UAE Eases Qatar Shipping Ban Amid Continuing Dispute
DOHA (Dispatches) – The United Arab Emirates has eased a ban on the shipping of goods between it and Qatar enforced under a political and economic boycott of Doha, according to port circulars and an industry source.
The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain severed diplomatic, trade and transport ties with Qatar in June 2017 over allegations it supports terrorism, a charge Doha denies.
An Abu Dhabi Ports circular dated Feb. 12 canceled previous directives that banned cargoes of Qatar origin from UAE waters and ports and those of UAE origin from Qatar.
It maintained a ban on vessels flying the Qatar flag, owned by Qatari shipping firms or nationals. UAE-flagged vessels still cannot call at Qatar ports.
An industry source told Reuters the circular applied to all UAE ports. Government authorities in both Persian Gulf Arab states did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Liberian flagged container ship MSC ELSA 3 arrived at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port on February 20 from Qatar’s Umm Said, according Refinitiv data.
It was not clear if the move was linked to complaints filed to the World Trade Organization related to the Persian Gulf dispute.
In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates severed their diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism but widely seen to have actually been angered by its independent foreign policy.
The four countries also imposed a land, sea, and air blockade on import-dependent Qatar.
Except for Egypt, all of those countries are members of the GCC, to which Qatar is also a member. The other two members of the body, namely Kuwait and Oman, took a neutral stance.
Regional powerhouse Turkey also took Qatar’s side.
The Saudi-led bloc also presented Qatar with a list of demands and gave it an ultimatum to comply with them. That deadline came and went as Doha refused to meet the demands or drop its line of foreign policy. Qatar, however, consistently called for a peaceful resolution of the dispute.
This general view taken on July 2, 2017, shows the corniche of the Qatari capital Doha.
The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain severed diplomatic, trade and transport ties with Qatar in June 2017 over allegations it supports terrorism, a charge Doha denies.
An Abu Dhabi Ports circular dated Feb. 12 canceled previous directives that banned cargoes of Qatar origin from UAE waters and ports and those of UAE origin from Qatar.
It maintained a ban on vessels flying the Qatar flag, owned by Qatari shipping firms or nationals. UAE-flagged vessels still cannot call at Qatar ports.
An industry source told Reuters the circular applied to all UAE ports. Government authorities in both Persian Gulf Arab states did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Liberian flagged container ship MSC ELSA 3 arrived at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port on February 20 from Qatar’s Umm Said, according Refinitiv data.
It was not clear if the move was linked to complaints filed to the World Trade Organization related to the Persian Gulf dispute.
In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates severed their diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism but widely seen to have actually been angered by its independent foreign policy.
The four countries also imposed a land, sea, and air blockade on import-dependent Qatar.
Except for Egypt, all of those countries are members of the GCC, to which Qatar is also a member. The other two members of the body, namely Kuwait and Oman, took a neutral stance.
Regional powerhouse Turkey also took Qatar’s side.
The Saudi-led bloc also presented Qatar with a list of demands and gave it an ultimatum to comply with them. That deadline came and went as Doha refused to meet the demands or drop its line of foreign policy. Qatar, however, consistently called for a peaceful resolution of the dispute.
This general view taken on July 2, 2017, shows the corniche of the Qatari capital Doha.