The 2017 Gulf crisis saw the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt impose an illegal air, land and sea blockade on Qatar.

Qatar and Egypt’s ties are currently moving towards a “positive path” and the two countries are removing “past impurities”, Cairo’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told local Ten Channel on Tuesday.

The Egyptian official noted Doha and Cairo are working on resolving past disputes in the aftermath of the 2017 GCC crisis on the bases of mutual respect and non-interference in each country’s internal affairs

His comments echo statements made last week by Qatar’s newly-appointed ambassador to Egypt, Salem Al Shafi, who said the two countries have a mutual desire to move forward and overcome past differences.

In his first statement to the media since assuming his position earlier this month, Al Shafi said Qatar “takes into consideration Egypt’s priorities in the region” and is working to “achieve the maximum degree of consensus and harmony in various issues and files”.

The Qatari diplomat noted that there is a “genuine intention by the leaders of the two countries to achieve rapprochement” while announcing that the next Qatari-Egyptian Follow-up Committee meeting will take place in October.

Qatar-Egypt engaging in major moves to strengthen relations: envoy

During the previous edition of the meeting, Qatar and Egypt’s postal bodies signed two cooperation agreements in postal remittances and e-commerce.

The first agreement aims to activate an electronic postal money transfer service between Egypt Post and Qatar Post through the global system of the Postal Union.

“Doha is working with Cairo in more than one area, whether in the political, economic, or even areas of joint cooperation,” said Al Shafi, stressing that there are joint diplomatic efforts to strengthen ties.

Al Shafi became Qatar’s first ambassador to Egypt since the Gulf crisis, which came to an end on 5 January following the signing of the Al-Ula Declaration.

Since the restoration of diplomatic ties between Qatar and Egypt, the latter has also started working on resolving disputes with Turkey – a key ally of Doha.

Commenting on those developments, the Egyptian FM said there are pending issues between Egypt and Turkey following a second round of talks in Ankara last month.

Shoukry urged the Turkish side to take a more effective approach to proposals made regarding issues between the two countries though noted there was progress that can be built upon to restore normal relations.

Among a list of 13 demands presented to Qatar by the quartet at the time was an end to its relationship with Turkey.

Doha rejected what it described as an “absurd” list, citing independent sovereignty.

Follow Doha News on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube