DOHA: Qatar told a key conference in Washington on countering extremism yesterday that its causes, and not manifestations, should be addressed to fight the menace.
Poverty breeds terrorism and the inability of young people to secure a dignified existence pushes them into the clutches of extremism, said Qatar’s ambassador to the US, Mohamed Jaham Al Kuwari. Human and economic development is the key to eradicating terrorism from its roots, said the diplomat.
He was speaking at the three-day Summit on Countering Violent Extremism, which was inaugurated yesterday by US President Barack Obama and brought together more than 60 countries along with US Secretary of State John Kerry, National Security Adviser Susan Rice and United Nations Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon.
The most prominent aspects of human development is education.
Educated young people are capable of fighting the extremist ideology, Al Kuwari said, highlighting the efforts being made by Qatar in the education sector, especially in terms of building the Education City in Doha and the initiatives launched by the Qatar Foundation.
He also pointed to the role of Qatar in hosting conferences and discussion forums, in particular the Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue.
The ambassador highlighted the role of economic development in warding off dangers of extremism and the importance of providing job opportunities for youth.
The success of economic development efforts needs good governance, he said, pointing out that the thriving communities enjoy civil society able to hold the government accountable.
Al Kuwari said peace requires to lift the peoples of the region out of injustice and find a comprehensive and just solution in the Middle East, reports Qatar News Agency.
The Peninsula
The Peninsula
