Qatar to re-open embassy in Syria

The mission in Damascus has been shut since July 2011

A Qatari diplomatic delegation has arrived in Damascus “to complete the necessary procedures” for re-opening its embassy there, the Gulf country’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Qatar’s then-Ambassador to Syria, Zayed al-Khayarine, left Damascus in July 2011, when the embassy suspended its work. The decision followed strong criticism from Syrian authorities of Qatar’s state-backed media outlet Al-Jazeera’s coverage in March 2011 of a revolt against the Assad government.

According to the statement by the Official Spokesperson of the Qatari Foreign Ministry Majid bin Mohammed Al Ansari, “during its meetings with the ‘transitional government’ in Syria, the delegation reaffirmed the State of Qatar’s full commitment to supporting the Syrian people in achieving their aspirations for security, peace, development, and prosperity following the success of their revolution.”

The delegation and new Syrian authorities also discussed ways to enhance the flow of Qatari humanitarian aid and “the needs of the Syrian brothers during this important phase.”

A war broke out in Syria in 2011 following a wave of protests and uprisings known as the Arab Spring that swept across the Middle East and North Africa. While Western countries, Türkiye, Israel, and some Gulf states supported the anti-Assad forces, Russia and Iran backed the government in Damascus. A truce brokered by Moscow and Ankara in 2020 ended large-scale fighting for almost four years.