Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is set to visit Cairo on Friday, his first visit in the most populated Arab country since 2017 the year Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut off ties with the tiny Gulf country.
The ruler will meet up with President Abdelfattah al-Sisi. This would be the second highest level of contact between the two countries since both leaders met during a summit in Iraq last year.
Sheikh Tamim last visited Egypt in 2015, two before Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain severed ties with gas-rich Gulf country on charges that Doha sponsored terrorism.
The Saudi-led group dropped the charges, against Qatar, in January last year at a reconciliation conference. The Visit comes a few days after Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman also visited Egypt and announced $7.7 billion in investment deals between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
It also comes on the heels of Qatar Economic Forum. Egypt’s Minister of Trade Nevine Gamea who took part in the summit said Qatar is willing to increase investments in several areas including energy.
Egypt in March announced that Qatar had pledged to invest $5 billion into the country’s economy.
Qatar Ruler to visit Egypt today Friday since boycott
