Qatar Foundation NGO funds political movements: UAE newspaper

CAIRO –3 June 2017: A former representative of the Qatar Foundation, a Doha-based education and development NGO founded and financed by the Qatari royal family, has claimed that the organization funds “chaotic and anarchic movements and groups in Arab countries” with resources that are masked as support for “revolution, struggle and human rights,” according to recent statements quoted by UAE newspaper Al-Ittihad.
The former employee also alleged that Qatar uses the Soliya Association, a New York-based education NGO, to organize workshops that target university students from the Middle East and Africa in order to influence the political outlook of participants. He added that this program is a potential threat to the Arab world’s security and stability.

More than 100 universities from 28 countries in the Middle East and Africa region partake in the program and leaders from the Soliya institute visit member universities to attract participants. Since its establishment in 2005, thousands of students have enrolled in the Soliya program, with the registration process completed via the internet.

The source reported that after joining the Qatari organization, he discovered that the management attempts to influence the behavior of its benefactors and redirect perspectives to serve the organization’s private political goals. They also focus on fueling frustration among participants towards their governments, using methods similar to those of the Muslim Brotherhood. He also added that most of the senior organizational figures are Lebanese Shiite leaders.

The former representative added that Doha was shaken by the recent Arab-Islamic-American summit held in Riyadh which accused Qatar of financing of terrorism. In his opinion, following the summit Qatar has realized that its approach of financing organizations to foment political chaos is no longer viable.