First ship carrying food departs Turkey for Qatar

İZMİR/DOHA - Anadolu Agency

A ship carrying 4,000 tons of food for beleaguered Qatar left Turkey early on June 22, marking a change in how essential supplies are being sent to the tiny Gulf state.    
    
The vessel, carrying dry food, fruits and vegetables, departed from İzmir in western Turkey.    
   
Qatar, a small peninsular Gulf state, cannot acquire food by land as Saudi Arabia, the only country with whom the country has a land border, has blocked supplies as part of a continuing embargo against Doha, the chief executive of the logistics company behind the shipment told Anadolu Agency.        

İpek Demirci said a sea route had been opened because air transport was insufficient to meet the needs of the Qatari population.  
      
She also said her firm was preparing to send a second ship in the upcoming days.        

So far, 105 cargo planes from Turkey have carried aid to Qatar, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said June 21.        

Meanwhile, a delegation of Turkish businessmen met with their Qatari counterparts in Doha on June 21 to discuss bilateral trade and economic relations amid Qatar’s ongoing diplomatic crisis.    
   
A delegation from Turkey’s Independent Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (MÜSİAD) met two prominent Qatari businessmen, Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad bin Abdullah al-Thani and Sheikh Suhaim Bin Khaled bin Hamad al-Thani, in the presence of Turkish Ambassador to Qatar Fikret Özer.        

The meeting tackled means of strengthening cooperation between entrepreneurs from both countries and the ongoing economic boycott of Qatar by several Gulf countries.        

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Yemen abruptly cut diplomatic relations with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism.