This handout picture provided by the UAE Ministry Of Presidential Affairs shows Qatar s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani (R) welcoming Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in Doha, on December 5, 2022. AFP
The leaders expressed mutual gratitude for their brotherly relations and their wish to find ways to advance the common interests of the two countries and their peoples and enhance economic cooperation.
The Emir of Qatar congratulated the UAE leader and the Emirati people for the 51st UAE National Day, while the latter congratulated Qatar for its success at hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which he called a source of pride for the Arab world.
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut diplomatic, transport and trade ties with Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of financing terrorism and supporting hard-line Islamist groups in the region.
The four-nation boycott, which saw the neighbouring countries shut off air and sea routes to Qatar, ended in January 2021.
Qatar's Emir paid his respects to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on the passing of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa on 15 May at the Presidential airport in Abu Dhabi, where Sheikh Mohamed received the Emir and his delegation.
Emir Tamim described the late Sheikh Khalifa as a "great leader who was wise and moderate."
The meeting between the two leaders comes ahead of three major regional summits – a China-Arab summit to be held on December 9 with a China-Gulf summit on the sidelines, and the GCC summit held annually in December.
The wider Arab and China-Gulf summit will take place in Riyadh while the GCC summit will be hosted this year by the Sultanate of Oman.
Short link: