The UAE has taken unprecedented steps to improve relations with Syria’s troubled President Bashar al-Assad, drawing condemnation from numerous countries who are wary of reconciling with Damascus. Despite Assad’s gradual reintegration with the Arab world, he faces numerous major obstacles and challenges. The most significant of these is a hesitant Saudi Arabia’s lack of support, which would obstruct Syria’s reinstatement to full membership in the Arab League before its impending summit. The summit, which had already been postponed owing to COVID-19, may be pushed back even further due to COVID-19, however no alternate date has yet been set.
The UAE has been at the forefront of normalization efforts, particularly as a potential counterbalance to Iran’s influence in the country. Because Iran and Russia currently dominate the Syrian arena, Abu Dhabi’s involvement appears to be a long-term strategy. With numerous key diplomatic moves, including Bahrain sending its first ambassador to Syria in over a decade and Jordan fully reopening its central border crossing with Syria to increase trade, Damascus’ recent trend of repairing relations with its Arab neighbors has intensified.
Source: https://www.mei.edu/publications/uae-paves-way-syrias-return-arab-fold-plenty-hurdles-remain