Egypt, Qatar have ‘agreed to resume diplomatic relations’

Egypt has agreed to resume diplomatic relations with Qatar, the Egyptian foreign ministry said.

“The Arab Republic of Egypt and the state of Qatar has exchanged two official notes today, January 20, according to which the two countries agreed to resume diplomatic relations,” the statement on Wednesday said.

On Monday, the first direct flight between Qatar and  Egypt and the UAE took to the skies following the end of a three-and-a-half year regional crisis earlier this month.

Egypt was part of an Arab quartet that had severed diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar in June 2017. The four countries – including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain – accused Qatar of supporting terrorism and being too close to Iran, and imposed a land, air and naval blockade.

Qatar has denied the accusations throughout.

All four countries have now announced the reopening of their airspace to Qatar.

As many as 300,000 Egyptians call Qatar home, according to official statistics, and many were unable to travel home during the crisis.

Source: Al Jazeera and News Agencies