In 2021, Mauritania restored diplomatic relations with Qatar following the diplomatic rift in June 2017, when Saudi Arabia and its allies severed ties with Qatar.
Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani received the credentials of the first Qatari ambassador on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in their diplomatic relations, which had been strained for seven years.
The Mauritanian President accepted Shaheen bin Ali Al Kaabi’s credentials as Qatar’s Ambassador, conveying well wishes for President Ghazouani’s health and happiness on behalf of the Qatari government, as reported by Qatar News Agency.
The appointment follows Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who formally appointed Al Kaabi as Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania in May of this year.
The diplomatic relationship between Mauritania and Qatar has seen fluctuations over recent years.
Historically, Mauritania and Qatar maintained diplomatic ties; however, relations soured in 2017 amidst a regional dispute involving several Gulf countries, commonly known as the Qatar blockade, leading Mauritania to sever its diplomatic relations with the Qatari government.
A strong ally of Saudi Arabia, Mauritania has re-established diplomatic relations with Qatar in May of 2021.
“After intensive contacts over the past week and with much-appreciated support from the Sultanate of Oman, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and Qatar decided to resume diplomatic ties,” the ministry said in a 2021 statement released to the Mauritanian News Agency.
The announcement came after a meeting in Doha between the foreign minister and his Qatari counterpart, at which “the long-standing brotherly relations between the two countries” were discussed.
First ambassador to Bahrain
The appointment of a Qatari ambassador to Mauritania follows Qatar’s Amir’s assignment of a new ambassador to Bahrain for the first time in seven years, which occurred just this June.
Sultan Ali Al Khater was announced by the Amiri Diwan, marking a milestone in warmer relations between the two Gulf countries.
Bahrain and Qatar restored diplomatic ties in April 2023.
