Expats Hoping Qatar Blockade Will Be Lifted Soon

Expats working in Qatar are hoping the crisis between the country and the four Gulf States will soon become just a memory.

The controversial diplomatic siege has been ongoing for six long months, with Qatar doing all it can to keep itself relatively stable and its population relatively happy. What it hasn’t done is to attempt to open a one-to-one dialogue with any of the opposing nations. However, a recent announcement by Kuwait has confirmed the upcoming Gulf Cooperation Summit will go ahead next week as planned, with all six Gulf State members invited.

Kuwaiti nationals and expats alike are hoping the summit will give Qatar’s representatives a chance to cool the situation, perhaps with peace-brokering support from Kuwait.

According to the emirate's Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid al Jarallah, Kuwait is happy to do its best for as long as it takes to ensure a peaceful settlement on the issue.

Until now, doubts have been raised as to whether the summit would actually be held due the blockading countries’ position. Earlier, Bahrain had announced it would not attend the meeting unless Qatar changed its policies, adding the state’s membership of the group should be suspended. In the meantime, Qatar’s Minister of Municipality and the Environment Mohammed bin Abdullah al Rumaihi sent a letter of reassurance to both Qatari nationals and the expat community, saying the state is now putting further effort into developing social and economic measures aimed at benefiting both groups.

Speaking at a Paris conference, the minister said a good standard of living needs high levels of food security as well as a healthly environment. He also referred obliquely to the diplomatic siege, saying it was based on false accusations and is obstructing Qatar’s efforts to find more successful ways to interact with the natural world.

He added the emirate’s journey of eco-development began as long ago as 1995, saying he will do all he can to ensure it continues, no matter what other Gulf States do or think. Qatar is proud of its’ being a a founding member of the GGGI Global Green Growth Institute and also supports the Paris climate change agreement.