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Washington/Information Office/ 27 February 2016/ HE Qatar's Ambassador to the United States of America Mohammed bin Jaham Al Kuwari underlined that the State of Qatar attaches great importance to economic diplomacy as a main pillar in its foreign policy. Over the past three decades, Qatar has been keen to promote economic diplomacy at regional and international levels. The State of Qatar seeks through economic diplomacy to promote relations and friendship among nation, beyond profits and politics, HE the Qatari Ambassador said. In his lecture at Robert H. Smith School of Business at University of Maryland, College Park, HE Ambassador Al Kuwari said that from the perspective of the State of Qatar the economic diplomacy works in two directions: harness economic factors to enhance the foreign policy, and the employment of foreign policy to support economic relations. He said that Qatar National Vision 2030 aims at diversification of the economy to transform it from an oil-based economy into a knowledge-based economy in order to achieve social and human development. In order to realize that vision, Qatar was keen to enhance its economic relations with other countries in all fields. For example, Qatar Investment Authority opened an office in New York last year in order to invest more than $35 billion in a number of American cities over the next five years, the Ambassador pointed out. He reiterated the importance of economic diplomacy in building relations and friendships among nations, referring to Qatar Katrina Fund which contributed more than 100 million dollars for rebuilding projects in the city of New Orleans and neighboring American cities, in an initiative that represented the distinct relations between the two countries. The Ambassador also pointed out to Qatar's pledge in Syria Donors Conference in London to offer 100 million dollars in addition to the 1.6 billion dollars already provided to contribute to alleviate the tragedy of Syrian refugees.