EU High Representative for Foreign Policy meets with authorities in Kuwait in support of mediation efforts in the Gulf crisis

Background:

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates severed ties with Qatar on the 5 June 2017, accusing the emirate of supporting terrorism.

Qatar is a fellow member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The country was accused of supporting and financing 'terrorism and extremism' in the region. The above countries announced that they would halt all land, air and sea traffic with Qatar, expel its diplomats and ask Qatari citizens to leave their territory within 14 days. The countries also placed a series of demands upon Qatar and demanded a reply by early July 2017.

Kuwait took on the role as a mediator trying to bring about a reconciliation between the two sies.

The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Policy met on 23 July 2017 with the authorities in Kuwait to show her support to the mediation efforts undertaken by the country to find a solution to the political crisis in the Gulf region and reiterate the EU's support to Kuwait.