Flights between Qatar and Bahrain will resume on May 25 in light of reembracing the cordial relations between the two countries. The move was made pursuant to a diplomatic telecon conducted between Bahrain’s Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and the Qatari emir, Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani in January 2023.
Bahrain’s Civil Aviation Affairs commented that the move is “within the framework of the brotherly relations between the two brotherly countries and peoples, and in a manner that achieves the common aspirations of the leaderships and citizens of both countries.”
A number of Arab nations, namely Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Egypt imposed Economic and diplomatic sanctions on Qatar in retaliation to Qatar’s alleged support to Iran associated terrorist groups and its failure to abide by the commitments of GCC’s “Riyadh Agreements” executed around 2013-14. These sanctions showed force in form of blockades in land borders, ports and air transit lines.
A series of mending strings with Qatar:
A resolution to the crisis was reached on January 4, 2021, through a collaborative effort between Kuwait, a fellow member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and the United States. As part of the agreement, Saudi Arabia, the neighbouring country, agreed to lift the blockade on Qatar and reopen its border, bringing an end to the impasse. Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, made a notable visit to Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021, to attend a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit held in the historic town of Al-‘Ula. During the summit, the leaders present signed the Al-‘Ula statement, marking a significant step towards reconciliation and regional cooperation.
In a statement released on January 5, 2021, the UNGA Secretary General expressed his satisfaction and optimism, hoping that the countries involved would maintain a positive trajectory to strengthen their relationships. Guterres also acknowledged the significant efforts made by the late Emir of Kuwait and late Sultan of Oman, who played instrumental roles in tirelessly working towards resolving the rift in the Gulf region.
Over the time and gradually, other nations also resolved their issues with Qatar. Whereas, the bilateral relations between Qatar and Bahrain were officially resumed on 13 April 2023. The foreign ministries of both nations affirmed that their desire to “enhance Gulf unity and integration according to the GCC charter” is mutual.
