UAE, Qatar reopen embassies

20.06.2023

The UAE and Qatar reopened their respective embassies on Monday after the Gulf states agreed to reinstate diplomatic ties, according to statements from both governments. 

The restoration of their diplomatic representation took place as their embassies resumed operations on Monday after 6 years of a political standoff. 

The Emirati and Qatari foreign ministers held a phone call ahead of the two embassies resuming their diplomatic functions, according to the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The dispute began in June 2017 with the suspension of diplomatic ties and a blockade on Qatar imposed by Egypt and fellow Gulf Cooperation Council Countries Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.

Qatar was accused of supporting extremism because of its relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood — branded a terrorist organization by the four blockading countries — and for maintaining economic ties with Iran. 

The more than 3 years blockade of almost all trade, work and travel by air, land and sea ended in January 2021 with the signing of the Al-Ula Declaration in Saudi Arabia between the involved countries, brokered by the United States and Kuwait.

Saudi Arabia and Egypt were the first to reappoint ambassadors to Doha that same year, while Bahrain has not reopened its embassy in Doha. 

In March this year, the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received the UAE’s national security adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed and Deputy Prime Minister of the Presidential Court Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed to discuss “fraternal relations” and how to strengthen various domains of mutual interest, reported the governmental Emirates News Agency.