France is sending its former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Bertrand Besancenot, as special envoy to the region to mediate on the Qatar Smackdown. “France, which has close ties with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates while also being a major arms supplier to Qatar and a key ally of Saudi Arabia, has been relatively discreet on the crisis, largely sticking to calls for calm,” Reuters notes. Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber has been leading the regional mediation efforts.

Even as the mediation efforts take place Qatar inaugurated the USD 7.4 bn Hamad Port, in an attempt to skirt the blockade imposed by GCC neighbors and Egypt, according to Reuters.

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