Qatar signs trade, investment agreements with Oman amid blockade

Qatar signed a memorandum of understanding with Oman on the development of investment and trade on Sunday, nearly eight months into a blockade of the Gulf country by a Saudi-led coalition.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Egypt broke off ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of supporting extremists and being too close to Iran, Riyadh's arch-rival.

Doha has denied the allegations.

The Arab states led by Saudi Arabia have recalled their diplomats from Qatar and banned the emirate from using their airspace or ports.

The Omani news agency ONA said the agreement signed in Muscat covers a wide range of cooperation sectors including the production and export of food products from the sultanate to Qatar.

Omani Agriculture Minister Fuad al-Sajwani, quoted by ONA, said the memorandum reflected the "solid relationship" between the two countries.

The head of Qatar's delegation, minister of municipalities Mohammed bin Abdallah al-Rumaihi hailed the emirate's "strategic relations" with Oman.

Qatar declared on 10 January that the blockade amounted to an "economic war" and that it would seek redress for people adversely affected by the crisis.

Oman, a member of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council along with Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, generally remains neutral in such regional disputes.

To break its isolation, Qatar inaugurated Port Hamad in September, a major platform for the country's imports. It has also turned to Iran and Turkey, especially, to import food products.