Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, in Dubai, according to the Syrian presidency, in his first visit to an Arab country since the Syrian war began in 2011. Assad also met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as the UAE and Syrian state news outlets.
According to Syria’s national news agency, SANA, the meeting between Assad and Al Maktoum “discussed the general relations between the two nations and the prospects for expanding the circle of bilateral cooperation, particularly at the economic, investment, and commercial sectors.” The two presidents discussed “topics of mutual concern,” according to WAM, a UAE news agency. These included Syria’s territorial integrity and the removal of foreign soldiers from the nation.