Qatar and Chad have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) resuming diplomatic relations between the two countries, Qatar's foreign minister has said.

Relations were severed in August after the start of a Saudi-led blockade against Qatar.

The agreement was reached after Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatari foreign minister, held a meeting with Cherif Mahamat Zene, Chad's minister of foreign affairs, Africa integration and international cooperation, in Doha.

During the meeting, both countries discussed developing and boosting bilateral relations.

Lolwah al-Khater, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson, said that both countries would return their ambassadors with immediate effect.

Moments ago MOU was signed between #Qatar & #Chad; Diplomatic Relations to be resumed with immediate exchange of ambassadors. A victory for both countries' diplomacy;one that is based on the principles of dialogue & common interests that bring peace and prosperity to both nations pic.twitter.com/Zmz13fAXSD — لولوة راشد الخاطر (@Lolwah_Alkhater) February 20, 2018

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani congratulated the move on Twitter.

“We welcome the resumption of diplomatic relations between Qatar and Chad and the return of ambassadors between the two friendly countries, a memorandum of understanding was signed today in Doha."

نرحب باستئناف العلاقات الدبلوماسية بين دولة #قطر و تشاد، و عودة السفراء بين البلدين الصديقين .. تم التوقيع على مذكرة تفاهم بهذا الشأن اليوم في الدوحة pic.twitter.com/Hhld0kZryI — محمد بن عبدالرحمن (@MBA_AlThani_) February 20, 2018

Chad and Qatar

Chad closed Qatar's embassy in N'Djamena in August, accusing Qatar of seeking to destabilise the country through its northern neighbour Libya.

Qatar responded and ordered the embassy to close, and accused the African country of joining a "political blackmail against the State of Qatar".

More than eight months since the start of the crisis, the US and the EU have called on the countries to engage in dialogue.

But the quartet issued a 13-point list of demands, including the shutdown of Qatar-based media network Al Jazeera, limiting ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country as a prerequisite to lifting the blockade.

Qatar rejected all the demands, denouncing them as attempts to infringe its sovereignty.