Qatar – Lots of Sand + Gas and Oil (3)

We started our day getting educated about Education City, “the flagship initiative of the Qatar Foundation,” which is a 2500-acre kilometer campus that hosts educational institutes. Programs include K-12 and post-graduate studies. Collaborating with Carnegie-Mellon, Georgetown University, HEC Paris, Northwestern University, Texas A&M University, UCL Qatar, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts and Weill Cornell Medicine, a Western education is provided in a Middle Eastern setting.

On the campus is the Qatar National Library. It was designed by Rem Koolhaas, who interestingly also designed the downtown Seattle Public Library. The structure is a work of art and includes works of art of which my favorite was the “Mapping the World” exhibit.

I know you would all like to know all the details from all our meetings with the Ministries and Councils, but, I will provide just a few highlights. The meeting at the Qatar Financial Center was enlightening as it was openly stated that Qatar is “small, rich and ambitious.” As a consequence of that ambition Qatar has had to liberalize its economy to attract businesses. Policy changes have included allowing visitors from 82 countries to get visas at the airport upon arrival (we had to get official government visas, I presume because it was an official visit). Ownership in real estate is now allowed. Permanent residency is now possible if born or have lived in Qatar for 20 years, which is a first, although citizenship is not available.

Having been awarded the hosting of the World Cup has put Qatar’s labor practices on display. Because 80%+ of its workers are foreign, there have been abusive practices. Workers’ contracts originate in their home countries, and, the practice has often been to start in debt as the contracting agencies indentured the workers for the privilege of going to Qatar to work. Qatar has opened offices in the “exporting” countries to ensure this practice is stopped.

A comprehensive public health program is being initiated with the plan being to have a comprehensive world-class healthcare system accessible to the entire population by 2030. One of the issues is that Qataris are getting fatter and lazier (they stated it more diplomatically), and, that pattern needs to change towards more “healthy aging.”

We visited the Al Jazeera Media Network. As they noted, Al Jazeera is both loved and hated in extremes. Yes, they would like to be first in their reporting, but their primary goal is to be fair and accurate. The network was created by the Father Emir (father of the current leader) and is supported financially with no interference. Al Jazeera did broadcast in the US, but, because of how our media networks operate, it proved too expensive to continue. However, we had “breaking news” as on October 22, they are launching a weekly show in the United States.

At various meetings the issue of the blockade was discussed. In June 2017 Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed relations with Qatar. Land and airspace access was closed, and, 90% of food and medicine had come through those routes. Although initially difficult, Qatar has become more self sufficient and independent because they had no choice.

Our final visit was to the Qatar National Museum, which only opened in March of this year. It is a 40,000 square meter “desert rose,” and, it is spectacular. The structure is breathtaking, and, the exhibits are amazing.

Following a briefing by a US Embassy official, we had our final dinner at a restaurant serving traditional Qatari cuisine called Basta in an area called The Pearl, which is an artificial island in the West Bay Lagoon. The name was derived as the island was built on a previous major pearl diving site. We left early Thursday morning and were all on our way shortly after 8:00 a.m. My flight time was 16+ hours, and, although Qatari Airways is wonderful, 16 hours is a loooong time!