Nepali truck drivers out of work Nepali citizens make up another big chunk of the population in Qatar, with over 400,000 living in the Gulf nation.
Ganesh Gurung, a labour and migration expert in Kathmandu, said some Nepali truck drivers have already lost their jobs because of the closure of the Saudi-Qatar border. Many more would lose their jobs if the crisis drags on, he added.
“This would directly impact the Nepali economy as it depends heavily on foreign remittances.” said Gurung.
Egypt breaks ties but hasn’t recalled workers Egyptians in Qatar were confused when news broke Monday that Cairo was breaking off diplomatic ties with Doha. Egypt did not follow Saudi Arabia and the UAE in recalling its citizens back.
“We are prepared to welcome citizens home if such a decision is made,” said Nabila Makram, Minister of Immigration and Egyptian Expatriate Affairs, in an interview with an Egyptian TV channel.
“We are now in a transition phase, and the embassy will become a caretaker and continue with consular services,” Makram added.
She estimates there are more than 70,000 Egyptians living in Qatar. The small country has used its huge oil and gas wealth to become an economic powerhouse. It’s home to one of the region’s biggest airlines, Qatar Airways.
It has also built up a huge global portfolio of investments. Qatar has repeatedly faced criticism for alleged support of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group considered a terrorist organization by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Analysts say the unprecedented diplomatic rift is also driven by the belief that Qatar is too closely aligned with Iran. Qatar’s foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, told CNN that Saudi Arabia’s claims were contradictory and “full of false information.”
