During the visit, Qatar’s Sheikh Ali congratulated Bahrain’s Al Jassim on his recent appointment as ambassador to France and the two sides also discussed matters of mutual interest.

The Qatari ambassador to France has received his Bahraini counterpart at the Qatari embassy during a courtesy visit from the latter.

During the visit, Qatar’s Sheikh Sheikh Ali Bin Jassim Al Thani extended his congratulations to Bahrain’s Essam Abdulaziz Al Jassim on his recent appointment as ambassador to France, the Qatari embassy reported on Wednesday.

In April, the Bahraini Foreign Affairs Ministry announced that Frédéric Billet, director of protocol at the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, received Al Jassim’s credentials for the ambassadorial role.

Meanwhile in Paris, Sheikh Ali and his Bahraini counterpart also “exchanged views on a number of issues of common interest” during Al Jassim’s visit.

This reflects continuing improvements in Doha-Manama relations.

Last month, the Qatari Amiri Diwan announced that the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, appointed an ambassador to Bahrain. This marked the first such appointment in seven years.

Qatar’s Sultan Ali Al Khater was named in the Diwan’s news release.

This followed the Qatari leader heading the Gulf state’s delegation to Manama in May for the 33rd regular session of the Arab League Council at the summit level.

Earlier in April, Sheikh Tamim received Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani, Bahraini minister of foreign affairs, at the Lusail Palace.

During the meeting, which was also attended by Qatar’s prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, both delegations discussed “relations between the two brotherly countries, and ways to develop and develop them”.

The two Gulf neighbours restored diplomatic ties in April 2023 after a years-long dispute during the Qatar blockade era. 

At the height of frosty relations driven by opposing views on Iran, both the Qatari embassy in Bahrain and the Bahraini embassy in Qatar shut their doors. Direct flights between Doha and Manama were also suspended for six years.