Syria newly appointed Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani is reportedly to undertake his first diplomacy trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Al-Shibani’s confirmed visit on Tuesday via a post on X (Twitter) indicates that the two countries may be healing from the political unrest that characterized the overthrow of longtime Syrian president Bashar al-Assad earlier this month.
Al-Shibani stated his pleasure for being a part of this honor serving the Syria in this capacity, while clearly seeing the need to enhance cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” We consider it our duty to start building the desired strategic relations with our brothers in the kingdom in all fields,” he said pointing to the friendly visit as a goodwill sign towards building up Syria’s standing as a regional power in a post Assad era.
This brings tensions to a new high, especially when it is barely a week after al-Shibani was sworn in as the foreign minister of the interim Syrian government on December 21st. It is the first time when this vacancy has been filled since al-Assad’s overthrow; thus, it might be stated that the Syrian diplomacy begins with that figure. The planned visit to Saudi Arabia in the first week of the New Year symbolizes a possible change in the balance of power in the region.
Giving additional details of the trip on Monday in a joint news conference with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Abdullah al-Yahya, in Damascus, al-Shibani said that Kuwait had offered an official invitation to Assad. He reaffirmed his intention to warm relations with Saudi Arabia and stated wished that the visit will set direction for better Saudi-US relations.
Apart from the visit to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, al-Shibani, also invited the government of Kuwait to reopen embassy in Damascus and establish full diplomatic relations with the Syrian state. He presented that plea with affectionate language, stressing the common history and close ties of the two countries. In all love and joy,” he asked Kuwait to resume relations with Syria after [al-Assad] fled, he said.
The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister’s visit to Damascus, along with the impending Saudi Arabia trip, signifies a growing trend of regional powers cautiously exploring renewed diplomatic engagement with Syria. The fall of al-Assad on December 8th after 40 years, has left a fluid and volatile landscape of politics. Many regional actors are now reassessing their approach to Syria, seeking to understand the implications of this dramatic change and potentially influence the country’s future trajectory.
Other Arab states have also begun to make early diplomatic approaches to the interim Syrian regime. Although the road ahead is complex and fraught with challenges, such tentative gestures do seem to represent a willingness to return to Syria and consider contributing to its transition. The international community is paying close attention to these changes and understands that regional stability is critical, and that effective coordinated response to the current humanitarian situation in Syria is necessary.
The attention now turns to the details of al-Shibani’s trip to Saudi Arabia and the possible consequences of those new diplomatic efforts. The area is holding its breath, praying for a peaceful and prosperous day for Syria and its population. The next few weeks and months are likely to be decisive in binding the future of this new stage in Syrian history and its implications for the rest of the Middle East.
The international community will undoubtedly be an important contributing factor to help the Syrian people in going through this complicated transition and to try to build a significantly more stable and democratic future.
