Doha, October 22 (QNA) - HE Dr Saleh bin Mohammed Al Nabit, President of the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) and Chairman of the Permanent Population Committee, said that the State of Qatar has achieved the 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the fields of education and health ahead of time, while outlining what has been achieved during the past two years in the fields of economy, construction and other developmental areas.

This came in a speech delivered by His Excellency during the celebration of the Qatar Population Day, which was marked today under the theme, 'Population Policy between Reality and Hope', in the presence of HE Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali along with a number of officials in the bodies concerned with population and development issues, and representatives of United Nations Population Fund.

Dr Al Nabit said that Qatar has the right to be proud of the enormous development achievements in the field of economy, construction, health, education and other vital areas that have enabled the country to be among countries with very high human development.

HE the President of the Planning and Statistics Authority and Chairman of the Permanent Population Committee pointed out that the Human Development Index issued by the United Nations Development Program for 2018 ranked Qatar in the 37th place out of 189 countries included in the report.

His Excellency said the most important achievements accomplished during the two years of the implementation of the population policy derived from the Qatar National Vision 2030 and from the second national development strategy, especially in the areas related to population, expatriate manpower, education and health.

He explained that the population policy of the State of Qatar has paid special attention to issues related to population and manpower, adding that the results of the second phase (November 2018 - October 2019) of the stages of follow-up of the implementation of this policy indicates that a package of related measures have been implemented in whole or in part, which along with other factors, have led to a decline in the rate of population growth, and the strengthening of the trend towards modernization of the means of production in order to rationalize the recruitment of unskilled labor and to secure adequate housing for expatriate workers.

In the field of education and health, His Excellency said that the average years of schooling has doubled over the past two years, and the expected number has also risen. Life expectancy at birth has risen, with maternal mortality rates falling to a rare or almost non-existent level, he said, adding that this means that the State of Qatar has achieved the 2030 SDGs in the fields of education and health ahead of time, and has also achieved other goals related to other areas.

Despite the realistic achievements mentioned, there is a need to do more to achieve all the goals and objectives of the population policy of the State, he said, stressing that the biggest challenge is to correct the demographic imbalance, which is an obstacle to achieving all the goals of this policy.

HE the President of the Planning and Statistics Authority and Chairman of the Permanent Population Committee pointed to some measures related to the objectives of population policy that can be achieved within a specified period of time, such as the issuance of legislation and laws or the establishment of certain institutions, but warned that some measures require fundamental changes in the social, economic or cultural structure.

In this context, His Excellency explained that the actions associated with a long-term strategic objective of reducing the imbalance of the demographic structure of the State is difficult to achieve overnight, because it is related to a large number of factors, led by the provision of sufficient manpower to meet the needs of the ambitious development plans of the State.

He noted what has been achieved so far in addressing the demographic imbalances, adding that the results of the second phase of the follow-up to the implementation of the program of action on Population Policy indicates that significant steps have been taken in this regard, which gives hope that the demographic imbalance and its various repercussions can be reduced in the future.

He stressed that the Population Policy of the State of Qatar is not a complete matter, but a continuous process subject to continuous evaluation aimed at identifying the change brought about by the programs and interventions presented by this policy in practice and to uncover the challenges and obstacles that prevent effective implementation of these programs and interventions.

In turn, Advisor to the Minister of Culture and Sports for Strategic Affairs Dr Mohammed Ismail Al Ansari pointed out that Qatar is multicultural due to the multiplicity of communities in it. He noted that with reference to Qatari history and community practices, they found that Qataris regarded pluralism as a source of strength, cultural enrichment and social stability, which was reflected in the internal cohesion during the blockade.

He stressed the importance of strengthening the Qatari identity to maintain the principle of acceptance and positive interaction with the other at all levels, as well as pointed out that the Ministry of Culture and Sports is working with its partners to promote the values and cultural identity of Qatar and highlight them through enriching local cultural production and support the Qatari talent, investing arts and sports in promoting respect for other cultures, creating an environment that allows them to express themselves, and providing the material and structural potentials that enhance cultural practice in the State.

Regarding the demographics of the country, Dr Al Ansari stressed the importance of addressing the issue of quantity in a qualitative manner, focusing on the status and role of Qatari youth, which represents the largest demographic force in society.

He pointed out that the Ministry of Culture and Sports is keen to empower youth through awareness programs and provide opportunities for preparation, selection and community and political participation, such as in the elections of the boards of directors of clubs and youth centers and the establishment of an elected youth council to express its voice and assume its responsibilities in addition to enabling them to lead institutions for both men and women.

For his part, the representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the GCC Aser Toson praised the commitment of Qatar to the global agenda for sustainable development and the commitments it requires on the level of population development. He stressed that the Population Policy of the State of Qatar is a continuation of this approach as it reflects the themes of the second national development strategy and takes into account human development and promotes women's rights and reproductive health.

He also noted Qatar's interest in youth and the development of their capacities and the involvement of all sectors of society in the process of sustainable development, and its focus on important themes in its national vision affecting key human rights issues in the areas of education, health, environment, expatriate employment, women's empowerment and children's rights.

Toson said that the Population Policy, in which UNFPA contributes to the implementation of some of its activities in cooperation with the Permanent Population Committee (PPC), seeks to map out the demographic features of the future of Qatar, which is in light of an ambitious development agenda for the social and economic developments in the country and the region, as well as addressing the challenges related to the demographics in light of its efforts towards the knowledge economy.

It is worth mentioning that the program of action of the Population Policy of the State of Qatar, which includes several entities in the country include the themes of population and labor force, urban growth and environmental housing, education and training for youth, public health and reproductive health, women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.

The main objective of the Population Policy is to achieve a balance between population growth and the requirements of sustainable development, ensuring a decent life for the population of the State of Qatar. (END)