Syria FM says heading to UAE, Qatar, Jordan

The top diplomat in Syria's new leadership said Friday he will make official visits to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan this week, having just been to Saudi Arabia on his first trip in office.

The 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.

"This week, I will represent my country, Syria, on an official visit to our brothers in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan," its foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani said in a statement on X.

"We look forward to these visits contributing to support stability, security, economic recovery, and building distinguished partnerships," he added.

Earlier this week, Shaibani headed a high-ranking delegation to Riyadh that included the new government's defence minister and intelligence chief.

It was the first foreign visit by Syria's new Islamist rulers since they ousted president Bashar al-Assad last month.

Last month, a Saudi delegation met Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus, a source close to the Saudi government told AFP at the time.

Sharaa heads the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, which led the rebel offensive that ousted Assad on December 8.

Last week, in an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television, Sharaa said Saudi Arabia "will certainly have a large role in Syria's future", pointing to "a big investment opportunity for all neighbouring countries".