Qatar’s Emir becomes first Arab leader to visit post-Assad Syria

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Syria’s transitional president Ahmad al-Sharaa welcomed Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani upon his arrival at Damascus Airport, marking the first visit by an Arab leader to Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

According to Qatari and Syrian media, al-Sharaa led the official reception, accompanied by Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, and several other senior officials. The visit comes just one day after al-Sharaa was sworn in as Syria’s transitional president.

Earlier today, Qatar became the first Arab nation to formally endorse Al-Sharaa’s presidency, describing it as a step toward stability, national unity, and institutional rebuilding.

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed its full support for Syria, pledging to contribute to regional and international efforts aimed at securing freedom, prosperity, and civil peace for the Syrian people.

On January 16, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani met with al-Sharaa in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

Following al-Assad’s overthrow, Qatar was the second country, after Turkiye, to reopen its embassy in Damascus and has since advocated for lifting sanctions on Syria.

Earlier this month, Doha also hosted Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani.