Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani has announced that he will visit Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
The top diplomat in Syria’s new government revealed in a social media post that he would be visiting the three countries this week to “support stability, security, economic recovery and build distinguished partnerships.”
His trip to these countries will follow his first official foreign trip to Saudi Arabia earlier this week.
The Saudi visit came as the new government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, tries to revive a devastated health system, in ruins after 13 years of war and blighted by nepotism and corruption.
The new government, made up of rebels who brought the brutal decades-long rule of the al-Assad family to an abrupt end last month, is eager for investment from wealthy Gulf states to help rebuild the country’s infrastructure and boost the economy, shattered by more than a decade of war.
Syria is reeling from 13 years of civil war and crippling western sanctions targeting Assad’s regime, which was toppled in a rebel offensive last month.
The conflict has displaced millions and left the economy in ruins, with basic infrastructure struggling to function.
Saudi Arabia already looks set to play a big role in the country’s revival.
Earlier this week, al-Shaibani headed a high-ranking delegation to Riyadh that included the new Defence Minister and intelligence Chief.
According to state news agency, SANA, a Saudi delegation from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre headed to Damascus on Friday, meeting Syrian Health Minister Maher al-Sharaa to discuss humanitarian and medical cooperation.
Meanwhile, on Friday, al-Sharaa and Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati agreed in a phone call to restore calm on the 375km (233-mile) border following clashes between Lebanese soldiers and Syrian gunmen that left five of the former injured.
Mikati’s office issued a statement quoting al-Sharaa as saying his administration had done “everything necessary to restore calm on the borders and to prevent a repetition of what happened.”
Al-Sharaa, who leads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, also invited Mikati to visit Damascus and discuss common interests.
Syria To Resume International Flights At Damascus Airport
In other developments, Syria’s main airport in Damascus is to resume international flights after commercial trips were halted following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.
The state news agency reported, “We announce we will start receiving international flights to and from Damascus International airport from [Tuesday],” quoting Ashhad al-Salibi, the head of the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport.
“We reassure Arab and international airlines that we have begun the phase of rehabilitating the Aleppo and Damascus airports with our partners’ help, so that they can welcome flights from all over the world.”
Ashhad al-Salibi
International aid planes and foreign diplomatic delegations have already been landing in Syria.
Domestic flights have also resumed.
On Thursday, Qatar Airways announced it would resume flights to the Syrian capital after nearly 13 years, starting with three weekly flights from Tuesday.
A Qatari official told a news agency last month that Doha had offered the new Syrian authorities help in resuming operations at Damascus airport.
An Egyptian aid plane touched down at Damascus airport on Saturday carrying Cairo’s first humanitarian delivery since Assad was ousted.
The civilian cargo plane loaded with 15 tonnes of supplies was part of “Egypt’s commitment to supporting the brotherly Syrian people”, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement.The shipment, provided by the Egyptian Red Crescent, was handed over to its Syrian counterpart, and included tents, blankets, food and medical supplies, the state-linked Al-Qahera News said.
On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia launched a humanitarian air bridge to Syria, delivering food, shelter and medical supplies, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
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