Qatar’s Cabinet convened on October 28 at the Amiri Diwan under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan al-Thani. The meeting addressed several key national and international issues, including legislative updates, bilateral cooperation, and progress reports on strategic initiatives.
The Cabinet began by acknowledging the participation of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in the 8th Summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) held in Moscow. The summit focused on the challenges confronting the global gas market, prompting discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation among member states. Qatar’s leadership role in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector and its contributions to global energy security were also highlighted as pivotal during the summit.
Additionally, the Cabinet noted His Highness’s diplomatic engagements in Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, as well as his earlier visit to Uzbekistan, during which he held discussions with President Shaykat Mirziyoyev. These meetings underscore Qatar’s ongoing regional and international diplomatic efforts.
The Cabinet further praised the decision of the United States’ Foreign Policy Association (FPA) to award His Highness the Amir a medal recognizing his influential role in mediation and diplomatic initiatives. The award reflects his dedication to promoting international peace, dialogue, and multilateral cooperation.
Domestically, the Cabinet congratulated recipients of the inaugural Qatarisation Award in the Private Sector for 2026, recognizing their contributions to localizing the workforce and bolstering the private sector’s role in national economic development.
Significantly, the Cabinet approved a draft law amending provisions of Law No. 8 of 2012 related to the Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA). The revisions, developed in coordination with relevant authorities, aim to modernize the regulatory framework governing capital markets, adapting it to emerging financial products such as digital securities and off-market activities. The draft expands the QFMA’s oversight to include investment funds and collective investment schemes, strengthens enforcement mechanisms against violations, and revises penalties for offenses to better protect investors and preserve market transparency and fairness. This draft will now be submitted to the Shura Council for further consideration.
The Cabinet also authorized draft executive programs related to bilateral agreements with Morocco and Egypt. The agreements cover cooperation in endowments and Islamic affairs (with Morocco) and youth and sports (with Egypt) for the period 2026-2028.
The session concluded with a review of several reports, including the semi-annual update on efforts to combat environmental damage and encroachments for the first half of 2026, progress on the National Cyber Security Strategy (2024-2030), and reports on Qatar’s participation in the 39th GCC Ministers of Youth and Sports meeting and the meetings of GCC health ministries held in Manama. Appropriate decisions were taken based on these reports as part of the government’s ongoing agenda.