Following an escalation of the crisis, countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain have barred Qatar from entering. As a result, they terminated diplomatic connections and, as a result, cut all transportation links with the country (Aljazeera, 2017). The main objective was to isolate Qatar, the Gulf State, following allegations that it has policies that foster and fuel Islamic extremism and, as a result, terrorism. This presentation will go over the many consequences that the Gulf State is facing as a result of the blockage.
Three of these countries have closed land, air, and sea routes due to strained diplomatic relations. As a result, all Qatar citizens have been restricted entry into these countries including residency to their own countries (Aljazeera, 2017). Qatar has reacted by giving their citizens who are currently living in Qatar only fourteen days to leave Gulf State. Egypt also severed its diplomatic ties with Qatar including any access to its airspace. However, due to an international agreement that governs the Suez Canal, it was unable to cut access neither did it ask Qatar citizens, who live and work in Egypt to leave (Aljazeera, 2017).
This has negatively affected the economic ties for instance Qatar imports about 40% of its total food overland through Saudi Arabia (Cabtree, 2017). It has most shipping routes passing through the ports situated in UAE. Similarly. A third of UAE’s natural gas is obtained from Qatar, which is now not possible. The Gulf State’s investment cross-countries is estimated to be tens of billions of dollars, meaning that the financial or banking sector has suffered a major blow (Cabtree, 2017). All shared family and cultural ties have been negatively affected as well.
References
Aljazeera. (2017). Qatar-Gulf crisis: All the latest updates. Retrieved from> http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/qatar-diplomatic-crisis-latest-updates-170605105550769.html. Date Access. November 1, 2017.
Cabtree J. (2017). Qatar's economy is 'heaven' despite blockade: Economy minister. Retrieved from> https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/19/qatar-economy-heaven-despite-gcc-blockade-economy-minister.html. Date Access. November 1, 2017.
