Washington/Information Office/ 06 March 2016/ HE Qatar's Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United States Mohammed Jaham Al Kuwari said Sunday that the State of Qatar realized the importance of having strong ties with regional neighbors, in the wake of the Arab Spring. HE the Ambassador was giving a speech at Howard University in Washington on Qatar's foreign policy. He said that a sound foreign policy begins by managing internal affairs well, noting that Doha has turned into an educational city due to the number of universities and research centers that are available. Additionally, Qatar has become a hub for hosting sporting events ahead of holding World Cup 2022, Al Kuwari said. Turing to several issues in the region, beginning with the high level of unemployment in the Middle-East, the Ambassador said the high levels of unemployment and poverty has helped fuel extremist ideas. As a result, the State of Qatar is committed to improving living standards in the region to enhance its stability, Al Kuwari said. He noted that one way of dealing with those efforts, was establishing the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) and Silatech, which is a dynamic social initiative that works to create jobs and expand economic opportunities for young people throughout the Arab world. These are two initiatives that develop the educational system and finance youth startups, the Ambassador said. On the Syrian crisis, HE the Ambassador said the State of Qatar is working diligently on relieving the struggling of the Syrian people through aid. On the country's counter-terrorism efforts, the ambassador noted that Qatar swiftly joined the coalition formed to fight ISIS. The ambassador also highlighted the prominent role Qatar played in the release of US hostages who were kidnapped by extremist groups in the region. HE the Ambassador then discussed Qatar's role in Yemen and Libya saying they were committed to reaching a peaceful resolution to the crises in the two countries.