new Gulf tourism visa has been introduced to support the Saudi Arabian economy. This unified visa aims to promote tourism in the Gulf region and make it easier for visitors to travel between countries.

In November 2023, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) approved a significant unified tourist visa that is set to launch between 2024 and 2025.

The permit, similar to the Schengen scheme, will enable tourists to travel across all six GCC member states: Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Quotes about the Unified Gulf Visa:

During the 40th meeting of the organization’s interior ministers in Muscat, Oman, Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, GCC secretary-general, announced the new visa on November 9.

He added “The unified Gulf tourist visa is a project that will contribute to facilitating and streamlining the movement of residents and tourists between the six GCC countries and will, undoubtedly, have a positive impact on the economic and tourist sectors,”

In November 2023, the World Bank published a report titled “Economic Diversification Efforts Paying off in GCC Region but More Reforms Needed”. According to this report, the GCC region is expected to grow by 1% in 2023, followed by a growth of 3.6% and 3.7% in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

“To sustain the current economic growth, GCC countries need to maintain responsible macroeconomic management, stay devoted to structural reforms, and concentrate on boosting their non-oil exports,” stated Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali, the World Bank’s country director for the GCC.

Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Authority Spokesperson and Corporate Communications Director Abdullah Al-Dakhil stated that:

“Saudi is booming, with the Saudi Central Bank recently announcing that visitor spending exceeded SR100 billion ($26.66 billion) in the first three quarters of 2023 and UNWTO recognizing the Kingdom as the world’s second-fastest-growing tourist destination,”

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Jordan, a country with an average ranking of 97 according to FIFA saw a 14-position increase in the last month.

The country has seen rankings as low as 146 in 1996 and as high as 40 in 2004 for men.

The AFC Asian Cup where Jordan’s team with its coach Hussein Amouta, beat Malaysia 4-0, knocked out Iraq and South Korea and reached the Finals for the first time but eventually lost to Qatar 3-1.

Jordan is preparing to participate in the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers starting at the end of March.

Jordan will play two rounds against Pakistan followed by rematches against Tajikistan which the country tied 1-1 in the last qualifiers, lastly, they will rematch against Saudi Arabia after losing 2-0 previously.

The women’s team is not that far behind as it’s ranked at 74th right now, almost mirroring the men’s team at 70th.

Qatar, the AFC Asian Cup winner saw their ranking shoot up to 37 from 2023’s rank of 58, their highest ranking up to date.

For the First time since 2007, the Finals were both between Arab countries in the AFC Asian cup which was a match between Iraq and Saudi Arabia with Iraq winning the cup 1-0.

The Cup currently ranks based on the winnings of each team with the top 5 being:

First Places in the AFC Asian Cup:

Japan: 4

Saudi Arabia: 3

Iran: 3

South Korea: 2

Qatar: 2

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Qatar signed with India’s Petronet LNG Ltd on Thursday, the biggest liquified natural gas deal in history, Qatar will supply 7.5 metric tons per year of liquified natural gas to Petronet LNG from 2028 to 2048 in efforts to penetrate the energy markets in Asia and Europe.

Qatar, the world’s second-largest LNG exporter, plans to increase its liquefaction capacity from 77 million to 126 million tons per year by 2027.

An agreement was reached on Tuesday to renew an existing deal that was set to expire in 2028. As per the agreement, Petronet LNG will continue to import 7.5 million metric tons of LNG from Qatar on a free-on-board basis, the LNG will be priced at a slope of 12.67% of the current Brent crude oil futures prices, with a fixed charge of 52 cents per million British thermal units without clarifying if the pricing terms and conditions will be changed or not.

Petronet LNG CEO, Akshay Kuman Singh said that QatarEnergy accounts for 35% of India’s LNG imports, according to data from LSEG, India imported 10.6 million tons of LNG from Qatar in 2023 from its total imports of 20.8 million tons.

Natural gas in 2022 was comprised of 46% coal, 24% oil, 21% biomass, natural gas 5% and primary electricity 4% and it currently plans to increase the share of natural gas in its energy mix to 15% by 2030.

Qatar’s energy minister Saad al-Kaabi said “We are here to serve the market in India and we hope to be part of the expansion of the economy and requirements and the energy sector.”

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The total number of students at Texas A&M at Qatar this fall is 844, including students from other Education City partner universities enrolled at Texas A&M at Qatar, as well as the students who are studying abroad from Texas A&M’s flagship campus in College Station, Texas (USA). Of the 632 total undergraduate students, 61 percent are Qatari and 48 percent are female students.

The university welcomed 12 new master’s students in fall 2023. This semester, Texas A&M at Qatar is also hosting 87 Ph.D. students from Texas A&M’s College Station campus and 25 Ph.D. Fellows.

The new students aim to become engineers who will contribute to developing innovative and sustainable solutions to critical issues faced by Qatar, the region and the world.

The undergraduate students are pursuing bachelor’s degrees in chemical engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering or petroleum engineering. Texas A&M at Qatar also offers a Master of Science and Master of Engineering in chemical engineering. In addition to engineering courses, the students will take courses in science, mathematics, liberal arts and the humanities. Texas A&M at Qatar students are also given the opportunity to cross-register for various courses at other Qatar Foundation partner universities within Education City.

The reputation of the university, its world-class facilities, the high caliber of the faculty who are teaching at the university and the impact Texas A&M at Qatar’s graduates are having in the region were some of the key factors that influenced students’ decision-making process.

The Al-Sharshani triplets—Noor, Zainab and Fatima ’27—said they are eager to pursue bachelor’s degrees in chemical engineering from Texas A&M at Qatar.

“We applied to Texas A&M at Qatar as it’s known as one of the best engineering schools in the world; the program is intensive, and there are opportunities for research and other extracurricular activities,” Noor said.

Zainab said, “I was worried about majoring in chemical engineering, but participating in the MEEZA program during the summer and attending the chemistry lessons during that has helped me feel confident that we can do this.”

Fatima said, “We look forward to becoming engineers who can contribute to the growth and development of Qatar. We believe Texas A&M at Qatar will help us achieve that goal.”

For mechanical engineering freshman Faisal Al Bustami ’27, it was his love for cars and the mechanics of how everything works that brought him to Texas A&M at Qatar.

“I look forward to leveraging all of my interests over the next four years,” Al Bustami said. “My passion for soccer and my love for learning how things work. I am excited about being an Aggie and having fun while continuing to have an incredible engineering education. I currently play soccer for the Qatar Sports Club and I am now keen on wearing the Texas A&M at Qatar jersey on the field too.”

Dr. César Octavio Malavé, dean of Texas A&M at Qatar, noted that with students hailing from more than 40 different countries, the student body at Texas A&M at Qatar represents diverse academic experiences and cultural backgrounds.

Malavé said, “We are proud to welcome an exceptional cohort of students for fall 2023. Texas A&M at Qatar is educating the next generation of engineering leaders in Qatar — engineers who will contribute to building Qatar’s knowledge economy and lead the global energy transformation. Our students not only get a world-class engineering education, but also opportunities to be part of innovative research. They will be the change makers of tomorrow.”

Before the fall semester began, the new students participated in a three-day orientation program, which is designed to teach students about Texas A&M and its unique traditions, as well as what it takes to succeed at a world-renowned engineering institution.

Students and graduates of Texas A&M University are called “Aggies” and that tradition continues at Texas A&M’s branch campus in Doha. The orientation showcased the opportunities Texas A&M at Qatar offers to students have — from social clubs and activities to transformative educational experiences, such as international service-learning trips, study abroad and undergraduate research.

The students are also part of the global Aggie Network, which now comprises nearly 575,000 Texas A&M graduates worldwide.

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As part of our expansion strategy, Vinsys has appointed Dr. Mohammed Aslam as the Head of MEA. With a Doctorate in Business Administration from Walden University and over two decades of experience, Dr. Aslam is Internationally renowned as an “Education Strategist,” and been instrumental in shaping the landscape of universities and educational initiatives in the Middle East while providing crucial support to organisations and overseeing subsidiaries such as NH Learning and IBTA Arabia Training Solutions.

The company’s offices in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia have over a period of time, served as strategic hubs, enabling it to connect and collaborate with organizations across the Middle East.

According to Vikrant Patil, CEO and MD Vinsys, the company’s experience in the Middle East has been quite “fulfilling” so far and it is looking to further strengthen its presence in the region with a view to grow its global reach.

“Our journey in the Middle East has been truly remarkable. We are proud to have served as a trusted partner to organizations in this region. With our new office in Qatar on the horizon, we look forward to further strengthening our relationships and delivering innovative solutions that drive success,” Patil said.

Vinsys is a global provider of a wide range of professional services, including technical & business training, IT development & software solutions, foreign language services, digital learning, resourcing & recruitment, and consulting. The company has over the past 10 years helped foster growth, enhance knowledge, and deliver cutting-edge solutions to organizations across the Middle East region.

In 2019, Vinsys took over Dubai-based SitesPower Training Centre, which was essentially a platform for IT, management and language training programs. This helped Vinsys further expand its suite of innovative and sustainable solutions in the Middle East market.

With its operations spanning across India, Gulf, and the USA, Vinsys helps assist 50 per cent of Fortune 500 companies in achieving their objectives and enhancing their performance.

“As Vinsys celebrates a decade of achievements in the Middle East, the company looks forward to the next chapter in its journey, where it will continue to empower organizations and shape the future of professional services in the region,” the company said in a press statement.

In the ever-evolving landscape of professional services, the company aims to consistently enhance the competitiveness of its clients through continuous learning. Its dedication to excellence, coupled with its customer-centric approach, has solidified its position as a leading global partner for organizations seeking growth and knowledge in the Middle East, the release said.

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Commenting on the progress, Msheireb Properties CEO Eng. Ali Al Kuwari said, “We are extremely well positioned, as a country and as a company to meet real estate demand that is expected to pick up steadily ahead of the 2030 Asian Games. Our spaces are designed with the person in mind and executed with care for the environment – two considerations that will continue to play a significant role in decision-making. We have already seen that Msheireb Downtown Doha is becoming a hub for technology and services companies and are eager to welcome MEEZA.”

MEEZA’s new office opening in Msheireb Downtown Doha reflects its prime position as the preferable business district thanks to its easy accessibility, world class facilities, and its prime location in the heart of Doha.

Eng. Ahmad Al-Muslemani, Chief Executive Officer, MEEZA, said: “We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter as we open our new office in Msheireb, Heart of Doha. This milestone is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation, which have been the cornerstones of our journey with Msheireb over the last eight years.  This decision will not only underscore our commitment to sustainability but also highlights the significant role MEEZA has played in shaping Msheireb Downtown Doha into the remarkable smart city it is today.”

Eng. Ali Al-Kuwari added: “We are delighted to welcome MEEZA to our smart and sustainable city district Msheireb Downtown Doha. We look forward to welcoming more companies and attracting new investments to contribute to Qatar’s thriving economy.”

With a total area of approximately 2131 square meters, the new MEEZA office at Msheireb Downtown Doha located in Building 2, Street 981, will leverage the most advanced smart services and technologies. It features state-of-the-art facilities and amenities, including high-speed internet, cutting-edge conference rooms, and on-site dining options. The office also offers a range of flexible office solutions to meet the evolving needs of MEEZA’s clients, from individual workstations to private offices and spaces.

Msheireb Downtown Doha is part of a ground-breaking development that is recognised as one of the most innovative and sustainable real estate projects in the world. The development features cutting-edge technology and is designed to maximise energy efficiency while reducing its carbon footprint. The district has adopted the latest advanced smart services and applications for a new fully digital experience accessible to tenants, residents, and visitors. It has also demonstrated a commitment to sustainable living and business practices with one of the highest concentrations of gold or Platinum LEED (Leadership Energy and Environmental Design) certified sustainable buildings globally.

Msheireb Properties is a leading sustainable real estate developer, committed to creating sustainable, livable, and vibrant communities that foster social, environmental, and economic well-being. The company’s portfolio includes some of the most innovative and ambitious projects in the region, including Msheireb Downtown Doha, one of the largest and most sustainable downtown regeneration projects in the world.

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Shaikha Al Sulaiti, Senior Manager of Interior Design at Msheireb Properties, welcomed attendees, expressing her delight at the prospect of this exceptional showcase. “We are thrilled to welcome the Miniatures Exhibition by Al Mana Maples to the Doha Design District. Through these meticulously crafted miniatures, visitors will have a rare chance to delve into the world of design and gain valuable insights into the intricate processes of industrial production. It’s a unique opportunity to witness the evolution of design, from concept to creation.”

Emad Al Shoubaki, General Manager of Al Mana Maples, provided in-depth insights into the craftsmanship behind each miniature masterpiece.

Attendees to the grand opening were also introduced to the essence of the Doha Design District itself, highlighting its significance as a creative hub. “Design districts are more than just geographical locations; they are vibrant communities that serve as focal points for creative expression, cultural identity, and collaboration,” Al Sulaiti noted. “The Doha Design District offers a diverse range of facilities and amenities, including studios, galleries, boutiques, and creative workshops, with plans to unveil a makers’ space for creatives in the near future.”

In line with the focus of the exhibition on industrial production, Al Sulaiti also unveiled plans for a new materials library opening at the Doha Design District early next year. A materials library is a curated collection of physical and digital resources that designers use for reference and inspiration when working on projects.

“The materials library at the Doha Design District will be a collection of unique, artisanal materials, with planned masterclasses offered by brands supplying material on an ongoing basis,” Al Sulaiti explained.

The materials library at the Doha Design District will cater to the growing demand for unique materials and diverse design needs in Qatar and the region, providing designers with the necessary resources to make informed choices. As a significant addition to the creative landscape of Qatar, the materials library aims to further elevate the region’s design capabilities.

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