UAE to reopen all entry points with Qatar

Dubai, January 8

The United Arab Emirates announced on Friday that it would reopen its borders and airspace to Qatar after boycotting the tiny energy-rich country alongside its Gulf allies since 2017.

The decision to restart commerce and travel would take effect on Saturday, Foreign Ministry official Khalid Abdullah Belhou was quoted as saying by the UAE’s state-run WAM news agency.

The move comes after Saudi Arabia declared a breakthrough in settling the years-long rift with Qatar during the annual Gulf summit this week, saying the kingdom would restore diplomatic ties and that its allies would follow suit.

Saudi Arabia announced the reopening of its airspace and borders with Qatar earlier this week. National carrier Qatar Airways said it had started to reroute some flights through Saudi airspace, with the first flight cruising over Saudi skies from Doha to Johannesburg, South Africa on Thursday night.

The president of the United Nations’ civil aviation arm, Salvatore Sciacchitano, welcomed the easing of Gulf airspace restrictions, saying the resolution would “help assure the important socio-economic benefits of international air connectivity can be better optimised”. AP