Doha

Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek will pay a visit to Qatar and Kuwait to hold talks with officials and meet with investors, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

On the first leg of his tour of two Gulf nations, Şimşek traveled to Qatar.

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.    
   

Eritrea on June 9 declined a request by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar.  
      
 The African nation's foreign ministry said in a written statement it "rejected" the demand to cut ties "with brother Doha".  
     
It said Eritrea had "strong ties with the brother people of Qatar," and it was "impossible to cut ties".