Emir of Qatar Becomes First Arab Leader to Visit Damascus After al-Assad’s Fall

30th January 2025

3 minutes read

Emir of Qatar Becomes First Arab Leader to Visit Damascus After al-Assad’s Fall

Qatari media confirm that Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad will meet with Ahmed al-Sharaa and several Syrian officials to discuss various issues, particularly Qatar’s support for Syria’s reconstruction efforts.

The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, is visiting Damascus today, Thursday, making him the first Arab leader to visit the Syrian capital since the fall of the previous regime. His visit coincides with the beginning of a political transition process led by the new transitional government following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. The Emir is expected to meet with the head of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa, along with several senior Syrian officials.

In a statement, the Qatari Amiri Diwan announced Sheikh Tamim’s arrival in Damascus for an “official visit to the brotherly Syrian Arab Republic.” Upon his arrival at Damascus International Airport, he was received by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Prime Minister Mohammed Bashir, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra, and several other officials and members of the Qatari embassy in Damascus.

Doha is seeking to secure a leading position in Syria to enhance its influence and secure a central role in reconstruction efforts, in partnership with Turkey, the main supporter of the new administration.

Earlier this month, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, visited Damascus, reaffirming Qatar’s commitment to assisting the new Syrian authorities in restoring essential infrastructure, including electricity.

On December 23, Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Khalifi also visited Damascus. Doha was the first country to send a high-level delegation to Syria just days after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which was overthrown by factions led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Al-Assad fled to Moscow with Russian assistance.

Qatar, a close ally of Turkey, has shown keen interest in establishing ties with Syria’s new Islamic leadership, despite regional and international concerns about the country’s future under this administration. Doha has historically collaborated with Islamist forces in the region and has played a key role in promoting them.

Doha has reopened its embassy in Damascus, raising the Qatari flag after more than a decade of closure. The embassy was shut down in July 2011 after it was attacked by al-Assad regime supporters in response to Al Jazeera’s coverage of the Syrian revolution, which began in March of that year. Earlier this month, Doha also hosted Syrian Foreign Minister and Minister for Expatriates Affairs Asaad al-Shaibani.

Damascus is now receiving regional and international officials on a daily basis, engaging in meetings with the head of the new Syrian administration to explore the next phase of the transition. Ahmed al-Sharaa has also reached out to several Arab leaders, including UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, to strengthen ties and secure support from Gulf nations for Syria’s reconstruction and economic recovery.

A senior U.S. official and a high-ranking diplomat revealed in January that Qatar plans to help fund a significant increase in Syrian public sector wages, pledged by the new government.

According to these sources, Doha, which has long supported the armed uprising against al-Assad, has been pressuring Washington to grant sanctions exemptions that would allow it to provide funding through official channels.

Ahmed al-Sharaa is seeking to lift the sanctions imposed on Syria during al-Assad’s tenure to salvage its collapsing economy. Easing these sanctions would open the door to Western, particularly American, investments.

The European Union recently reached an agreement during a foreign ministers’ meeting on a roadmap to gradually ease sanctions on Syria.

On January 7, the U.S. Treasury Department announced a six-month temporary easing of sanctions on Syria to facilitate the continuation of essential services in the country.