Syria’s new President meets Saudi crown prince in first foreign trip

Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa has met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) in Riyadh on his first foreign trip since being named president of the transitional government earlier this week.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) showed al-Sharaa meeting MBS – Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader – after the Syrian president had first been greeted by the Deputy Governor of the Riyadh Region Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz after he landed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday.

Al-Sharaa was accompanied for the talks in Riyadh by Syria’s foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani.

After the meeting, al-Sharaa said that the meeting with MBS had shown that Saudi Arabia had “a genuine desire to support Syria in building its future”. The Syrian president added that his meetings in Riyadh had included plans for cooperation in the fields of energy, technology, education, and health.

Al-Sharaa led the Syrian opposition in overthrowing the government of longtime President Bashar al-Assad on December 8, after a lightning advance across the country. Since then, the new Syrian administration has sought to gain regional and international legitimacy and to have damaging Western sanctions on Syria removed.

However, concerns over al-Sharaa’s past membership of al-Qaeda have tempered support from some quarters, even as Syria’s new leadership emphasises regional integration and protections for religious and ethnic minorities.

During a visit to Damascus last week, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stated his country was engaged in an active dialogue with Europe and the United States to help lift economic sanctions imposed on Syria.

Last month, al-Sharaa told Al Arabiya TV that Saudi Arabia “will certainly have a large role in Syria’s future”, pointing to “a big investment opportunity for all neighbouring countries”.

Sunday’s trip comes after al-Shibani, Syria’s foreign minister, also travelled to Riyadh last month.

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