Syria FM says to visit Saudi Arabia in his first official foreign trip

“I am honoured to represent my country on my first official visit [to Saudi Arabia],” al-Shibani said in a post on X on Monday.

“We look forward to building strategic relations with our brothers in the kingdom in all fields,” he added, describing the visit as a gesture of goodwill and a step towards restoring Syria’s role in the region after the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad this month.

Al-Shaibani was appointed foreign minister on December 21 by Syria’s interim government, becoming the country’s first top diplomat since al-Assad’s overthrow.

During a news conference with his Kuwaiti counterpart Abdullah al-Yahya in the capital, Damascus, later on Monday, al-Shaibani stated his visit to Saudi Arabia is scheduled in the “first week of the new year”.

He also called on Kuwait, “with all love and joy” to reopen its embassy in Damascus and resume relations with Syria following the downfall of al-Assad.

Kuwait’s foreign minister al-Yahya’s visit was the latest by regional leaders and diplomats as they signal an openness to establishing relations in the wake of the overthrow of al-Assad by rebel forces on December 8.

Al-Yahya and Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi also met Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, during their visit. Al-Yahya noted they discussed regional developments and cooperation.

Al-Yahya called on the international community to reconsider sanctions imposed on Syria. He also said Kuwait’s leadership has appealed for aid to be sent to Syria urgently.

“The visit expresses our keenness on opening a new page of regional cooperation … we also value the responsiveness of the new administration in Syria to these efforts,” he added.