BEIRUT — President Michel Aoun left Beirut this morning to Qatar at the invitation of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to participate in the opening of the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup football tournament, slated to kick-off on Tuesday.

Here is what we know:

    • President Aoun will discuss with Emir Sheikh Tamim ways to strengthen and develop bilateral relations between the two countries in all fields, the Lebanese Presidency tweeted.

    • Aoun is accompanied in his trip to the Gulf state with Energy Minister Walid Fayyad, General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, and former minister Pierre Raffoul.

    • Fayyad will discuss energy-related issues with Qatari officials, and the possibility of benefiting from their expertise in the field of exploration and extraction of gas and oil, the NNA reported.

    • Aoun’s trip comes amid a diplomatic row between Lebanon and other Gulf states. Last month, Saudi Arabia announced it was stopping all imports from Lebanon and recalling its envoy to Beirut. Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates are called back their envoys, after Information Minister George Kurdahi’s recorded comments on the Yemen war raised the ire of Riyadh.