Laith Al-Junaidi and Ikram Kouachi
13 April 2025•Update: 13 April 2025
ISTANBUL
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa departed for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday for his first official visit to Abu Dhabi since taking office in January.
“We carry the hopes and aspirations of our people and seek to strengthen fraternal ties and cooperation with our brothers,” Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani, who accompanies Sharaa during the visit, said in a statement.
The visit is part of the Syrian leader’s regional diplomatic push following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime. Since assuming power, he visited Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt, and Jordan.
Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.
The transitional Syrian administration was declared on Jan. 29, 2025, dissolving the constitution, security services, armed factions, the Baath Party and parliament.
