QATAR FORMALIZES GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000419

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV EFIN EINV QA
SUBJECT: QATAR FORMALIZES GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION

REF: (A) 2008 DOHA 475
(B) DOHA 375

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(SBU) KEY POINTS
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-- The Heir Apparent, Shaykh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, issued
decrees June 23 formally organizing the Cabinet and its Secretariat,
and finalizing new organizational structures for ministries. These
decrees are the next major step in an ongoing government
reorganization initiated by a July 2008 Cabinet shuffle (Ref A).

-- No ministerial posts changed hands, though several ministries
gained new responsibilities, notably the Ministries of Foreign
Affairs, Environment, and Economy and Finance.

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(SBU) COMMENTS
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-- The most significant changes for U.S. interests include grouping
the MFA's formal authority for human rights and development issues
under Minister of State Khalid Al-Attiyah, the transfer of Customs
to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the formation of new
Environment Ministry departments for Biotechnology and Protection
from Radiation and Chemical Materials.

End Key Points and Comments.


1. (U) The Foreign Ministry continues to have three leaders of
ministerial rank. Prime Minister Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani retains
the portfolio of Foreign Minister with overall authority and
responsibility for Qatar's most important foreign policy issues.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed al-Mahmoud retains
responsibility for the Ministry's regional departments.


2. (U) The decree expanded the responsibilities of Khalid
Al-Attiyah, the Minister of State for International Cooperation. He
will now control four departments: the Department of Conferences and
International Organizations, the Department of International
Development, the Department of International Technical Cooperation,
and the Department of Human Rights.

-- These new responsibilities solidify Khalid Al-Attiyah's position
as a key figure in Qatar's foreign policy. By acquiring the human
rights (including TIP issues) and development portfolios, he gains
control of two areas that figure prominently in Qatar's interactions
with foreign governments and international bodies.

-- The establishment of a Department for International Development
formalizes responsibilities for creating development policy and
assistance programs under the MFA. The department will also have
the lead on forming partnerships with other governments, NGOs, and
international and regional organizations.

-- The Department of International Technical Cooperation is intended
to liaise with international organizations in order to coordinate
delivery of technical assistance to Qatari government agencies.


3. (U) The Ministry of Business and Trade, headed in an acting
capacity by Minister of State for International Cooperation Khalid
Al-Attiyah, remains largely the same, at least on issues important
to the USG (Ref B).

-- The Ministry retains primary responsibility for negotiation and
implementation of bilateral trade agreements. It also has lead on
WTO issues.

-- The Ministry is also charged with developing efforts to diversify
Qatar's economy, both in terms of boosting non-hydrocarbon sectors
and broadening the geographic distribution of Qatar's exports.


4. (U) The Ministry of Economy and Finance, headed by Yousuf Hussain
Kamal, will now have three major divisions: economic affairs,
financial affairs, and customs.

-- The Central Tenders Committee will still be under the Minister's
purview, while budget and economic policy matters will remain the
Ministry's primary responsibilities.

-- The addition of Customs is significant in that it gives the
Minister direct control over these matters at Qatar's land crossing
with Saudi Arabia, the international airport, and its three major
seaports of Ras Laffan, Doha Port, and Mesaieed. Qatar Petroleum
maintains overall control of the seaports at Ras Laffan and
Mesaieed, but Customs still maintains responsibility for inspecting

DOHA 00000419 002 OF 002


and clearing cargo at all facilities.

-- As part of its Customs duties, the Ministry will be responsible
for applying the rules and regulations issued by international
organizations to which Qatar is a member-state.


5. (U) The decrees also formalize greatly expanded responsibilities
for the Ministry of Environment.

-- The Minister will have a new International Cooperation department
reporting directly to him.

-- An Assistant Undersecretary will be in charge of measurements and
specifications, standards, laboratories, and quality issues. (Note:
The formerly independent Organization of Standards and Meteorology
was folded into this section.)

-- Another Assistant Undersecretary will have oversight of
agricultural, animal, and fish matters. Moreover, this section
includes a "Green Qatar" department intended to expand green areas
in Qatar, encourage agriculture, and consult on design of parks and
irrigation systems in the country.

-- Significantly, a new Biotechnology Department was also
established. The decree lists its responsibilities as - inter alia
- conducting applied and specialized research, providing scientific
views on biotechnology issues, conducting studies on environmental
safety, using biotechnology to increase crop yields, and using DNA
techniques for various plant and animal classifications.

-- A third Assistant Undersecretary will oversee environmental
evaluation and inspection, water issues, and conservation.

-- Notably, the decree also establishes a new department for
Protection from Radiation and Chemical Materials.


6. (SBU) The decree gave the Ministry of Culture responsibility for
the General Youth Authority (GYA) which includes the Doha Youth
Center, a key partner for Embassy Public Affairs and Middle East
Partnership Initiative (MEPI) programming.

-- For the past 14 years the GYA was an independent entity. Prior to
the recent decree, GYA head Khalid Yousef Al Mulla had direct
contact with the Amiri Diwan with regard to Youth Affairs, and had
the complete authority to organize summer programs and youth
enrichment activities with the local sports clubs. He prided
himself on keeping kids off streets, and away from drugs and road
rage incidents (common among Qatari youth).

-- The absorption of GYA under the Ministry of Culture could
complicate these youth programs as it will make them dependent on
the ministry's funding and approval. Last year, GYA partially
funded trips by 54 Qatari exchange students to the U.S. This year,
a similar program could not be organized owing to lack of funding.


7. (U) The Embassy's preliminary review of the detailed decrees does
not indicate any major changes (at least as far as U.S. interests
are concerned) to the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Justice,
Ministry of Awqaf (Islamic Endowments),or Ministry of Labor.


8. (SBU) Post is working in coordination with the National Virtual
Translation Center to carry out a detailed translation of the
decrees, which will eventually be posted to Intelink.

LEBARON