King Mohammed VI Arrives in Doha for Official Visit

PERSISMA, Doha – King Mohammed VI arrived on Sunday in Doha for an official visit to the State of Qatar. At the Hamad international airport, the King was greeted by Emir of Qatar, HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani and reviewed a detachment of the Guard of Honour.

the King was also greeted by Deputy Emir of Qatar HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar’s foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani, Chief of the Emiri Court, Sheikh Khalid Bin Khalifa Al Thani and Qatar’s ambassador in Rabat, Abdullah Ben Falah Ben Abdullah Al Dawssari.

This is King Mohammed VI’s first meeting to Qatar since the beginning of the ongoing Gulf crisis pitting Qatar against a quartet of countries led by Saudi Arabia, the United Araba Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt.

Before departing for Doha, the Moroccan monarch held a meeting with the United Arab Emirates’ Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi where he spent five days as part of an official visit to the UAE.

Morocco has traditionally maintained strong diplomatic, economic and political ties with the Gulf monarchies. Though the communique issued by the Royal cabinet last Tuesday did not specify whether the King’s visit to Abu Dhabi and the Doha would involve discussions on ways to end the ongoing Gulf crisis, observers believe that trying to end the rift between Qatar and its Gulf neighbors is among the main topic on the agenda of King Mohammed’s visits to Abu Dhabi and Doha.

Since the beginning of the Gulf crisis, Morocco declared its neutrality and expressed its readiness to mediate between the different parties and help them end their diplomatic rift.