Four Arab countries resume postal links with Qatar

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain have resumed postal services to and from Qatar following UPU mediation, ending a dispute going back almost three years. Mail and parcel items between the four Arab countries and Qatar will transit via Oman as there are currently no direct air flights between them and the Gulf state. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut off postal links with Qatar in mid-2017 as part of a wider political, trade and transport boycott. They alleged Qatar was supporting terrorist groups in the region. Qatar strongly denies these charges. The resumption of postal exchanges comes after a meeting between representatives of the five countries and UPU director general Bishar Hussein at the UPU headquarters in Berne on 29 January 2020.