Al-Emadi acknowledged that the blockade has caused “pain” for Qatari society, but said the standoff is hurting both sides: “This is a losing game for all of us. I don’t think this is helping the region.”
However, he denied it had seriously hurt the economy and said it could even be a “turning point” for the country.
“Whatever problems that those blockade countries were trying to make for Qatar were unsuccessful, and Qatar is still one of the … fastest growing economies in the region, and the good news is that most of that growth is coming from the private sector and not the hydro-carbon sector that this region is used to.”
The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, said this week that efforts to undermine Qatar’s economy were designed to disrupt the World Cup, which Qatar is slated to host in 2022. The finance minister agreed, arguing that there was no good reason for the blockade.
“Tell me what is the dispute between Qatar and the other blockade countries?” he asked. “What is the dispute between Qatar and the other GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries? We’re not fighting over borders, we’re not fighting on customs, trade or immigration.”
