UAE President Sheikh Mohamed meets Sheikh Tamim in Qatar

President Sheikh Mohamed visited Qatar on Monday and congratulated its people on a successful hosting of the Fifa World Cup.

The President accepted an invitation from Sheikh Tamim, Emir of Qatar, state news agency Wam reported.

He was welcomed to Hamad International Airport by Sheikh Tamim. The two leaders were photographed on a brief drive in Sheikh Tamim's Bentley.

Sheikh Mohamed said he was pleased to discuss relations and ways to strengthen them. The visit was the first by Sheikh Mohamed since he became President earlier this year.

The UAE leader congratulated Qatar on its hosting of the Fifa World Cup.

"Today I arrived in Doha to discuss areas of mutual interests and strengthening bilateral ties between our nations," Sheikh Mohamed wrote on Twitter.

"I congratulate my brother Tamim bin Hamad and the people of Qatar on hosting the FIFA World Cup and wish them continued success."

Sheikh Tamim said they discussed various regional and international issues of common concern, "foremost of which are ways to support security and stability in the region".

Sheikh Mohamed departed on Monday afternoon, thanking Sheikh Tamim for the visit.

The president was in Qatar as it hosts the second round of the Fifa World Cup 2022, an event that has drawn thousands of football fans and put the Gulf in the spotlight.

The meeting "is another step towards strengthening Gulf solidarity and joint action," Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said on Twitter.

The visit will be seen as a sign of the further mending of relations following the Al Ula agreement in the Saudi desert last year.

That deal, to reset ties with Qatar, followed a four-year impasse between the Gulf states and Qatar over Doha's support for extremist groups.

Sheikh Mohamed was accompanied by the Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, National Security Adviser, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, Special Affairs Adviser in the Presidential Court and Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority and member of the Executive Council.

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