The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, arrived in Damascus today for an official visit, the first of its kind at the leadership level, meeting with the transitional president of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported that the Qatari Emir arrived today, Thursday, January 30, on an official visit, accompanied by an official delegation.
The report added that al-Sharaa, along with the head of the interim government in Damascus, Mohammed al-Bashir, Minister of Foreign Affairs Asaad al-Shibani, Minister of Defense Murhaf Abu Qasra, and a number of officials and members of the Qatari embassy, were present to receive him in Damascus.
QNA also mentioned in a separate report that the Emir’s visit to Damascus is set to discuss relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them in various sectors and fields, aiming to build a future partnership that would benefit both countries and their peoples.
It highlighted that the visit carries many messages and indicators, as it comes at historically pivotal moments, in a phase where the Syrian people need all kinds of support to rebuild their state on the foundations that preserve their dignity and rights, ensuring their interests and legitimate aspirations.
It added, “Qatar confirms that it will always stand by the Syrian people in their pursuit of peace and justice, ready to cooperate with the new Syrian administration on various international issues, foremost among them lifting sanctions against Syria.”
The Qatari news agency published photos of Emir Tamim bin Hamad’s arrival in the Syrian capital, Damascus, and his meetings with Syrian officials, including al-Sharaa.
As of the time this news was released, there has been no announcement from the Syrian side regarding the visit.
On December 23, 2024, an official Qatari delegation arrived in Damascus, marking the first official visit after a 13-year rift with the previous Syrian regime.
At that time, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the visit was a confirmation of the “strength of brotherly relations” between Qatar and Syria, and Qatar’s keenness to support the Syrian people in preserving the unity and sovereignty of Syrian territory.
Earlier, the Qatari flag was raised at the Qatari embassy in Damascus without its official reopening on December 21, in the presence of a Qatari diplomatic delegation.
Qatar was one of the countries that supported Syrian opposition factions and institutions since their inception in 2012, maintaining its position against normalization with the ousted Syrian regime over the past years.
Despite the Arab consensus on normalizing relations with the Syrian regime in the middle of last year, Qatar remained opposed to this step.