WTO to probe UAE's complaint against Qatar

The investigation will look into Doha's ban on Emirati products

The UAE asked the World Trade Organisation to look into a Qatari ban on Emirati goods and services. AFP

The World Trade Organisation on Wednesday announced that it would investigate the complaint filed by the UAE against a ban imposed by Qatar on Emirati products.

The global body has created an arbitration committee to oversee and probe the UAE complaint. Doha's ban arose after the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and transport ties with the small Gulf state because of its support for extremist outfits.

"The UAE believes that the Qatari measures violated the WTO’s basic principles of market access and its rules against discrimination. The Qatari measures aimed to target the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, which opposed Qatar’s patronage for terrorism and extremism, dissemination of hate speech, and interference in the internal affairs of other countries," Emirati news agency Wam reported.

It continued to say that Qatar is "indulging in gross duplicity in its efforts to use international bodies for its own ulterior motives" and called on it to "desist from supporting and funding extremism and terrorism".

Last month, Qatar partially withdrew measures imposed against the UAE and its products in an announcement at the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body.

The Qatari climbdown recognises that Doha's policies violated its international obligations.

Abdullah Hamdan Al Naqbi, director of the International Law Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, said after Qatar's move that it was ''a clear concession" before the UAE request was heard.

''We continue to seek Qatar’s full withdrawal of these measures so as to ensure Doha's commitment to its WTO obligations and ensure our exports of goods has free access to Qatar markets,'' he said.