Qatar’s emir set out to tour six West African nations starting Wednesday in search of new markets. The trip comes six months after Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries cut ties with the wealthy emirate. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Lulwa al-Khater said that Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani’s mission would begin in Mali. Stops in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), Ghana, Guinea and Senegal are scheduled, according to AFP. Doha plans to open up new markets and diversify its economy amid an ongoing blockade by its neighbors, Khater said. The six countries on the emir’s itinerary have “strong economic potential and opportunities despite some security challenges in some of them,” she added.