News | Ministry of Transport

Monday, October 16, 2017

HE The Minister Meets with UK, Georgia Ambassadors

Doha – Qatar HE Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti held separate meetings here today with HE the British Ambassador to Qatar Mr. Ajay Sharma and HE Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Qatar Mrs. Ekaterine Meiering-Mikadze.The meetings discussed cooperation ties between Qatar and the two friendly nations in the fields of transportation and communication and means of further enhancing them.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

The Ministry Organizes Digital Government Services Awareness Workshop (1.1)

Doha – Qatar The new teaching staff of Texas A&M University-Qatar were introduced to the digital government services available online, at an awareness workshop organized by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) jointly with TAMUQ last week.Representatives from the Ministries of Interior, Education and Higher Education and Public Health also attended the induction workshop, which came within the framework of implementing the Qatar Digital Government 2020 Strategy and nationwide digital transformation plans.Attended by over 200 people, the workshop featured presentations by the ministries, highlighting a package of advanced government services that are available and accessible online for the public.Mr. Hassan Jassim Al-Sayed, the Ministry’s Assistant Undersecretary of Government Information Technology Sector made a presentation about the latest developments and progress on the QDG 2020 Strategy, which, he said, was supported by three strategic objectives that determine where action will be taken to deliver benefits and value.The Strategy, he noted, aims to better serve individuals and businesses, create efficiency in government administration and increase government openness through enabled public participation from citizens and residents.He said the fact that all ministries and public entities are shifting to digital platforms is helping reduce or even eliminate paperwork and routine, thus saving time and effort and helping to complete transactions swiftly, which, in turn, leads to more efficiency and productivity.A presentation by the MOTC’s Hukoomi, the Qatar official e-Government Portal launched in 2008, showed a remarkable rise in the number of digital services available and accessible anywhere, anytime.Today after launching Hukoomi Phase 3, the portal carries information on about 1380 digital services. Some 690 of them can be accessed and executed by companies, citizens, residents, and visitors. They cover multiple sectors such as health, education, and business.The presentation estimated the number of Hukoomi visitors at more than 450,000 from nearly 80 countries. The number of Hukoomi account followers also climbed to nearly 60,000 on Facebook and 200,000 on Twitter.The Ministry of the Interior also said in a presentation that its Metrash2 application has been gaining more users from across the country thanks to the wide range of e-services it provides.Metrash2 provides more than 120 e-services in six languages: Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Indian and Urdu.In its presentation, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education displayed a number of its best-performing e-services relating to employment, educational centers, independent schools registration and private schools licensing, among others.The Ministry of Public Health also displayed some of its online services relating to Hamad Medical Corporation, Primary Health Care Corporation and the Qatar Orthopedic and the Sports Medicine Hospital (Aspetar).HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani launched the QDG 2020 Strategy in May 2014, to create a more efficient, open and transparent government.

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Ministry’s Digital Incubation Center Launches IdeaCamp

Doha – Qatar The Digital Incubation Center at the Ministry of Transport and Communications has launched the IdeaCamp - a new program for entrepreneurs, developers and designers who have great ideas for a technology solution.IdeaCamp offers a series of workshops, training, and mentorships for five weeks that will help entrepreneurs develop business models, build prototypes and test their ideas with local customers.By the end of the program, the entrepreneurs with successful ideas will join the DIC Startup Track to take their ideas to the next level, which begins this December 1.Online applications to join the IdeaCamp are received at ideacamp.qa until October 18, 2017. Applications then are screened and owners of the accepted applications are informed.The IdeaCamp is accepting applications for any technology idea. However, priority is given to entrepreneurs who submit ideas in the following technology areas: Blockchain, 3D printing and the Internet of things (IoT).The Digital Incubation Center (DIC) was created in 2011 to boost ICT innovation in Qatar, particularly among young people at the critical early stages of starting or growing a technology-related business.The DIC is looking for entrepreneurs capable of harnessing emerging technologies to create innovative products, solutions, or services that will contribute to Qatar’s digital economy.The DIC offers startups free office space, technical support, training and guidance, mentorship, as well as business planning and legal advice.To apply to join IdeaCamp: http://ideacamp.qa/en/#applyFor Further Information about the Digital Incubation Center (DIC) visit http://www.motc.gov.qa/en/dic

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Ministry launches its first 2017-2018 cyber security capacity building training course

Doha – Qatar Qatar Computer Emergency Response Team (Q-CERT) at the Ministry of Transport and Communications has held a training course entitled “Intrusion Detection in Depth” for a group of IT and information security specialists from governmental and semi-governmental entities.The training aims to equip the attendees who work in the government and critical information infrastructure sectors with the core knowledge, tools, and techniques to increase their information security defense capabilities.“The training is a part of a series of specialized training courses the Ministry will be held throughout this year and the coming year in the implementation of the National Cyber Security Strategy. The aim is to build local cybersecurity capabilities and increase institutions’ efficiency and readiness to combat cyberattacks,” said Mr. Khalid Al-Hashmi, the Ministry’s Assistant Undersecretary of Cyber Security.“The courses will focus on a number of key specialized themes within the realm of cybersecurity. Those themes were selected based on the outcome of the national cybersecurity drill and the needs and requirements of various governmental and semi-governmental entities, let alone the new cyber threats that emerge in that sector,” he added.Held at Q-CERT offices at the Ministry premises and presented by a professional trainer from SANS Institute, the 5-day specialized training was attended by 20 information security specialists from multiple entities.Participants hailed the training course. Sr. Cybersecurity Eng. at Qatar Petroleum, Mr. Khalid al Kubaisi, commended the highly distinguished performance at the training, describing it as a step in the right direction that came on the right time to sharpen local capabilities in the realm of cybersecurity.The courses qualify the participants to perform the tests needed to obtain Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC), in addition to several other cybersecurity-related certifications.The Ministry offers the courses free of charge for Qatari specialists from governmental and semi-governmental entities and at a half-price discount for non-Qataris.This training course is part of Q-CERT training calendar which has been published on Q-CERT website www.qcert.org.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

HE The Minister Meets with Netherlands Director of Foreign Trade Affairs

Doha – Qatar HE Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti met here today with the Director of Foreign Trade Affairs for the Kingdom of the Netherlands Mr. Andre Driessen.The two officials discussed means of enhancing cooperation and relations between the two countries in the field of transport, mobility, and communications, in addition to the available investment opportunities.The meeting was attended by Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Qatar Dr. Bahia Tahzib-Lie.

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Ministry Holds Workshop on Private Sector Participation Strategy for Transport Sector

Doha – Developing a strategy to undertake transport projects under a new Private Sector Participation (PSP) model aiming to leverage capital and efficiencies associated with the private sector in delivering excellent transport infrastructure projects was the theme of a workshop the Ministry of Transport and Communications held with multiple public and private stakeholders.The workshop mulled over a project on “Private Sector Participation Strategy for Qatar’s Transport Sector” and was attended by representatives from the Ministry, Qatar Chamber, relevant government entities, mobility, and transportation industry, several private sector companies and financial institutions.The workshop sought to understand preferences and views of all these entities for the best execution and outcome of the project.The project translates directives of Qatar’s wise leadership on the importance of boosting private sector participation in economic projects across the country with a view to maximizing its contribution to the development process nationwide.It also reflects the considerable attention the Qatari leadership pays to the regulation, standards, policies, and programs that help encourage larger private sector participation in national projects.The project aims to increase private sector participation in Qatar’s transport sector, attract more of its investments, develop a PSP Strategy and Framework for the transport sector at a national level, and understand transport sector’s readiness to receive such participation.It also aims to drive private sector’s investment into mobility and transport projects by creating a chain of potential projects where the private sector could step into and contribute.The aforementioned PSP Framework is going to cover all modes of transport including rail, marine, bus, taxi, and aviation. The aim of this consultancy project is to identify potential PSP projects, produce a policy framework and strategy to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities.The project that was reviewed at the workshop also includes studying a ‘pilot’ project for implementation under the PSP Framework.The Ministry is set to finalize that strategy before the end of this year.