UAE high diplomat again in Syria as relations proceed to thaw

BEIRUT — The United Arab Emirates’ high diplomat met with Syrian President Bashar Assad on Wednesday, his second go to to Damascus as relations proceed to thaw between the 2 international locations.

In accordance with an announcement from Assad’s workplace, he and UAE’s Overseas Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan mentioned boosting financial ties between their nations. It quoted Assad as saying that the restoration of ties between the 2 international locations is within the curiosity of regional stability.

The UAE’s state-run WAM information company mentioned in addition they mentioned developments in Syria and the area, with Sheikh Abdullah expressing assist for a political answer to finish the battle. The UAE international minister was joined by a delegation of financial and safety officers.

Sheikh Abdullah’s go to is the second to Syria since his first journey to the war-torn nation in November 2021. It additionally comes 10 months after Assad paid a uncommon go to to the UAE — his first in a number of years to a international nation apart from his allies Russia and Iran. The UAE reopened its embassy in Syria in 2018.

Syria was expelled from the 22-member Arab League and boycotted by its neighbors after its rebellion turned battle broke out in 2011. A whole bunch of hundreds of individuals have been killed within the conflict, which displaced half of Syria’s pre-war inhabitants of 23 million. Giant components of Syria have been destroyed, and reconstruction will price tens of billions of {dollars}.

With the conflict largely stalemated in recent times and after Assad regained management over a lot of Syria’s territory because of army help from Russia, Iran, and the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group, Arab international locations have inched nearer towards restoring ties with the Syrian chief.

In June, Bahrain named its full diplomatic mission to Syria in over a decade, whereas Algeria’s high diplomat in a Damascus go to final July mentioned his nation alongside different Arab international locations was coordinating to restore Syria’s Arab League membership. Assad additionally had a name with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in October 2021, who hosted Western-backed opposition teams and a whole bunch of hundreds of refugees fleeing the conflict.