Saudi Arabia welcomed on Thursday the announcement that Bahrain and Qatar had agreed to restore relations. The Saudi Foreign Ministry described the decision as positive, adding that it underscores the strength of relations between countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council and will help in boosting joint Gulf work to meet the aspirations of their people. GCC Secretary-General Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi welcomed the decision that stems from the directives of the leaders of the GCC countries during their summit at Saudi Arabia’s AlUla in January 2021. Oman welcomed the announcement, saying it will bolster cooperation between Gulf brothers that will benefit the region. Kuwait praised the move, saying it reflects the bonds of friendship and history that bind Bahrain and Qatar. The agreement to restore ties and reopen embassies will strengthen the unity of the GCC, added the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry. Bahrain and Qatar agreed to restore diplomatic ties on Wednesday during the Bahraini-Qatari Follow-up Committee’s second meeting at the headquarters of the GCC General Secretariat in Riyadh. The Bahraini delegation was headed by the Undersecretary for Political Affairs Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, and the Qatari delegation was headed by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ahmed Hassan Al Hammadi. The two sides stressed that restoring ties stems from the mutual will to develop bilateral relations and boost Gulf unity and integration according to the GCC Charter and in respect of the principles of equality, national sovereignty and independence, territorial integrity, and good neighborliness between states.