Dubai: President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Sunday instructed the authorities concerned to take into consideration the humanitarian circumstances of Emirati-Qatari joint families in recognition of the brotherly Qatari people, an official source announced.
Saudi Arabia and Bahrain also announced measures that take into account the humanitarian circumstances of citizens who have married Qatari nationals.
In the UAE, affected families can call for assistance through the hotline +9718002626, which the Ministry of Interior has set up.
The move came after the three countries last week announced they were cutting ties with Qatar. On Saturday, the UAE renewed its calls to Qatar to stop supporting extremism and terrorism, with Foreign Affairs Anwar Mohammad Gargash stressing that the only way out of the current crisis is through diplomacy.
Hotlines for humanitarian assistance
Saudi Arabia: +966112409111
Bahrain: +97317399821
UAE: +9718002626
Meanwhile, the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have launched helplines to look into humanitarian cases of mixed local families that include Qatari members.
In Manama, the Ministry of Interior on Sunday said that “further to the statement of severing diplomatic relations with the State of Qatar and the measures taken as a result of its continued hostile behaviour against the Kingdom of Bahrain, a Royal Order was issued by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to take into account the humanitarian situation of the Bahraini-Qatari families in appreciation of the brotherly Qatari people who represent a natural extension of their brothers in the Kingdom of Bahrain."
The ministry added that in in implementation of the royal order, it set up hotline +97317399821 to receive details of the cases and to take the appropriate measures.
In the Red Sea city of Jeddah, an official source on Sunday said that “further to the statement issued by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on severing relations with the State of Qatar and the reference within the statement to Saudi Arabia's keenness on the brotherly Qatari people who are a natural extension of their brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, has issued a directive to take into account the humanitarian cases of the mixed Saudi-Qatari families in recognition of the brotherly people of Qatar.”
“In implementation of the directive, the Ministry of Interior set up a helpline +966112409111 to receive the cases and take appropriate action on them,” the source said.
Bahrain and Saudi Arabia severed their diplomatic relations with Qatar last week and banned the exchange of visits by their nationals and Qataris.
With inputs from Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
