Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey joined together to create the Levant Quartet, a recognized economic and cultural alliance, in December 2010. A Middle Eastern economic, cultural, monetary, and political unity analogous to the European Union was the proclaimed objective of the Quartet. Turkey, Syria, Iran, and Iraq were supposed to form a customs union under the Levant Quartet.
When Turkey imposed economic sanctions on Syria, the project was essentially put on hold. World Bank estimated that the deal would have resulted in 'sizable' gains for Levantine nations in terms of increased commerce. Turkey first intervened diplomatically in the Syrian civil conflict before moving militarily. Turkey first denounced the Syrian government when protests broke out in 2011. The Turkish government's engagement developed into direct military actions in 2016 - 2020, as well as military support for the Free Syrian Army in July 2011. Turkey, which had ten years of largely cordial relations with Syria, denounced Bashar al-crackdown Assad on protestors in 2011. Turkey has been training Syrian Army defectors on its soil since the start of the conflict. After Syrian forces shot down a Turkish fighter plane in June 2012, relations between Syria and Turkey severely deteriorated.
The predicted boost in commerce that the Levant Quartet would have generated, had the Syrian Civil War not prevented it, was expected to result in 'sizable' gains for the Levantine countries, according to World Bank experts.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Yemen are the four nations that severed diplomatic ties with Qatar. The borders of the quartet are blocked by Qatari ships and planes. Their people are no longer permitted to travel to or through Qatar. The closure of a Turkish military installation in Doha is one among the requests made by the quartet, which has given Qatar 10 days to comply. It has been charged by the foursome with promoting terrorism and meddling in the internal affairs of other nations. Economic sanctions or military action may result from diplomatic isolation, which is a form of war.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia are the nations participating in this diplomatic dispute. As a result of Qatar's backing for the terrorist organizations Hamas and others, they have severed diplomatic ties with it. Additionally, they have closed all of the borders with Qatar and have prohibited any planes into their airspace that might have been operated by the people of Qatar. With an average life expectancy of 80 years old, Qatar has the highest GDP per capita in the entire world at $129,000 USD annually. 9.3 million people call the United Arab Emirates home, and its GDP, which is $50,000 annually, is also incredibly high.
In order to stop them from purchasing brand-new aircraft from Boeing Co., Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have begun buying up stakes in Qatar's national airline and other companies. The two biggest trading partners of Qatar are Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to information gathered by the Economics team at Bloomberg News. Since Qatar was exiled by other Arab countries due to its relations with Iran last year, the UAE has maintained a careful eye on the country. One of the largest and richest sources of oil in the world is Saudi Arabia. Some of the largest corporations in Europe and the United States have seen investments from the nation. Qatar wants to strengthen its ties with the United States. Recently, the emirate hired a former U.S. Rex Tillerson, the secretary of state, who serves as a fund advisor for the $500 billion sovereign wealth fund. Additionally, it bought shares in well-known corporations including Rosneft PJSC and Credit Suisse Group AG.
Over time, it's unlikely that the decision by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to sever diplomatic and commercial ties with Qatar would have much of an effect on either nation's economic or political position. If the situation between the two nations worsens, it might have serious repercussions for Qatar. Since the United States has military sites in Qatar that house around 10,000 American personnel, the conflict between Qatar and its neighbors may also have effects on the United States. As a result, barring Saudi Arabia or the UAE from adopting a more rigid stance, it is unlikely that this problem will have an impact on relations with Qatar. Attempts to settle disputes between Qatar and its neighbors are probably being assisted by the United States. Qatar is one of the richest nations in the world and is home to a significant U.S. military station. The maintenance of Qatar's stability is in the interests of the United States.
If Qatar lifts its blockade, Turkey has offered to let Qatar use its military installation in Incirlik as a base for its fighter jets. The action will probably put more pressure on Saudi Arabia and its allies to lift their blockade on Qatar, which is being carried out by Turkey, as well as other nations in the region, notably Saudi Arabia.
The four nations have broken diplomatic ties because of what they allege is Qatar's backing of terrorism and funding of extremist organizations. Qatar has stated that it is prepared to discuss a solution with the so-called Arab Spring Quartet. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain are the four nations that accuse Qatar of financing terrorism. They claim that there is no factual or empirical support for these assertions. As punishment for Qatar's alleged backing of terrorism and destabilizing the Middle East, four Middle Eastern nations have severed diplomatic and commercial ties with it. Qatar has refuted all allegations and claimed they are untrue. It claims that the foundation of its foreign policy is respect for human rights and the rule of law.
The Levant Quartet has been performing as a group since the 1950s and competes on an international level in events like the World Juggling Championship and International Jugglers' Guild. Currently headquartered in New York City, they continue to deliver an entertaining performance that combines both classic and modern elements.
Ashly Chole - Senior Finance & Technology Editor