Doha: In its regular weekly meeting held at the Amiri Diwan on Wednesday, the Cabinet, chaired by HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, discussed and approved several important legislative and international initiatives. The meeting started with welcoming the outcomes of the 45th session of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which took place in Kuwait and was attended by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Cabinet praised Kuwait’s efforts in ensuring the summit’s success, as highlighted in the final statement and the Kuwait Declaration. The Cabinet underscored the importance of enhancing joint Gulf actions in response to regional and international developments. During the session, the Cabinet acknowledged the Shura Council’s approval of the draft state budget for the fiscal year 2025, along with the associated law.
Further, the Cabinet sanctioned a draft law that amends specific
provisions of the Income Tax Law issued by Law No. 24 of 2018, referring it to the Shura Council. This amendment facilitates multinational companies in submitting tax returns related to the minimum supplementary tax, in alignment with OECD and G20 requirements to combat tax base erosion and profit shifting.
The Cabinet also endorsed a draft decision to amend sections of the Executive Bylaw of the Customs Law to expedite customs processes for quicker release of goods. Additionally, a decision was made to exempt certain materials imported by the Ministry of Defense from customs duties.
A draft decision by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change was approved, designating the Umm Al Sheif area as a nature reserve to protect marine biodiversity and prevent damage to pearl oysters from human activities. Moreover, a draft resolution was approved to form a technical committee by the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation to assess compensation for damages to public utilities.
Internationally, the C
abinet approved memorandums of understanding for political consultations with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, security cooperation with Hungary, and an air services agreement with Pakistan. The meeting concluded with a review of reports from various committees and decisions were made regarding joint work within GCC countries, cybersecurity, and economic cooperation with Uzbekistan.
