RC71 Information Bulletin English
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Seventy-first session of the WHO Regional Committee
for the Eastern Mediterranean
Doha, Qatar, 14–17 October 2024
Health beyond borders: solidarity for equity and access in the
Eastern Mediterranean Region
INFORMATION BULLETIN 1
Introduction The State of Qatar occupies a peninsula approximately 100 km
wide and 200 km long, and includes several islands, the largest of
which are Halul, Shraouh and Al-Asshat. Qatar shares its
southern border with Saudi Arabia and a maritime border
Bahrain, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United Arab
Emirates.
Population The population of Qatar is 3 million.
Major cities Doha (capital), Al-Wakrah, Al-Khor, Dukhan, Al-Shamal, Msaieed, Ras Lafan and others.
Language Arabic is the official language of the country, although English is widely spoken.
Climate Qatar has a 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 duringthe summer. Rain is infrequent,falling in brief showers in winter.
Working days The working week is Sunday to Thursday.
Fridays and Saturdays are official days off.
Currency The monetary unit in Qatar is the riyal (QR or QAR). The exchange rate is fixed at
US$ 1 = QAR 3.64.
ATMs can be found in many locations and most shops and restaurants accept major credit
cards.
Culture and
dress code
Qatar is a conservative country. Guests are expected to dress in a style that is sensitive to
the Islamic culture. Men generally wear long trousers and a shirt in public. Women’s attire
in public ought to cover the shoulders, upper arms and knees.
Seek 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, five-star
hotels, museums and galleries, desert safaris, restaurants, markets and malls. Tourist
hotspots include the Corniche, Souq Waqif and the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, and
Al Zubarah Fort and Khor Al Adaid (the Inland Sea).
Qatar is considered 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 from Monday 14 to Thursday 17 October 2024.
The session will take place at the Ritz-Carlton, Doha.
The hotel is around 17.5 km from the airport (24-minute drive).
Member State delegates, advisers and representatives of other entities that are unable
to attend in person will be able to follow the sessions and deliberations online on the
WHO public website. Details for accessing the live streaming of the sessions will be shared
in due course.
Registration Registration is a prerequisite for attending the sessions in person. All participants are
kindly requested to register for the 71st session of the Regional Committee through the
RC71 online registration system, no later than 15 August 2024.
Registrations will be confirmed via email.
Membership
and attendance
The Regional Committee consists of one representative from each country or territory of
WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region.
The 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 communicate the names and designations of their representatives
and all alternates and advisers to the WHO Regional Director no later than 15 August
2024. Such credentials will be issued by the Head of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Minister of Health, or any other appropriate authority (Rule 3 of the Rules of Procedures).
To guarantee an approved registration, participantsare kindly requested to 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 of these languages will be interpreted simultaneously in the
other two languages.
Written
statements
Written statements of no more than 600 words may be submitted for posting on the
Regional Committee website under the related agenda item. 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 from
a Member State.
Please send written statementsfor posting to the WHO website to emrgogovbod@who.int,
indicating the name of the country delegation/entity in the subject line of the email.
Agenda and
other
documents
Official documentation for the session will be available in Arabic, English and French, and
will be made available on the Regional Committee website in the month of September
2024 Documents will not be dispatched by post. Participants are kindly requested to
consult the documents online.
Submissions by
delegations
Delegations wishing to propose draft resolutions for circulation to the Regional
Committee are requested to 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 session of the Regional Committee will be
environmentallyfriendlythrough its paperlessinitiative. It will seek to encourage people’s
participation in physical activities, and to ensure healthy food options are available to
participants.
Travel
arrangements
Delegates/participants are kindly requested to make their own travel arrangements for
both outward and return journeys.
Visa
arrangements
Participants should obtain a visa/entry permit to Qatar prior to their departure from their
home country. Participants are kindly requested to fill in the relevant section on the RC71
registration form for visa requests. Issued visas will be shared with participants via email.
Insurance WHO cannot accept liability for personal accidents or loss of or damage to the private
property of participants and accompanying persons, either during or indirectly arising
from participation in the Regional Committee. Participants should make their own
arrangements with respect to health and travel insurance.
AccommodationThe Regional Committee will take place at the Ritz-Carlton Doha, Qatar.
The hosting country shall bear the expenses of the head of delegation plus one other
delegate/adviser, from each of the participating Member States, at the Ritz-Carlton,
Doha, for the period of 13 to 18 October 2024.
Remaining delegation members and other esteemed Regional Committee participants
may book their accommodation through the hotel websites listed in Annex 1, no later
than 31 August 2024, and settle their own hotel bill directly with the hotel.
Transportation Transportationwill be provided upon arrival and departure, and for any official event held
outside the hotel venue, noting that transportation will only be made available to and
from the official venue of the Regional Committee, namely the Ritz-Carlton, Doha.
Weather In October, the weather is expected to be quite warm during the day and mild in the
evening. Temperatures during this time of the year range between a maximum of 35°C
and a minimum of 24°C.
Annex 1.
List of suggested hotels for accommodation
The Ritz-Carlton, Doha (71st Regional Committee venue)
Room type Single occupancy Double occupancy Offer duration
Deluxe room QAR 850 QAR 950 13–18 October 2024
Room rate includes: Breakfast buffet, free WIFI, free access to the swimming pools and health club
Room rates do not include taxes
Booking link: https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-
link.mi?id=1722165184769&key=GRP&app=resvlink
Alternative Hotels
Grand Hyatt Hotel and Villas
Room type Single occupancy Offer duration
1 Grand room QAR 550 1318 October 2024
2 Grand Suite QAR 1300 1318 October 2024
Room rate includes: Breakfast buffet, free WIFI, free access to the beach, swimming pools and health club
Room rates do not include taxes
Booking link: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/DOHGH/G-MOF2
Pullman Doha West Bay
Room type Single occupancy Offer duration
1 Grand room QAR 550 1318 October 2024
2 Suite QAR 900 1318 October 2024
Room rate includes: Breakfast buffet, free WIFI, free access to the swimming pools and health club
Room rates do not include taxes
Booking link: https://businesstravel.accor.com/en/booking/advanced-search.html?identification.reserverType=
SC&identification.reserverId=SCP2839526&identification.reserverContract=MI829QA297
Client code: SCP2839526
Access code: MI829QA297