DOHA, Qatar

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday withdrew its file to host the 2026 International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) meeting in favor of Qatar.

The decision was taken following a phone call between UAE's President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the state news agency WAM reported.

Bin Zayed expressed his country's "support for the State of Qatar's candidacy file to host the 2026 Annual Meetings of IMF and WB Group,” the Qatari state news agency QNA said.

The Emirati ruler “wished Qatar all success in hosting the international gathering,” it added.

The UAE and Qatar restored diplomatic ties in January 2021 following the signing of a reconciliation agreement in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, which brought down the curtain on the Gulf crisis that broke out in summer of 2017 between Qatar from one side and the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Egypt on the other side.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar