Qatar's amir visits Saudi Arabia following invitation from king

The Gulf countries restored diplomatic ties after signing the Al-Ula Declaration earlier this year.

Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani met with Saudi Arabia‘s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud in Jeddah on Monday to enhance diplomatic ties between both countries.

Sheikh Tamim and his accompanying delegation were received and greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Jeddah airport – marking the second such meeting between the royals this year.

According to state owned Qatar National Agency, the meetings touched on bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar as well as means to enhance them in various fields. The most prominent of international issues, with a special focus on recent developments in the region, were also discussed in the talks at Al Salam Palace.

The current flare in Israeli violence against Palestinians in Jerusalem as well as issues concerning Iran were also understood to be high on the agenda.

The session was attended by members of the official Qatari delegation accompanying the amir.

On the Saudi side, the Minister of State and Member of the Cabinet Prince Turki bin Mohammed Al Saud, Deputy Minister of Defence Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of State and Member of the Cabinet and National Security Advisor Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al Aiban, and Governor of the Public Investment Fund Yasser bin Othman Al Rumayyan were also present during the talks.

Following the discussions, Sheikh Tamim attended a suhour (pre-fast meal) banquet held by the crown prince, deputy prime minister and minister of defence, in honour of his visit.

The meeting came as a response to an official invitation sent by Saudi Arabia‘s King Salman Al-Saud last month inviting the amir to the neighbouring kingdom.

The messages were delivered by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Abdullah al-Saud, who met with the Amir and and later the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani to review bilateral relations between the two countries as well as the strengthening of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ties,

The latest visit to Saudi Arabia comes as both countries continue to work towards strengthening diplomatic ties following the end of a three-year crisis triggered by an illegal air, land and sea blockade on Qatar.

In January, both states signed the Al-Ula Declaration to restore ties.

Last month, Anadolu reported a meeting between Acting Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy of the State of Qatar to Riyadh Hassan bin Mansour Al-Khater and Saudi Arabia’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Protocol Affairs Mashari bin Nahit in the kingdom’s capital – the first public announcement of a Qatari diplomat in Saudi Arabia

That followed the first diplomatic meeting between Riyadh and Doha in Qatar in February.

To date, there are still no official updates regarding the reopening of Riyadh’s embassy in the Qatari capital, despite previous statements made by Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan.

“Our embassy will be reopened in Doha within days after completing necessary procedures,” the Saudi official said in January.

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