Qatar Keen to Raise Education Quality - Ambassador to US

Washington, May 31 (QNA) - HE the Qatari Ambassador to US Mohamed Jaham Al-Kuwari stressed that the State of Qatar is a country with a mission, and that is proven through striking a balance between its small area and means of utilizing the assets and resources it enjoys. Speaking at Stanford University, he explained that this balance enables Qatar to prioritize improving the standard of living of its citizens and residents. He stressed that belonging to a wealthy Arab country poses challenges for the promotion of sustainable development policies among the Arab nation, of which Qatar is an integral part. "This policy has been a pillar in our diplomatic efforts," he said, adding "We have been working on achieving it through economic and financial assistance programs, and investment in quality infrastructure." HE the Ambassador pointed out that the State of Qatar attaches great importance to raising the levels of education in the Arab world, especially for its citizens through institutional cooperation with many of the US universities, expanding its knowledge base and through organizing and hosting a series of forums, where experts, intellectuals and scholars enrich the knowledge base not only for Qataris or the Arabs, but also for many of the international communities. "As we celebrate our open society, we are working through Al-Jazeera, for example, and other media outlets in both Arabic and English to encourage the flow of information, and also promote dialogue and to consider these efforts to be an investment for achieving a constant pursuit of freedom of thought and expression," he said. "In the context of Qatar's quest for achieving its diplomatic goals, we launch, through our membership of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Arab League and the United Nations, as well as the Organization of the Islamic Conference, initiatives to promote greater coordination among the Arab countries, especially with regard to our shared commitment to the human and national rights of the Palestinian people and to the recognition of these rights through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and the implementation of all UN resolutions related to the Palestinian issue". On the Qatari policy towards the US, HE Ambassador Al-Kuwari pointed that the two countries enjoy healthy diplomatic, economic and financial relations in addition to those at the educational and cultural levels. He emphasized the pursuit of the State of Qatar to open new means to promote cultural relations through the exchange of professors, promote the teaching of Arabic language in US universities and the exchange of teachers to raise educational standards and quality to the highest standards. He expressed hope to discuss, with Stanford University, the opportunities for the exchange of professors and students, especially in the fields of science, economics, and other fields of mutual interest. (QNA)