Qatari, Syrian ministers discuss ways to strengthening bilateral cooperation

DOHA

Qatar’s minister of state at the Foreign Ministry on Saturday held discussions with the new Syrian administration’s foreign minister on ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

According to a Qatari Foreign Ministry statement, the discussions took place during a phone call between Egypt’s Mohammed Al-Khulaifi and Syria’s Asaad Al-Shaibani.

The call came a day after Al-Shaibani announced his planned visit to Doha this week.

The two officials discussed “cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them, in addition to the latest developments in Syria, and the Qatari humanitarian aid efforts to relieve the brethren in Syria," the statement said.

Al-Khulaifi reiterated Qatar’s “continued support for Syria in all fields, especially humanitarian and developmental, to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people for a decent life and building a state of institutions and law,” it added.

On Friday, Al-Shaibani announced on X that he would visit Qatar, the UAE, and Jordan this week.

Last month, Al-Khulaifi, accompanied by a high-level Qatari delegation, visited Damascus and met with Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the leader of the new Syrian administration, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations and support Syria's future.

It was the first official Qatari visit to Syria in over 13 years.

Bashar Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party's decades-long regime.

The takeover came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks.

A new administration led by al-Sharaa has now taken charge.



*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala