ABU DHABI: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Abu Dhabi on March 31 for what both sides described as a fraternal visit, with talks centered on regional developments and their impact on security and stability. The UAE said the leaders reviewed the implications of ongoing military escalation for regional and international security, and discussed the serious effects of the crisis on maritime security and the global economy.
The UAE said the meeting also addressed continued Iranian attacks targeting the UAE, Qatar and other countries in the region, including attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. According to the Emirati readout, the two leaders discussed efforts to safeguard security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the safety of their peoples. Sheikh Tamim arrived in the UAE earlier in the day and was received at the airport by Sheikh Mohamed before the talks in the capital.
Both sides said the meeting also covered bilateral relations, with the leaders reviewing ways to strengthen cooperation across sectors in support of development priorities and mutual interests. The official delegations reflected the senior level of the visit, with Qatar Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani among the accompanying officials. Qatar later said Sheikh Tamim returned to Doha after wrapping up the visit, confirming it was a same day trip.
Regional focus
In Qatar’s account of the talks, Sheikh Tamim said discussions with the UAE president focused on recent events in the region and their consequences. He said the two sides stressed the importance of intensifying joint coordination to safeguard the security and interests of both countries and to support peaceful measures aimed at containing escalation. That framing broadly matched the UAE statement, which linked the meeting to wider regional tension, maritime security concerns and pressure on the global economy.
In a separate briefing on March 31, Qatar’s foreign ministry said Doha had called from the outset for de-escalation and remained opposed to any steps that would deepen the conflict or threaten regional security and stability. Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said Qatar was focused on defending its sovereignty and territory and responding to the attacks it faces, while continuing to support diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation and ending the conflict.
Risks to infrastructure and trade
Al Ansari said continued escalation had grown more dangerous with infrastructure and vital facilities increasingly at risk. He said targeting civilian facilities, including power and water plants, posed a serious threat to civilians and undermined essential infrastructure. He also warned that the security of the Strait of Hormuz was both a regional and global issue because of its direct link to energy security and global supply chains, calling for safe navigation and regional stability.
The spokesman also warned of the risks of targeting energy and nuclear facilities, saying such attacks could have wider consequences for regional and global security. He said Gulf and Arab leaders had remained in close contact since the start of the crisis, with coordination reflected in joint statements and meetings. Against that backdrop, Sheikh Tamim’s visit to Abu Dhabi highlighted continued high level consultation between the UAE and Qatar as the region faced ongoing military escalation and security risks. – By Content Syndication Services.