The UAE’s first ambassador to Damascus in nearly 13 years took office on Tuesday, as Syria continues to reintegrate into mainstream regional acceptance.
Syrian state media reported that the country’s Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad received the credentials of Ambassador Hassan Ahmad al-Sihi.
The UAE embassy reopened in Syria at the end of 2018, and the charge d’affaires has been in charge of diplomatic missions ever since. Al-Sihi arrived in Damascus on Monday, pro-government daily Al Watan reported.
Tower 22 Explained: What you need to know about the latest attack scene against US soldiers in the Middle East
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited the Gulf state in March 2022, becoming the first Arab country to host him since the Syrian civil war broke out nearly 13 years ago. The UAE has sent dozens of planes carrying aid to Syria following the February 6, 2023 earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people in Turkey and around 8,000 in Syria.
In May, the 22-member Arab League agreed to reintegrate Syria, ending a 12-year suspension and establishing a new plan to bring Assad, long a regional pariah, back into the fold. I took a step forward. President Assad has visited the UAE twice since 2022 and attended the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia in May.
Al-Sihi’s arrival comes as Syria is experiencing a severe economic crisis. Part of that is the result of a conflict that has left half a million people dead, millions displaced and much of the country destroyed.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is seen addressing parliament in Damascus, Syria. (AP Photo/SANA, File)
A rapprochement between Damascus and oil-rich Arab states is unlikely to lead to capital flowing into the war-torn country because of Western sanctions. Western sanctions have caused Syria’s severe economic crisis, along with war and widespread corruption.
Currently, the US dollar is worth 16,000 Syrian pounds. When the dispute began in March 2011, the dollar was trading at 47 pounds.
The United Nations estimates that 90% of Syrians in government-held areas live in poverty. According to United Nations estimates, more than half of the population (approximately 12 million people) is struggling to put food on the table. The situation could worsen with the World Food Program’s announcement that it will end its main aid program across Syria in January.
The United Arab Emirates has been supporting Syrian rebels, but the rebels have lost base in other areas and are now largely confined to the northwestern province of Idlib.
The UAE recalled its ambassador from Syria in 2011 after the start of a popular uprising against Assad. The Syrian embassy in the UAE remained open.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Last month, Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ayman Susan was appointed as the country’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
