Speech of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani Amir of the State of Qatar At The Opening of The Sixth Summit of the Heads of State and Government Members of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF)

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In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful



Your Excellencies,

Heads and Members of Delegations,

Our Distinguished Guests,
Members of Delegations of the Observer States,

At the opening of the Sixth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Qatar, praying to God that our deliberations be culminated in success.

Our summit is being convened today amidst the challenges that have been posed by the Corona Virus pandemic for more than two years, leaving its imprint on various aspects of human life around the world.

While we are all working to confront this unprecedented crisis, it has become clear that resilience and international cooperation are still important factors in transforming challenges into opportunities, and in the transition to a new normal situation that ensures the continuation of growth and prosperity that everyone seeks to achieve.

This pandemic has constituted a supportive factor for renewing the global dialogue on the challenges facing humanity as a whole, namely the climate change and the transition to low carbon energy.

This dialogue provided an opportunity to highlight the pivotal role of natural gas in the desired energy transformation, and in the search for a reliable source of energy that provides the right balance between achieving economic growth and dealing with environmental challenges, in addition to the valuable opportunities it offers towards economic recovery in the post-coronavirus pandemic era.
Honourable Audience, Ladies and gentlemen, 

Over the past two decades, the world has witnessed a major change in the energy chart, where the natural gas has occupied a large space, for several reasons, including that it is the least harmful energy source to the environment among other fossil energy sources. Natural gas has been able to occupy increasing spaces in the energy basket in many countries.

The Gas Exporting Countries Forum has played a major role in enhancing the contribution of natural gas to supporting economies and facing environmental challenges, which also contributes to achieving sustainable development goals. In
this regard, we appreciate the joint efforts of all member states which have worked to provide reliable natural gas supplies to global markets, and maintained the stability of the markets.

The transition to low-carbon energy is not only relevant to producers, but is also closely related to end-users whose consumption behaviours determine the extent of the effectiveness and success of this transition. The transformation efforts must follow a balanced approach that takes into account human and economic development requirements in developing countries and poor societies, where nearly one billion people are deprived of electricity and fuel, the two basic sources required for a decent life for human beings.

Investing in the ways and means of scientific and technological advances to capture and sequester carbon and reduce methane emissions is an essential component of a successful clean energy transition, and in enhancing the qualitative value that natural gas provides to users around the world, and keeping the global energy economy on a sustainable path,

The State of Qatar has confirmed on many occasions its commitment to support the transition to low carbon energy through working to remove more carbon from the gas production chain, as the largest ever carbon capture and sequestration facility in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region was commissioned several years ago with an annual capacity of up to 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually. This capacity will reach about 9 million tons by 2030.

To enhance our role in the natural gas industry, we are working to develop and increase our production capacity of liquefied natural gas from 77 million tons per year currently to 126 million tons per year by 2027, through the North Field production expansion projects, which include huge investments in eco-friendly technologies, namely an integrated system for capturing and injecting carbon dioxide, which, when fully operational, will become the largest of its kind in the LNG industry. Solar energy will be relied upon to generate part of the electricity required for this project. Honourable Audience,
Ladies and gentlemen,

The achievements of the Forum during this short period since its inception can't be ignored. They contribute day after day to achieving its goals and enhancing its collective vision and mission. Our summit comes today to confirm the basics through which our Forum works to promote the role of natural gas and its contribution to supporting economic development, social progress and environmental protection.

Our summit also emphasizes the importance of ensuring the security and stability of the supplies and the demand, and the existence of transparent and nondiscriminatory legal frameworks that guarantee the interests of the member states of the Forum, in addition to adopting fair policies in the fields of energy and environment in gas consuming countries.

The importance of highlighting the crucial position of natural gas must be emphasized here as a primary energy source that we greatly need to manage the irregular nature of renewable energy resources and to compensate for daily and seasonal demand fluctuations.

The State of Qatar will continue to support the efforts to protect the interests of the gas exporters, and to preserve the interests of the consumers, and to affirm the full and permanent sovereign rights of the member states to develop and exploit their natural resources. We will remain committed to enhancing the role of natural gas in the transition to low-carbon economies, and working alongside all our partners to achieve sustainable growth in the gas industry and meet the growing demand for this important source of energy. We will also seek to encourage investments and develop infrastructure and member states' capabilities to respond to natural disasters and accidents.

We renew our call for strengthening dialogue and cooperation between the member states on the one hand, and between the exporters and importers on the other hand, to ensure the security of natural gas supplies and the stability of the global gas markets.

In conclusion, I would like to congratulate His Excellency Eng. Mohamed Hamel, Secretary-General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, on assuming his new tasks and to commend the valuable efforts of the General Secretariat over the past years under the leadership of His Excellency the former Secretary General, Dr. Yury Sentyurin.

I reiterate my welcome to you, and I wish the deliberations of this summit every success.

May peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you.

Learning Recovery is Community Effort - Parents, Teachers Election candidates urged to bare education platform

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Parents, teachers, and education advocates on Wednesday urged for strengthened local and community-based interventions to help improve early grade learning (kindergarten to grade 3), amid the pandemic.

 

“Education is a community effort. Lahat dapat magtulungan (We need to help each other),” said Quintin Atienza, Education Governance Manager of the ABC+: Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines (ABC+ Project), an initiative of the Department of Education (DepEd) supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and RTI International.

 

“Education, especially early grade education, is not the responsibility of the education sector or DepEd alone. Everyone, from the local government units (LGUs) to the private sector, has an important role in helping teachers and parents improve early grade learning,” Atienza also said during a webinar with education stakeholders.

 

Because of the pandemic, regular face-to-face classes have been suspended and shifted online for almost two years now. “Distance learning poses a challenge to improving early grade education,” shared Eden Capapas, a grade 2 teacher from Roxas City. “Interaction between students and their teacher, an important process for literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional learning, is strained in an online set-up,” she said.

 

“In an online set-up for children in the early grades, parents are stepping into a bigger role for their children. We are essentially secondary teachers,” said Emilyn Luceña, a parent-leader from Iriga City, in Filipino. “Because of this, our capacities and skills are also being put to the test,” she added.

 

Local problems with local solutions

 

“These are local problems that can have local solutions. Community-based programs targeting parents, teachers, and learners have to complement national government efforts,” urged John Patrick Sedantes, Executive Director of CHILDInitiative, a partner of ABC+ Project in Western Visayas.

 

“Assistance from the LGU, private sector, and community leaders can build parents’ capacity on the use of gadgets and other learning materials so that we can better help our children in their online classes,” he said. “Donations from the private sector and earmarked funds from the LGU can go to supplementary learning materials, gadgets, internet devices, and learning hubs, among others,” he also said.

 

Education platform for early grade learning urged

 

Candidates for the upcoming local and national elections should also commit to improve early grade education in the country and bare their education platform and learning recovery plan, urged Roy Layosa of the Coalition for Bicol Development, a partner of ABC+ Project in Region V.

 

“Education is an election issue. Candidates who wish to be our new set of leaders should present their education platform, including a learning recovery plan from the two years of online classes, especially now that Filipino children are being vaccinated and DepEd is piloting limited face-to-face classes,” Layosa said. “What is the post-quarantine set-up for Filipino early grade learners and how do we ensure that no Filipino child is left behind?” he asked.

 

US gov’t congratulates DepEd

 

The United States (US) government, through USAID, also extended its congratulations to DepEd during the webinar. “We would like to congratulate DepEd for the successful implementation of the limited face-to-face classes,” said Yvette Malcioln, Acting Director of Education of USAID in the Philippines.

 

“[C]ommunities were able to mobilize ways to make sure that modules and learning materials reach children and that they continue learning – a testament to the Filipino spirit of bayanihan,” she added. “The U.S. government, through USAID, is a proud partner of the Philippine government in improving the education of children,” she concluded.

Usher In A New Era Of Luxury With the GHM Guest Experience Signatures

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The gradual recovery of international tourism has revealed the emergence of new luxury travel trends that reflect the sense of individuality and wellbeing, such as the acute need for hyper-personalisation, restorative escapism and heightened levels of indulgence. Well-poised to embrace this new generation of travellers is the inimitable creator of stylish hotels and resorts, General Hotel Management Ltd (GHM), renowned for delivering unrivalled lifestyle experiences in some of the most luxurious destinations in the world.

Bringing to life its hallmark “A Style to Remember,” GHM has refined a series of 19 touchpoints under its Guest Experience Signatures to deliver exquisitely distinctive and exceptionally memorable guest experiences guided by six brand essences: timeless, elegant, personal, contemporary, authentic and sensorial. Melding core elements of contemporary Asian designs with local nuances for a pronounced sense of place, each GHM property showcases the very best of each destination, an ensemble of passionate associates and unmatched personalised services.

The journey begins even before one sets foot into the hotel with a luxury transfer to the property, where a meet and greet entourage eagerly awaits each guest at the lobby with a grand welcome. The arrival experience (pictured above) includes a set of personalised welcome rituals and bespoke amenities that imbibes each newcomer with a sense of arrival, featuring a selection of beverages and snacks reflective of the land and warm, comforting towels that carry an artfully blended signature hotel scent.

The culinary experience is a definitive touchpoint as it invokes extensive visual and sensorial delights for an immersive gourmet indulgence. From interactive show kitchens and food stations featuring a repertoire of global flavours, to artfully crafted menus at signature restaurants and an in-room Sweet Delight button to end each day on a sweet note, every detail has been deliberated down for a truly exclusive dining experience.

Inspired by the Asian art of healing and wellness, the spa and wellness experience echoes GHM’s inimitable Asian identity and style of hospitality, with a repertoire of exquisite treatments that exemplify the Chedi Spa philosophy with influences from the destination as well as The Chedi Spa Suite devoted to the enhancement of one’s mind, body and soul.

The Departure Experience marks the final touchpoint of the Guest Experience Signatures as the meet & greet entourage bids fond farewell to guests. Farewell gifts encapsulating the essence of the destination are presented to commemorate their time at The Chedi and to inspire their next arrival.

“For three decades, GHM has earned critical acclaim as an inimitable creator of stylish hotels and resorts. In the new era of travel, these thoughtfully enhanced touchpoints reinforce our 30-year legacy of hospitality excellence by elevating our Guest Experience Signatures so as to captivate the evolved luxury traveller. Each distinct experience has been refined to deliver unique and inspiring moments with unparalleled attention to detail,” said Tommy Lai, chief executive officer of GHM.

This year, GHM will be celebrating its pearl anniversary in commemoration of 30 years of A Style to Remember. Milestones in 2022 include the highly anticipated opening of The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort in Doha, Qatar, where GHM’s Guest Experience Signatures will be incorporated as its backbone of exclusive offerings, dedicated services and personalised experiences that are unique to this landmark property.