HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani ratified Cabinet Decision No 17 of 2016, amending some provisions of Decision No 73 of 2014, to set up a monitoring committee to oversee petrol storage and filling stations in Qatar.

The decision will come into effect from the day following the date of its publication in the official gazette, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.

The committee is tasked with developing standards and specifications for all petrol storage and filling stations, specifying activities permitted for the stations, evaluating existing stations and their compatibility with the approved environment, health and safety norms and standards, and determining the requirements to improve and develop the existing stations.

The committee, established with the Ministry of Energy and Industry, will be chaired by a representative of Qatar Petroleum and comprise members from the bodies concerned.

In this connection, the Cabinet had approved – at its regular weekly meeting on March 30 - a draft decision by the council of ministers amending some provisions of Decision No 73 of 2014.

HH the Emir also approved Council of Ministers Decision No 14 of 2016 with regard to the ministerial group to stimulate private sector participation in economic development projects.

The decision will come into force on the date of issuance and will be published in the official gazette, according to QNA.

Last month, the Cabinet gave its nod to two draft decisions that seek to stimulate the private sector’s participation in economic development projects through the formation of special committees.

The ministerial and technical committees are to perform a number of key functions.

Meanwhile, HH Sheikh Tamim ratified Cabinet Decision No 15 of 2016 on the application of provisions of Law No 24 of 2002 on retirement and pensions for Qatari employees of Ahli Brokerage Company. The decision is operative as of its date of issue and will be published in the official gazette.

Further, HH the Emir issued a number of instruments of ratification, approving a draft legal and judicial co-operation agreement between the governments of Qatar Morocco, signed in Doha on April 5; approving the ratification of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Qatar Central Bank and National Bank of Kazakhstan, signed on October 26, 2015; approving a draft MoU for co-operation in the field of education between Qatar's Ministry of Education and Higher Education and Singapore's Ministry of Education, signed on March 6; approving a draft MoU for co-operation in the legal field between the governments of Qatar and Singapore, signed on March 6; approving the ratification of a MoU for co-operation in the areas of health between the governments of Qatar and Pakistan, signed on February 10; and approving the ratification of a MoU for co-operation in the field of radio and television between the governments of Qatar and Pakistan, signed on February 10.