UAE to reopen air, land and sea borders with Qatar

Our Correspondent

The UAE will reopen air, land and sea borders with Qatar on January 9, and relevant authorities in the UAE have been instructed with these measures, said a top UAE official.
Khalid Abdullah Belhoul, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, said on January 8 that the UAE will begin to end all measures taken in relation to Qatar since June 5, 2017, when it cut all ties. This comes in the wake of the Al Ula Statement at the 41st GCC summit in Saudi Arabia on January 5 which was signed by all participants including Qatar.
The measures would strengthen the unity and cohesion of the Gulf, the official noted. He added the UAE will work with the State of Qatar to resolve all other outstanding issues through bilateral talks.
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash said that “practical measures” would soon be introduced to restore travel and trade links with Qatar. “We expect to move very quickly on other issues”, including the reopening of embassies and consulates, he said.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar agreed to restore relations at the start of the summit and Qatar Airways restarted flights through Saudi Arabian airspace on January 7 night.