Damascus (TDI): Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to visit the United Arab Emirates and Turkiye next week, the Syrian foreign ministry said on Sunday.
The visits are part of a broader diplomatic push by Syria’s new leadership following the ouster of ex-President Bashar al-Assad in a sweeping offensive late last year led by Sharaa’s group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
Sharaa had already visited to Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in February.
His upcoming tour to the UAE marks his second engagement with a Gulf country and reflects efforts to secure regional support.
Syria’s new government is actively seeking to rebuild ties with both Arab and Western nations, while simultaneously urging for the full removal of sanctions imposed over the last fourteen years.
“Syria urgently needs sanctions relief to revive the economy and rebuild national institutions,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said earlier this week.
Sanctions by the US, UK, and European Union have heavily restricted trade, banking, and reconstruction efforts in Syria, originally aimed at isolating Assad’s government.
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The diplomatic efforts come as Syria received global praise at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on Friday, where a resolution was adopted to probe rights violations committed during the 13-year conflict.
The resolution urges the new Syrian government to back current inquiries into crimes dating back to 2011, including disappearances, torture, and the use of chemical weapons.
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“This resolution reflects Syria’s commitment to turning a new page,” said Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, in a statement.
Syria’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Haydar Ali Ahmad, termed the resolution a “strong incentive” to continue reforms and rebuild trust with the global community.
