The UAE completes normalization of relations with Syria by appointing its first ambassador to Damascus
Abu Dhabi leads efforts to deepen Arab presence in Syria with the aim of preventing Iranian and Turkish encroachments and preventing them from monopolizing the reshaping of the country's political future
On Monday, Ahmed Hassan Al-Shehhi, the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, arrived in Damascus, becoming the first ambassador of his country to Syria since 2011, as part of Abu Dhabi’s policy to restore relations between the two countries to their natural course and activate the Arab role in supporting stability in Syria.
The Syrian newspaper “Al-Watan” reported that Al-Shehhi will head the Emirati diplomatic mission after nearly 13 years of vacancy in this position, which was previously held by Abdul Hakim Al-Naimi, who served as the charge d’affaires since the reopening of the embassy in Damascus. Al-Shehhi served as the UAE Ambassador to Iraq since 2015, and prior to that, he served as his country’s ambassador to Sudan. In December 2018, the UAE reopened its embassy in Damascus after seven years of severed relations between the two countries.
The diplomatic representation comes amid repeated Emirati calls for years to deepen Arab presence in Syria with the aim of preventing Iranian and Turkish encroachments on the Syrian issue and preventing Tehran and Ankara from monopolizing the reshaping of Syria’s political future.
The UAE leads Middle Eastern efforts to revive relations with President Bashar al-Assad and normalized relations with his government in 2018. It also contributed to relief efforts following the earthquake on February 6 in southeastern Turkey and northern Syria, which killed tens of thousands. The UAE pledged to provide more than $100 million in aid and sent search and rescue teams and thousands of tons of relief supplies.
The UAE was the first Arab country to reopen its embassy in Damascus in December 2018. It then began sending medical aid to Syria to combat the spread of the coronavirus and also financed the reconstruction of some public buildings, power stations, and water networks in Damascus.
In November 2021, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed met with President al-Assad in Damascus in the first high-level Emirati official visit to Syria since the conflict began. This was preceded by a visit from Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Mohammed Samer Khalil to Dubai in response to an invitation to participate in “Expo 2020 Dubai.”
In March 2023, al-Assad and his wife, Asma, made an official visit to the UAE, where they held official talks with the President of the State, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, addressing ways to enhance bilateral relations. At the time, Emirati Presidential Diplomatic Adviser Anwar Gargash affirmed that “the UAE’s approach and efforts towards brotherly Syria are part of a deeper vision and a broader approach aimed at enhancing Arab and regional stability and overcoming difficult years of confrontation. Events related to chaos and its repercussions have shown that our Arab world is more deserving of addressing its issues and crises away from regional and international interventions.”
For millions of Syrians living in government-controlled areas, this rapprochement opens up prospects for ending their long isolation, as well as an opportunity to escape from Syria, where optimism dwindles and opportunities for employment and basic services, from electricity to water, are diminishing.
The Washington Post reported in a previous article that a large wave of Syrian youth migrated to the UAE after Abu Dhabi eased its restrictions on Syrian tourism visas following the normalization of relations with Damascus.
Saudi Arabia, which recently reached an agreement with Iran to restore bilateral relations, has opened the door to potential dialogue with Damascus, especially on humanitarian issues, saying that there is a growing Arab consensus that isolating Syria has become futile. Qatar, on the other hand, expressed its opposition to any moves towards reform or normalization of relations with al-Assad.
