Syria’s President Meets MBS in Riyadh on First Foreign Trip

(Bloomberg) -- Interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa held talks in Riyadh with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on broad economic cooperation between the two countries, as the new Syrian leader looked to draw support from the kingdom during his first official foreign trip.

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Formerly the head of HTS, the Islamist rebel group that toppled Bashar Al-Assad late last year, Al-Sharaa declared himself president last week as part of a transitional government. He also dissolved Syria’s parliament and armed forces, as well as the constitution.

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The talks between Al-Sharaa and Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, known as MBS, tackled “extensive future plans” in the fields of energy, technology, education and health, according to Syria’s state-run news agency SANA. They also discussed the security situation in Syria and means to maintain its stability, the official Saudi news agency SPA reported.

The visit comes as Al-Sharaa seeks to pivot Damascus toward Gulf and Arab states and rebuild a country and an economy torn by years of civil war. In January, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with Al-Sharaa in the Syrian capital and discussed ways to help lift international sanctions imposed during Assad’s reign.

European Union foreign ministers reached a preliminary deal this week on a roadmap to gradually ease sanctions. The bloc is stepping up efforts to build relations with Syria’s new leaders while also seeking to persuade them to curtail Russia’s influence.

Assad was a close ally of Russia and Iran, and his downfall was a significant blow to their sway in the Middle East. Al-Sharaa, whose rebel group was backed by Turkey, is also trying to market himself as a leader capable of inclusive governance and change the Islamist image that’s has raised concerns over the fate of Syria’s religious minorities.

(Updates with details of the meeting in first and third paragraph.)

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