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Qatar will hold elections for its advisory council in 2013, the Gulf state's emir has said.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani was quoted by state media as saying the polls, which would be the country's first legislative elections, were needed to build a modern Qatar.

Under a constitution adopted in 2003, 30 of the council's members would be elected and 15 appointed.

So far Qatar has only held municipal polls. Political parties are banned.

"We know that all these steps are necessary to build the modern state of Qatar and the Qatari citizen who is capable of dealing with the challenges of the time and building the country," the emir said.

"We are confident that you would be capable of shouldering the responsibility."