CAIRO — Egypt's President has met with an envoy of the Emir of Qatar, the first such meeting since Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi took office last summer, signaling a thaw in relations between the two nations.

The meeting was also the first meeting since Gulf countries, led by Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, reached a reconciliation agreement with Qatar last month aimed at easing regional tensions linked to Doha's support for Islamist groups throughout the region.

A Saudi royal envoy attended the Saturday meeting. El-Sissi's office said Egypt looks forward to a "new era that leaves behind the disagreements of the past."

Doha was strong backer of el-Sissi's predecessor, Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, who was ousted July 2013 by the military following mass protests. El-Sissi, then military chief, was elected president in June.