The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood is reporting that an Egypt-Qatar summit was planned for last Saturday where he Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi was to receive the Emir of Qatar. According to the report:
An Egypt-Qatar summit is to be held this evening in Cairo, where the Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi will receive the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who is on a one-day visit to Cairo, Egypt. Dr. Yasser Ali, Spokesman for the Presidency, affirmed that the purpose of this visit, as announced by the Emir of Qatar, is to extend Qatari congratulations to President Morsi on his election as President of the Republic. ‘The summit will discuss relations between the two countries in all fields, including Qatari support for the Egyptian economy during the coming period, as well as attracting and increasing Arab investments in general and Qatari investment in particular. It will also discuss increasing the number of Egyptians working in Qatar, especially after the political stability witnessed in Egypt with the election of President Morsi.’The issue of Egyptians working in Qatar is one of the most important topics on the agenda. Indeed, issues pertaining to Egyptians abroad are ever at the top of the President’s priority list.’ Dr. Yasser Ali further affirmed that the Egyptian President is always keen to meet with Egyptian expatriates, pointing that Morsi met with Egyptians in Saudi Arabia and Addis Ababa during his recent visits to these countries. ‘The two leaders will discuss Arab, regional and international issues of common interest and coordinate discourses in international forums. President Morsi will then hold an Iftar reception for the Emir of Qatar and the diplomatic delegation accompanying him, later this evening.’ With regard to rumors alleging that Egypt will grant Qatar the right to use and run the Suez Canal, the spokesman for the Presidency said, ‘This is simply a completely absurd idea, proposed only by delirious dreamers who belittle the sacrifices the Egyptian people made in order to rebuild and rejuvenate their homeland.’
Last week, AP had reported that Qatar was granting Egypt a $2 billion loan to help the country’s trouble economy:
12/08/2012 CAIRO (AP) — Qatar has granted Egypt a $2 billion loan to help the country’s flagging economy, Egypt’s official news agency said on Saturday.
MENA says the loan was announced Saturday during the first visit of Qatari Emir Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to Egypt since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in last year’s popular uprising. The agency says Al Thani met with Mohammed Morsi, Egypt’s Islamist president, whose Muslim Brotherhood group is widely seen as holding strong ties with Qatar. Egypt’s economy has suffered since fall of the old regime. Egypt has asked the International Monetary Fund for a $3.2 billion aid package, the disbursement of which hinges on political consensus in Cairo. It also considers a comprehensive economic recovery plan a prerequisite for the aid.
A post from March reported that the Deputy Chairman of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood was visiting Qatar for meetings with Qatari official. An earlier post discussed the relocation of Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal from Syria to Qatar in yet another sign of the country growing importance as a center of the Global Muslim Brotherhood. A series of recent and important Global Muslim Brotherhood events have been held in Qatar illustrating the increasing importance of the country to the Global Brotherhood.
A Gulf newspaper recently posted an article by academic Dr. Ahmad Jamil Azem titled “Qatar’s Ties with the Muslim Brotherhood Affect Entire Region.”
The Atlantic Council Web site recently posted an article titled “Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood: Between a Present with Qatar and a Future with Libya” that discusses the future of Qatari-Egyptian relations in light of the failure of the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood to prevail in recent elections.