US, Saudi Arabia welcome restoration of ties between UAE and Qatar

The US and Saudi Arabia issued separate statements on Monday welcoming the restoration of diplomatic ties between the UAE and Qatar.

Saudi Arabia welcomed the move by the UAE and Qatar, acknowledging it as a testament to the robust relations among the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

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In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said “this positive step” contributed to strengthening joint Gulf action, “in order to achieve the aspirations of the region’s nations and peoples.”

The United States also congratulated the UAE and Qatar on their resumption of diplomatic representation.

“This is another important step forward among our Gulf Cooperation Council partners to promote regional stability and mutual cooperation,” State Department Spokesman Matt Miller said.

He added: “The United States is fully committed to working with the GCC and other regional partners to build a more secure, integrated, peaceful, and prosperous Middle East region.”

Qatar and the UAE’s respective embassies reopened on Monday to resume work after the two Gulf states agreed to restore diplomatic ties, Qatar’s foreign ministry said.

The restoration of ties comes amid a broader regional push for reconciliation and more than four years after Arab states cut ties with Doha.

In 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut all ties with Qatar over its relationship with Iran and funding radical Islamist movements.

In January 2021, the countries signed the AlUla Declaration at the conclusion of the GCC Summit, putting an end to the dispute.

Riyadh and Cairo were the first to reappoint ambassadors to Doha in 2021, while Bahrain has yet to reopen its embassy in Doha.

Al Arabiya English’s Tamara Abueish contributed to this report.

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