Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is set to visit Saudi Arabia on Sunday, marking his first official trip abroad since assuming power after Bashar al-Assad’s ouster in December. The move comes as the kingdom is engaged in talks with Europe and the US to help lift economic sanctions imposed on Syria.
Al-Sharaa, an Islamist who was once affiliated with al Qaeda, has been seeking support from Arab and Western leaders to stabilize the country’s economy. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister recently visited Damascus, indicating that the kingdom is committed to supporting the new Syrian government.
The region remains concerned about Syria’s production and trade of captagon, a potent amphetamine-like drug used in Gulf states. Jordan has been identified as a key transit route for smuggling captagon into the region.
In recent weeks, the new Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, downplayed concerns over drug smuggling, suggesting it would not pose a threat to Jordan under Syria’s new Islamist rulers. This visit marks an important opportunity for Saudi Arabia to engage with the new Syrian government and explore ways to address regional security concerns.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrias-president-visits-saudi-arabia-sunday-first-trip-abroad-after-assads-fall-2025-02-01