Syria’s President Assad during the meeting with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed. Source: the Syrian Presidency Office.
On February 12, Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan visited Syria and met with President Bashar al-Assad to discuss rescue and aid work after the recent devastating earthquake.
The earthquake, which took place on February 6, affected central and southern Turkey as well as northern and western Syria, claiming the lives of some 30,000 people in both countries.
During the meeting with Assad, Abdullah bin Zayed conveyed the condolences of UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Dubai Governor Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to Syria and its people.
The UAE was among the very first countries to send humanitarian aid and rescue teams to Syria, where at least 5,000 people were killed in the disaster.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency, Abdullah bin Zayed informed Assad that the UAE “will continue to provide the required assistance to the Syrian people to overcome the effects of the earthquake.”
From his side, Assad told the Emirate minister that the “Syrian people appreciate the positions of the UAE and its quick response, which reflects the depth of the relations and bilateral ties that bind the two countries, and the humanitarian principles that the brotherly Emirati people possess.”
After meeting with Assad, Abdullah bin Zayed visited several areas which were affected by the earthquake, and inspected the work of the Emirate rescue team.
Syria’s President Assad during the meeting with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed. Source: the Syrian Presidency Office.
It’s worth noting that the UAE cut ties with Syria less than a year after the outbreak of the war in the country. However, Abu Dhabi reopened its embassy in Damascus in 2018 and relations between the countries took off again.
According to recent reports, the UAE is currently making efforts to restore Syria’s relations with the Arab World, specifically with Saudi Arabia. The visit of the country’s foreign minister may be related to these efforts, especially that it came just a day after talk of a Saudi plan to dispatch aid directly to government-held parts of Syria.
