Qatar ruler gets invite to attend summit that may ease Gulf rift
PremiumThe GCC Secretary General Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf delivered the invite to Qatar ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Riyadh on Jan. 5
PremiumQatar’s ruler received an invite from Saudi Arabia’s king to attend the January Gulf Cooperation Council summit, which may help resolve a dispute that shattered regional unity and unnerved the Trump administration.
The GCC Secretary General Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf delivered the invite to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for the summit in Riyadh on Jan. 5, according to a statement. It didn’t specify whether the ruler accepted the invitation.
Also Read | Ten books from 2020 you must not miss
The summit is seen as a step in resolving a crisis that erupted in mid-2017 when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed trade, travel and diplomatic ties with Qatar. There have been US-backed attempts to end the dispute.
The potential rapprochement comes as US policy appears poised for a sharp turn, and may be intended to get things moving before Donald Trump leaves office. The GCC comprises Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.
