On January 5, during a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Saudi Arabia, Gulf leaders signed a “solidarity and stability” agreement to end a three-and-a-half-year-long blockade against Qatar.
The news generated great excitement among people in Qatar, who have long been eager to reunite with their extended families living in other Gulf states and resume business relations with their neighbours. It was also applauded by the international community, which is hungry for good news amid never-ending conflicts, unprecedented social and political divisions, and a raging pandemic.
Tuesday’s agreement marks the end of a highly destructive diplomatic rift which lasted longer than many in the region expected. During this period, Qatar had to withstand not only the crippling economic pressures instigated by the blockade, but also the repeated attempts by the blockading nations to undermine its sovereignty and destabilise its monarchy.
The full article originally appears in Al Jazeera English.