Maldives to reinstate diplomatic ties with Qatar

The government of Maldives has decided to reinstate full diplomatic relations with Qatar.

The decision was announced by the Foreign Minister of the Maldives Abdullah Shahid on Twitter today. He stated he had fruitful discussions with the Qatari authorities and that he was pleased to announce the government's decision to reinstate full diplomatic relations with Qatar. The foreign minister also welcomed the positive developments following the annual summit of the (GCC) Gulf Cooperation Council.

At the GCC summit held yesterday in Saudi Arabia, Gulf leaders signed an agreement to renew ties with Qatar. The Maldives cut ties with Qatar in 2017, under President Yameen Adbul Gayyoom's administration. The then opposition blamed this diplomatic rift on "Saudi interference".

The renewal of ties with Qatar was one of President Solih's presidential vows. He had vowed to achieve this renewal within 100 days of his inauguration.

The government's decision to reinstate ties with Qatar comes less than 24 hours after the Maldives Journal reported having credible information that the government of Saudi Arabia has approved the renewal of diplomatic ties between the Maldives and Qatar.

The Maldives Journal has received information from a reliable source that a visit by a high-ranking Maldivian official to Qatar has also been planned. It is supposed that the high-ranking official would either be President Solih himself, or the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah Shahid.