Syria11 July, 20263 min read
Qatar’s Prime Minister Meets Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Damascus After Assad’s Fall
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Discussions aimed to strengthen Syria-Qatar ties. A memorandum of understanding on diplomatic cooperation and training was signed.
Qatar returns to Damascus
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed ben Abdulrahman arrived in Damascus on Thursday for his first visit to Syria since the fall of the Assad regime last month, with live images showing his arrival at the international airport. The Anadolu Ajansı report said Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majid Al-Ansari stated that the prime minister would hold discussions with Ahmed al-Charaa, the leader of the new Syrian administration. Anadolu Ajansı also linked the visit to Qatar’s support during Syria’s transition, noting that Qatar’s embassy in Damascus reopened at the end of December after a closure that began in 2011 following the violent crackdown by the Assad regime on pro-democracy protests.
The same Anadolu Ajansı account said Bachar al-Assad fled to Russia after groups anti-regime took control of Damascus on 8 December, ending the Baas regime that had been in power since 1963. In parallel, the Middle East Monitor reported that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen cooperation on Saturday, including reconstruction, humanitarian response, and investment opportunities.
Chemical weapons and training
The Middle East Monitor said the talks in Damascus focused on reconstruction, humanitarian response, and investment opportunities during Syria’s recovery phase, and it added that Qatar’s Foreign Ministry stated the meeting reviewed progress on Syria’s chemical weapons file under the existing partnership between Doha and Damascus. It also reported that the two sides discussed efforts to support Syria’s implementation of its relevant obligations and strengthen cooperation with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and that Al-Khulaifi reaffirmed Qatar’s full support for Syria and pledged Doha’s continued contribution to regional and international efforts. The report further said the Syrian and Qatari foreign ministries signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in diplomatic studies and training following the talks.
In a separate account, Al-Jazeera Net said Syrian President Ahmad al-Shari' met Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Al-Khalifi at the People’s Palace in Damascus, with the Syrian presidency stating the meeting reviewed “the efforts supporting the path of openness and regional cooperation, alongside issues of reconstruction and humanitarian response and investment opportunities in the recovery phase.” Al-Jazeera Net also said the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Syria and Qatar in the field of diplomatic studies and training during Al-Khalifi’s visit to Damascus.
Regional ties and next steps
Beyond Damascus, the القدس العربي report said Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani discussed with Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid al-Dbeibah ways to strengthen relations and reaffirmed Qatar’s support for peaceful solutions that preserve Libya’s sovereignty. That same report said the Qatari prime minister also discussed with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani support for reconstruction, development, and stability, describing the meeting as taking place during the Libyan official’s visit to Doha. The report tied the momentum in Qatar-Syria relations to political changes in Damascus following the ouster of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024, and it said the two sides have held exchanges of official visits and discussions on reconstruction, economic cooperation, and support for the transitional phase.
In Doha, SANA reported that President Ahmad al-Charaa met the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, with the two sides stressing bilateral relations and their development in various fields, notably economic and investment, and strengthening of trade ties. SANA also said President al-Charaa reaffirmed Syria’s solidarity with Qatar and that the talks addressed the latest regional and international developments and ways to coordinate efforts to preserve the security and stability of the region.