The Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) delivered on Wednesday a formal invitation to the Emir of Qatar to attend the 41st GCC Summit that’s taking place in Saudi Arabia on January 5, 2021.
Secretary General Nayef Falah Al Hajraf handed over an invitation from the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, to attend the GCC Summit, during a meeting at the Emiri Court in Doha Palace.
“The 41st summit marks the beginning of a new chapter for the GCC as it enters its fifth decade. The GCC’s focus today is on meeting the ambitions of the region’s young and digital population, and enabling them to compete and lead in a globally-connected post-pandemic world,” the invitation read.
“(This will be done) … through joint efforts to restore economic growth in the region, resume free trade negotiations, and strengthen strategic partnerships with friendly countries,” Al Hajraf said.
In 2017, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE cut ties with Qatar, accusing the state of ‘backing terrorism’.
Later, other Gulf states downgraded their relations with Doha and imposed a total blockade of the country. Qatar denied allegations that it backed terrorism, adding that those claims are aimed at limiting the country’s sovereignty.
Source: Gulf media
