Qatar, UAE delegations meet in Abu Dhabi for new post-reconciliation deal talks

Officials from Qatar and UAE met in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday in fresh talks on how to implement a reconciliation agreement reached two years ago.

The officials from the two countries stressed "the importance of consolidating relations", according to Emirati and Qatari state media reports.

It was the fourth such meeting between officials from the two countries since the Al-Ula agreement was signed in January 2021, with the last meeting of its kind taking place in February.

The Al-Ula agreement put a formal end to years of tensions between the Gulf states and Egypt against Qatar.

Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE imposed the blockade on Qatar in 2017, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism and of having secret ties with Iran. Qatar vehemently denied the accusations.

Since the signing of the agreement in Saudi Arabia two years ago, ties between the countries have warmed considerably, with diplomatic relations restored, borders opened, and air traffic resumed.

The thaw in Qatar-UAE tensions has been slower, but Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed visited Qatar during the 2022 World Cup in the first visit by a UAE head of state since the 2017 blockade.