Saudi Arabia appoints first envoy to Syria in over a decade

Saudi Arabia’s state news agency, SPA, said on Sunday that Riyadh’s new ambassador to Syria will be Faisal al-Mujfel.

The report quoted the new Saudi envoy as hoping to “serve the Kingdom’s interests and strengthen the bilateral bonds between the two brotherly nations”.

Saudi Arabia had reopened its embassy in Syria earlier this year with a charge d’affaires after the Syrian government reopened its Riyadh embassy last year and appointed a new ambassador in December.

The re-establishment of relations between Riyadh and Damascus is a new development among a series of moves by regional Arab states to mend fences with Syria.

The Arab countries’ decision to re-establish relations with Syria came after the latter’s increasing success in recapturing vast swathes of its territory and turning the tide against the foreign-sponsored terrorists.

Earlier in January, the United Arab Emirates dispatched its first ambassador to Syria after 13 years, following the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received Hassan Ahmed al-Shehhi in early February, after the Emirati ambassador officially presented his credentials to Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mikdad.

According to Syria’s official SANA news agency, al-Shehi conveyed to the Syrian side his commitment to enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries.

Before sending an ambassador, the UAE had reopened its embassy in Damascus in December 2018, tasking its charge d’affaires, Abdul Hakim al-Nuaimi, with handling the diplomatic affairs between the two sides.

In March 2022, Syrian president traveled to the UAE, meeting with Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Assad’s visit to the UAE took place only months after the Emirates’ Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan traveled to the Syrian capital Damascus.

In May 2022, the 22-member Arab League agreed to reinstate Syria, ending a 12-year suspension and taking another step toward bringing the country back into the fold.