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Introduction
The State of Qatar occupies a peninsula approximately 100 km wide and 200 km long and includes several islands, the largest being Halul, Shraouh and Al-Asshat. Qatar shares its southern border with Saudi Arabia and maritime borders with Bahrain, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Population
3 million
Major cities
Doha (capital), Al-Wakrah, Al-Khor, Dukhan, Al-Shamal, Msaieed and Ras Lafan
Language
Arabic is the official language. English is widely spoken.
Climate
Desert climate with year-round sunshine, hot summers and mild winters. Monthly temperature ranges from 17°C in January to 36°C in July, sometimes reaching highs of over 40°C during the summer. Rain is infrequent, falling in brief showers in winter.
Working days
Sunday to Thursday. Friday and Saturday are officially holidays.
Currency
Riyal (QR or QAR). The exchange rate is fixed at US$ 1 = QAR 3.64.
ATMs can be found in many locations. Most shops and restaurants accept major credit cards.
Culture and dress code
Qatar is a conservative country. Guests should dress in a manner that is sensitive to Qatar’s Islamic culture. Men generally wear long trousers and a shirt in public. Women should cover their shoulders, upper arms and knees.
Ask permission before taking photographs of people and be cautious about taking photographs in public.
Touristic hotspots
Qatar has many tourist attractions including nature reserves, historic forts, museums and galleries, desert safaris, restaurants, markets and malls. Tourist hotspots include the Corniche, Souq Waqif, the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Al Zubarah Fort and Khor Al Adaid (the Inland Sea).
Qatar is one of the safest tourist destinations in the world. Further information is available on the Qatar Tourism Authority website.
Date and venue
The 71st session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean is scheduled to take place between Monday 14 and Thursday 17 October 2024.
The session will take place at the Ritz-Carlton, Doha. The hotel is 17.5 km from the airport (a 24-minute drive).
Member State delegates, advisers and representatives of entities unable to attend in person will be able to follow sessions and deliberations on the WHO public website. Details of how to access live streaming will be shared in due course.
Registration
Registration is necessary to attend sessions in person. Participants are kindly requested to register through the RC71 online registration system no later than 15 August 2024.
Registrations will be confirmed by email.
Membership and attendance
The Regional Committee consists of one representative from each country or territory of WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region. Representatives may be accompanied by alternates and advisers (Rule 1 of the Rules of Procedure).
The WHO Regional Director, in consultation with the Regional Committee, may invite States that are not members of the Committee to participate without vote in the sessions of the Regional Committee. The Regional Director, in consultation with the Regional Committee, may also invite nongovernmental organizations to participate in the deliberations of the Committee (Rule 2 of the Rules of Procedure).
Credentials
Member States should send the names and designations of their representatives, alternates and advisers to the WHO Regional Director no later than 15 August 2024. Credentials can be issued by the Head of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Health or other appropriate authority (Rule 3 of the Rules of Procedures). To guarantee registration, participants should upload a copy of the signed letter of credentials onto the registration system.
Working languages
The working languages of the Regional Committee are Arabic, English and French. Statements made in any one of these languages will be simultaneously interpreted into the other two languages.
Written statements
Written statements – maximum 600 words – may be submitted for posting on the Regional Committee website under related agenda items. Written statements should be sent in advance of the opening of the 71st session of the Regional Committee. They may be submitted in lieu of a live intervention or to complement a live intervention by a Member State.
Written statements for posting on the WHO website should be sent to
Agenda and other documents
Official session documentation, in Arabic, English and French, will be available on the Regional Committee website from September 2024. Documents will not be dispatched by post. Participants are requested to consult the documents online.
Delegations wishing to propose draft resolutions for circulation to the Regional Committee should share them with the Secretariat at least two days before the proposal is discussed to allow time for translation, reproduction in the working languages and circulation to delegations.
Eco-friendly meeting
Organizers are committed to ensuring that the Regional Committee is environmentally friendly through its paperless initiative. The Regional Committee organizers encourage participation in physical activities and will ensure healthy food options are available to participants.
Travel arrangements
Delegates/participants should make their own travel arrangements for the outward and return journeys.
Participants should obtain a visa/entry permit to Qatar before departing their home country. Participants should fill in the relevant section on the RC71 registration form for visa requests. Issued visas will be shared with participants via email.
WHO cannot accept liability for personal accidents, loss or damage to the private property of participants or accompanying persons during, or indirectly arising from, participation in the Regional Committee. Participants should make their own health and travel insurance arrangements.
Accommodation
The venue for the Regional Committee is the Ritz-Carlton Doha, Qatar. The host country will pay hotel expenses of the head of delegation plus one other delegate/adviser from participating Member States for the period 13 to 18 October 2024.
Additional delegation members and Regional Committee participants may book accommodation through the hotel website (listed in Annex 1) no later than 31 August 2024 and settle hotel bills directly with the hotel.
Transportation
Transportation will be provided on arrival and departure and for official events held outside the hotel venue. Transportation will only be available to and from the official venue of the Regional Committee.
Weather
In October, the weather is expected to be warm during the day and mild in the evening. At this time of year temperatures range between a maximum of 35°C and a minimum of 24°C.
