Asaad al-Shaibani’s visit to Qatar comes as the new administration seeks support from Arab states following toppling of al-Assad.
Syria’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani has arrived in Qatar as part of his regional trip to seek support for the new government that came to power after the toppling of President Bashar al-Assad last month.
Syrian official news agency SANA confirmed the arrival of the delegation on Sunday, which includes the country’s Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and head of intelligence Anas Khattab.
Al-Shaibani is expected to meet Qatari officials, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed al-Khulaifi, on his first trip to the Gulf state. The visit comes nearly two weeks after al-Khulaifi travelled to Damascus to hold talks with officials from the new administration.
Al-Khulaifi’s trip had come days after Doha opened its embassy in Damascus after 13 years. Qatar did not join other Arab states in recognising al-Assad, who has taken asylum in Russia since fleeing the country on December 8. He has been accused of committing war crimes against his own citizens.
Syria’s new government is eager for investment from wealthy Gulf states to help rebuild the country’s infrastructure and boost the economy, shattered by more than a decade of war.
Al Jazeera’s Steffanie Dekker reporting from Doha said discussions between Qatari officials and the Syria delegation are likely to focus on “strengthening of ties, security, rebuilding”.
“This is an interim government that faces huge challenges when it comes to getting Syria back on its feet. It needs money,” she added.
Al-Shaibani is expected to visit the United Arab Emirates and Jordan this week to “support stability, security, economic recovery and build distinguished partnerships”, according to his account on X.
He embarked on his first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, where Saudi officials discussed how best to support Syria’s political transition.
Meanwhile on Friday, de facto Syria leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati agreed in a phone call to restore calm on the 375km (233 mile) border following clashes between Lebanese soldiers and Syrian gunmen that left five of the former injured.
Al-Sharaa heads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, which led the capture of Damascus from al-Assad rule.
