Q Life Magazine Qatar Moving Forward | Page 7

7 Qatar Moving Forward: One year since the blockade It is a date that will go down as a dark day in the history of our region, but the beginning of a new dawn for Qatar. After hacking Qatar’s official news website and spreading fake news, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Egypt launched an illegal and unjustified blockade against Qatar on 5 June 2017. It was a self-interested move designed to bring our small state to its knees and seize control of our independent foreign policy. It failed on both counts. One year after the illegal blockade against Qatar began, our country has emerged stronger and more resilient than before. Under the leadership of His Highness the Amir, Qatar has successfully countered the economic impact of the blockade and continues to build on our values as an independent, ambitious and forward-thinking nation, one that is a significant force for good in the world.