Doha, December 17 (QNA) - The State of Qatar celebrates its National Day on December 18th under the slogan 'With You It Rises, From You It Awaits,' which was taken from a speech delivered by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani during a visit to Qatar University in 2016. The slogan embodies the nation’s vision that building the human being is the greatest investment to consolidate its renaissance and sustain its giving, and it also represents a renewed call to continue the journey of building and giving, based on a firm conviction that building the nation goes hand in hand with building the human being, and that the prosperity of the country is achieved through the sincerity of its people and their dedication to serving their society so that Qatar remains at the top and at the forefront.

National Day is a cherished, noble, and inspiring occasion that embodies the spirit of unity, cohesion, and belonging among citizens, and affirms pride in the memory of the founder of the state, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani, who laid the foundations for a strong and unified state, and made Qatar a model of steadfastness and independence.

On this glorious day in Qatar’s history, Qataris remember the legacy of the founder who, nearly 150 years ago, upon assuming power in the country on December 18, 1878, laid a solid foundation for an independent state based on unity, justice, noble human values, and a renewed desire for development and growth. After him, the rulers of the State of Qatar followed his righteous path, demonstrating leadership, wisdom and integrity, and embodying the spirit of consensus and national unity.

On this occasion, Qataris recall the journey of a nation full of glory and pride, cherishing the achievements of the present, and filled with hope for a bright tomorrow. National Day celebrations affirm the commitment of successive Qatari generations to the words and contents of their national anthem, which said that Qatar would remain free and will commit to following in the footsteps of fathers and grandfathers by defending the homeland and its dignity, working with all sincerity for its elevation, progress and prosperity, renewing the pledge to continue the journey of development and giving under the banner of the wise leadership of HH the Amir, to continue the journey of development and renaissance under the sky of a generous homeland, proud of its established values ​​and ambitious vision.

In 2025, various state institutions continued their efforts towards translating Qatar National Vision 2030 into a tangible reality, which reflects the commitment to achieving the sustainable and comprehensive development aspirations of the vision, which aims to transform Qatar into an advanced country capable of achieving sustainable development and ensuring a decent life for its people generation after generation, through four interconnected pillars that include human, social, economic, and environmental developments.

The country achieved qualitative leaps in the fields of energy, infrastructure, education, health care and social welfare this past year, in addition to strengthening its position as an attractive destination for investments in competitive sectors such as technology and tourism.

This year has been marked by Qatari political and diplomatic activity and movement, which has contributed to achieving more successful accomplishments for the State of Qatar in its foreign relations in the political, economic, investment, military and defense fields, as well as strategic partnerships, through its openness to various countries and peoples, with an active and quiet diplomacy based on a policy of mutual respect and common interests, in order to strengthen and be consistent with Qatar National Vision 2030.

Doha has become a global capital of political, diplomatic and economic activity through intensive visits by a large number of leaders of Arab, Islamic and friendly countries, which confirms the respect and appreciation that the countries of the world have for Qatari policy, its political, economic, diplomatic and developmental contributions, and its positions based on dialogue as a means to achieve international security and peace.

HH the Amir made several foreign visits and tours to many countries, including to Arab, Islamic and friendly countries. His Highness also participated in many international conferences and events, including the Extraordinary Arab Summit in Cairo, the 144th session of the International Olympic Committee in Greece, the GCC-US Summit in Riyadh, the 34th Arab Summit in Baghdad, and the GCC-ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur.

His Highness also participated in the opening session of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Issue and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, the multilateral meeting held by the US in New York, the signing ceremony of the agreement to end the war in Gaza, which took place within the framework of the Sharm El Sheikh Peace Summit in October, and the G20 Summit held in South Africa in November. 

Qatari diplomacy excelled through the success of its efforts, endeavors and mediation in many regions of the world, including the Middle East, Africa and Asia. It confirmed that Qatar, with its firm resolve and wise vision, will remain a beacon of hope and peace, and will continue its tireless efforts to contribute to achieving global security and stability, and will remain a haven for the oppressed, and will always strive to contribute to preserving international security and stability.

Doha hosted the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit held in September in the wake of the treacherous Israeli aggression against one of the neighborhoods of Doha. The speeches of the delegation members during the summit demonstrated the status that Qatar has come to enjoy on the international stage, and the great global appreciation for its role in stopping the war and releasing prisoners and detainees in the Gaza Strip. Qatar also hosted the Second World Summit for Social Development and the 11th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption in early December.

As part of the democratic process in the country, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani inaugurated the 54th session of the Shura Council on October 21, in which His Highness delivered a comprehensive speech that noted the effective legislative role of the Shura Council in its previous session, and its positive contributions to regional and international parliamentary organizations. His Highness also expressed his wishes for the Council to have every success in carrying out its legislative duties.

In his speech, His Highness affirmed that the Qatari economy continued its positive performance in light of a volatile global economic environment, and addressed several national issues and topics, as well as Qatar's positions and foreign policy towards the most prominent current issues and files, foremost among them the genocide that the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip have been subjected to during the past two years.

HH the Amir also touched upon the State of Qatar’s commendable efforts at the international level, represented in mediation in resolving conflicts and in humanitarian work, stressing that these efforts have contributed to enhancing Qatar’s global standing and associating its name with its positive and active role, in addition to the benefit of this role in resolving conflicts and preventing bloodshed for the benefit of all humanity.

In a pivotal step towards a new year full of projects and achievements, HH the Amir issued a law on December 9 approving the state’s general budget for the fiscal year 2026. The total expected revenues in the budget amounted to QR 199 billion, representing a growth of 1.0% compared to the total revenues of the 2025 budget. The total expected expenditures amounted to approximately QR 220.8 billion, an increase of 5.0% compared to the 2025 budget.

The new budget represents an extension of the balanced fiscal approach followed by the state, which aims to achieve financial sustainability, promote economic growth, improve the efficiency of public spending, and provide an environment conducive to investment, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. The budget allocations for key sectors, including education and health, also reflect the state’s continued commitment to policies for developing human capital and raising the quality of public services.

Regarding the country's economic affairs, His Highness, also the Chairman of the Supreme Council for Economic Affairs and Investment, chaired three meetings this year at the Amiri Diwan. During the meetings, projects were followed up, the progress report on the state’s economic priorities was reviewed, as well as developments related to global trade and customs tariffs, healthcare, health insurance and social service sector, updates on the information and communications sector, presentations by the Ministry of Trade and Industry regarding the national direct investment plan, and the establishment of a company to manage local assets.

Qatar’s credit rating is among the best in the region and the world, reflecting confidence in the Qatari economy. The World Bank expects Qatar’s real GDP growth to reach 2.8% in 2025, and for public finance surpluses to remain strong.

The World Bank stated in a report on December 4 that the country’s non-oil sectors have maintained their strength even with the decline in oil and gas prices, and that the expansion of the North Field would drive a significant increase in liquefied natural gas production, thus enhancing Qatar’s role in meeting the needs of global markets.

The World Bank placed the Qatari economy among the top 10 Arab economies in terms of growth during the same period, and confirmed Qatar’s continued ability to achieve better growth rates in the coming period, driven by government investment and the state’s commitment to economic diversification policies.

In line with the wise leadership’s vision to build a safe and productive society and a stable family, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued a law in October amending some provisions of the Civil Human Resources Law.

The amendment included incentives and quality benefits that took into account the balance between work requirements and family life, which enhances the psychological and professional stability of employees, and establishes a flexible and productive work environment that consolidates the State of Qatar’s position as a leading model in administrative modernization and sustainable human development.

To further attract national talent in various sectors of work in the country, His Highness issued in September an Amiri decree establishing the Qatar Award for Localization in the Private Sector.

The award aims to encourage positive competition among private sector entities in the field of job localization, by honoring establishments that have achieved localization targets and contributed to achieving Qatar National Vision 2030. It also seeks to honor distinguished and talented citizens working in the private sector, as well as those with exceptional talents, visionary leaders, and innovative pioneers.

Based on the state's conviction that education is the foundation upon which the nation's progress and societal advancement are built, Qatar embraced the principle of investing in human capital and placed it at the forefront of its priorities.

This year, new cohorts of students graduated from Qatar University and the universities within Education City, and in September, His Highness honored the top-achieving high school students for the 2024-2025 academic year at the Amiri Diwan. In February, HH the Amir graciously patronized the the 18th Education Excellence Day Award ceremony at the Sheraton Doha Hotel, under the slogan 'With Excellence, We Build Generations.' His Highness honored the 80 winners of this year's award.

With the start of the current academic year on August 31st, tens of thousands of students headed to their classrooms, signaling the start of the new academic year. The Ministry of Education and Higher Education affirmed that the launch of the new academic year comes within the framework of implementing its strategy, which aims to build an integrated educational system that enhances the quality of education and consolidates community partnership, in order to achieve Qatar National Vision 2030 in building a pioneering learner capable of leading the path of sustainable development.

On the health front, the State of Qatar is working to ensure the provision of the best level of healthcare and the provision of preventive and curative health services, in accordance with the highest standards and in a way that ensures a healthy future for all residents, as the health sector in Qatar is moving confidently towards advanced global centers.

The National Health Strategy (2024-2030) has identified three priority strategic areas: improving the health and well-being of the population, excellence in service delivery and patient experience, and the efficiency and resilience of the health system.

Qatar also ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa, and 18th globally, in the 2025 Healthcare Index, according to data from the Numbeo database.

This ranking confirms the high level of the healthcare sector in the country, which is constantly evolving, driven by innovation and the use of the latest globally available methods, in line with the Third National Development Strategy. This ranking also reflects the quality of healthcare in the State of Qatar, its accessibility, its reasonable cost, and customer confidence in it.

Regarding food security, the various state agencies continued their efforts to achieve sustainable food security, meet their needs for basic products, reduce their dependence on imports from foreign markets, and reduce exposure to the risks of disruption to global supply chains and price fluctuations in global commodity markets.

The National Conference on Food Safety, organized by the Ministries of Municipality and Public Health, was held in Doha in September. The participants affirmed that the State of Qatar is moving confidently towards building a safe and sustainable food system through legislation, modern technology and innovation, strengthening national partnerships and the One Health Approach.

During the conference, the Food Security Department also discussed the features of the National Food Security Strategy 2030, which includes 17 key initiatives to enhance local production, develop strategic reserves, and diversify foreign investments. 

As the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), Qatar works closely with international partners to develop long-term solutions for providing clean and reliable fuel supplies to countries around the globe. Despite economic and geopolitical challenges, Qatar’s energy sector has continued its confident growth, ensuring the uninterrupted production and supply of global energy.

In 2025, Qatar Energy achieved significant milestones, expanding its international presence by signing numerous LNG export and marketing agreements, as well as exploration and production partnerships with various countries and major companies. Qatar Energy also continued its work on the North Field expansion project, aiming to reach a production capacity of 142 million tons per annum by 2030. Qatar is expected to begin exporting LNG from the first phase of the North Field East (NFE) expansion project.

Experts predict that Qatar Energy's projects will contribute approximately 40 percent of total new global liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies by 2029.

Last May, Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat) announced the commencement of construction of 17 LNG vessels at Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) Shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea.

Reaffirming Qatar’s unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability and the gradual transition to clean energy, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani inaugurated two strategic solar power projects in Ras Laffan and Mesaieed. These plants will contribute to raising the country’s total solar power capacity to over 1,675 megawatts, as part of a broader objective to increase reliance on renewable energy. Furthermore, last September, Qatar Energy signed a contract to build one of the world’s largest solar power plants in Dukhan, approximately 80 kilometers west of Doha.

Upon completion, this project will double Qatar’s solar power generation capacity, significantly contributing to the achievement of the country’s renewable energy goals.

The State of Qatar possesses an integrated, interconnected, and sustainable transportation system—by land, air, and sea—that has positioned it as a leader on the global transportation map. This system has enabled Qatar to host major international events and provide an environmentally friendly transportation experience. In 2025, Mwani Qatar contributed to boosting maritime trade in Qatar and globally, handling over 1.11 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) during the first nine months of the year, achieving strong performance that reflects their pivotal role in supporting the national economy. Hamad Port achieved another milestone, ranking first in the Gulf region for the first time and 11th globally in the 2024 Container Port Performance Index published by the World Bank Group and the S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Hamad International Airport, following the completion of its expansion project, has increased its capacity to over 65 million passengers annually. The airport continues to solidify its leading position as one of the world's best, retaining its title as "Best Airport in the Middle East" for the 11th consecutive year and winning the "Best Airport Shopping" award globally for the third year running.

Last January, HE Minister of Transport Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Thani inaugurated the Turquoise Line of the Lusail Tram Network. This inauguration is part of the Ministry's efforts to expand Lusail Tram services and enhance the public transport system in Lusail City, in line with its strategy to continue developing a modern and sustainable public transport network for both residents and visitors.

Last December, HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani inaugurated the Ministry of Transport Strategy for 2025-2030, under the slogan "Reaching Beyond Horizons". The strategy embodies a firm commitment to developing an integrated, safe, flexible, and sustainable transportation system based on advanced technology, innovation, and digitalization, while enhancing traffic safety standards, reducing carbon emissions, and providing innovative digital services that meet the aspirations of citizens, residents, and future generations.

Building on the exceptional success of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Doha continued this year to host a diverse range of elite sporting events, further solidifying its position as a leading global hub for international tournaments. The country is currently hosting the 11th edition of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 from December 1st to 18th, culminating in the final match at Lusail Stadium, coinciding with the country's National Day celebrations.

Qatar has been confirmed as the host of the next two editions of this tournament in 2029 and 2033 by FIFA, reflecting the country's leading global standing in organizing major football events.

In firm belief in the slogan "Qatar deserves the best from its citizens", a slogan advocated by HH the Amir, the State of Qatar has moved forward in implementing its projects and national vision, strengthening its image as one of the finest inspiring models to be emulated in ambition and achievement.

The State of Qatar topped several global indicators and reports in several fields, as it obtained first place in the Arab world and 8th globally in the “Quality of Life” index for 2025, according to the classification issued by the CEOWORLD magazine for 2025.

The National Planning Council announced that the State of Qatar has achieved further progress in its development journey, ranking 9th globally in the 2025 World Competitiveness Report issued by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland. This marks the first time Qatar has entered the top ten in this global ranking.

Qatar also ranked among the top twenty countries globally in the 2025 World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, underscoring the country's ongoing development under the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy (2024-2030), which place digital transformation and innovation at the heart of the country's sustainable development.

This progress complements Qatar's outstanding performance in economic competitiveness, where it also ranked 9th globally.

As an indicator of the growth of the tourism sector in the country, the number of visitors to Qatar from the beginning of this year until the end of last November rose to 4.4 million tourists.

To safeguard the security of the nation and its citizens, Qatar Armed Forces, with its various branches, along with the Ministry of Interior have continued to receive support of HH the Amir and the wise government. This support is manifested in equipping them with the latest equipment and weaponry, and in their participation in joint domestic and international training exercises with the forces of brotherly and friendly nations. They remain guardians of the nation's and citizens' security, and the shield protecting its achievements, interests. This year also saw the graduation of new batches of cadets from military and security colleges and academies in the State.

During 2025, the State of Qatar continued its humanitarian role on both the regional and international levels, providing relief supplies and humanitarian aid to those in need and those affected by disasters worldwide. The flags of Qatari humanitarian organizations remained prominent and raised everywhere, providing financial, relief, and medical assistance to countries, institutions, and individuals suffering from natural disasters, crises, wars, and conflicts. (QNA)