Doha / Information Office / February 20

The State of Qatar expressed its regret and condemnation that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia did not grant an entry permit to HE Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari to attend an extraordinary emergency meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council's Ministers of Health to address Coronavirus (COVID-19), as the approval arrived after the start of the meeting.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement today that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always claimed that the Gulf Cooperation Council, especially the technical committees, is effective and not affected by the Gulf crisis, but Qatar was surprised, as the Kingdom has politicized a humanitarian sector that requires wisdom and the necessity to keep it away from political differences.

The statement called on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to play its role as the headquarters of the Gulf Cooperation Council with impartiality and professionalism, and also affirmed the commitment of the State of Qatar to cooperate with all Gulf countries to address Coronavirus, wishing all peoples of the region security and safety.