The UAE and Qatar on Monday introduced resuming operations of their respective embassies following six-year-long rift in ties. Arab nations boycotted Qatar over its help for Islamist teams in 2017.
The restoration of ties comes amid a broader regional push for reconciliation and greater than two years after Arab states ended a boycott of Doha that had shattered the Western-allied Gulf Arab bloc, Reuters reported.
The 2 nations issued statements saying the Qatari Embassy in Abu Dhabi and a Qatari Consulate in Dubai, in addition to an Emirati Embassy in Qatar’s capital, Doha, had resumed operations. The statements didn’t say if ambassadors have been in place or if the missions have been open to the general public.
In a press release, UAE mentioned, “Primarily based on Al-Ula settlement and the joint keeness on strengthening the bilateral relations, the United Arab Emirates and the State of Qatar introduced the restoration of diplomatic illustration between the 2 nations by resuming the work on the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Doha, and on the Embassy of State of Qatar in Abu Dhabi and its consulate in Dubai as of Monday, June 19, 2023.”
The assertion mentioned the nations underlined that this step comes as embodiment of the need of the leaderships of the 2 nations, “and in consolidation of the march joint Arab motion, to realize the aspirations of the 2 brotherly individuals.”
Qatar in a press release mentioned international ministers of each nations spoke over the telephone to congratulate each other on the reopening of the diplomatic missions.
The UAE joined Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt in imposing a boycott and blockade of Qatar in 2017 over alleged costs that it was supporting Islamist teams and solid shut ties with Iran. Nonetheless, Doha denied the allegations. The opposite Arab nations within the Persian Gulf view such teams as terrorists – together with Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, which gained free and honest elections.
The unprecedented diplomatic disaster among the many usually pleasant Gulf Arab nations initially sparked fears of armed battle. However Qatar’s fuel riches, and shut ties to Turkey and Iran, largely insulated it from the financial sanctions, and relations slowly thawed.
The boycott was formally lifted in January 2021. Late final yr, Qatar welcomed visiting leaders from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE because it hosted soccer’s World Cup.
Saudi Arabia and Egypt have been the primary nations to reopen embassies and reappoint ambassadors to Qatar.
(With PTI inputs.)