PHOTO: ANADOLU VIA GETTY IMAGES
Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara’a paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates, the second foreign trip of the Syrian leader since he came to power in January this year.
This was reported by the office of the Syrian president, Reuters reports.
The meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan took place in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Al-Shara’a was accompanied by Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Shibani.
According to official reports, the parties discussed bilateral cooperation, Syria’s recovery from the war, and prospects for regional stability. The UAE President reaffirmed his readiness to support Syria in the process of rebuilding the country, taking into account the interests of its people.
The visit to the UAE took place against the backdrop of the new Syrian leadership’s attempts to establish relations with Arab countries and the West after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December last year. As a reminder, Assad was overthrown by the Sunni Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
Analysts note that the current Syrian government is trying to demonstrate its readiness to create an inclusive political system and ensure order in a country that has been in a state of civil war for more than a decade.
At the same time, Syria is hoping for an easing of international sanctions, which have seriously affected the country’s economy. Damascus sees the restoration of ties with regional and world leaders as part of its strategy for economic survival and political stabilisation.
Western countries are closely watching the steps of the new Syrian government, demanding guarantees to prevent the return of extremist groups such as the Islamic State or al-Qaeda.
