The increased engagement between Qatar and Syria comes after the fall of the Assad regime on December 8 following a surprise offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Syria’s newly-appointed Foreign Minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani, has landed in Qatar, marking his first official visit to the Gulf state since taking office following the fall of the Bashar Al-Assad regime.
Al-Shaibani is accompanied by Syria’s new Minister of Defence, Murhaf Abu Qasra, and the Head of General Intelligence, Anas Khattab, Syria’s news agency (SANA) reported.
The top Syrian official first announced his visit in a post on X on Saturday, where he said he will also travel to the United Arab Emirates and Jordan later this week.
“We look forward to these visits contributing to supporting stability, security, economic recovery and building distinguished partnerships,” he said.
The tour comes after Al-Shaibani embarked on a trip to Riyadh on Thursday in what marked his first official foreign visit under the new Syrian administration.
Discussions in Doha
In Doha, the Syrian delegation met Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Discussions centred on both countries’ relations and strengthening Qatar’s humanitarian aid to Syria, according to the Gulf state’s foreign ministry.
Al-Shaibani also held a press conference alongside Qatar’s Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Al Khulaifi, at the Diwan Annex in Msheireb. During the briefing, both officials said that they discussed “steps that contribute to building” Syria.
“Qatar will spare no effort to support our brothers in Syria,” Al Khulaifi.
Al-Shaibani added that “Qatar had a prominent role in supporting” the people of Syria and “it will be a partner in the peace phase”. The Syrian official said that his delegation conveyed its concerns to Doha “especially regarding economic sanctions” imposed under the Assad rule.
Last month, Al Khulaifi led the first high-profile Qatari delegation to visit Damascus since the fall of the Assad regime, where he met Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa.
A Doha News exclusive at the time revealed that a technical team from Qatar travelled to Syria along with the delegation to help resume operations at the Damascus International Airport.
This followed an announcement on Thursday by Qatar Airways that direct flights between Doha and Damascus will resume on Tuesday for the first time since 2012.
In a statement, the Qatari flag carrier said that three weekly flights will be taking place, noting that work is underway “with relevant authorities to ensure that all necessary safety, security and operational standards are met ahead of the relaunch”.
“We are pleased to resume flights to Damascus, a destination of great historical and cultural importance. This announcement underscores our dedication to fostering connectivity and facilitating travel for our passengers,” Badr Al-Meer, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, said.
The increased engagement between Qatar and Syria comes after the fall of the Assad regime on December 8 following a surprise offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Qatar had closed its embassy in 2011 and was the first to establish the diplomatic mission for the opposition in its capital, Doha, while maintaining its unwavering stance against the Assad regime.
The Gulf state later re-opened its embassy in Damascus in December for the first time since its closure.
In an interview with Doha News last week, the Chargé D’Affairs at the Syrian Embassy in Doha, Belal Tourkya, praised Qatar’s support for his country.
“Since the beginning, Qatar has supported the Syrian people, standing on the right side of history,” he said. “Qatar supported this cause as though it was its own, as it has always made us accustomed to standing with the peoples’ causes or the righteous causes of this region.”
