Abdullah bin Zayed attends Arab Ministerial meeting on Syria

The meeting is a continuation of the Aqaba Ministerial Meetings on Syria, which took place in Aqaba, Jordan, on December 14, 2024.

Focus on Syria’s unity and territorial integrity

The meeting addressed the developments in the Syrian Arab Republic and discussed ways to enhance regional and international efforts to ensure Syria's unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty, alongside the security and stability of its people.

Key attendees

The meeting was attended by Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia; Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar; Ayman Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan; Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Iraq; Abdallah Rashid Bouhabib, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon; Asaad al-Shibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Syrian Transitional Government; Dr. Badr Abdel Ati, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Migration of Egypt; Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister of Oman; Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain; Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the GCC; and Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League.

International representatives

Several international officials also attended, including Anne-Claire Legendre, Advisor to the President of France for the Middle East and North Africa; Annalena Baerbock, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany; Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye; David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK; John Bass, Acting Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs at the US Department of State; Maria Tripodi, Undersecretary of State to Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Diego Martínez Belío, State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs of Spain; Kaia Callas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; and Geir O. Pedersen, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria.

UAE's firm position on Syria

Sheikh Abdullah emphasised that the expanded ministerial meeting reflected the importance of collective efforts from regional, international, and UN partners in supporting the Syrian people in their pursuit of lasting security, stability, and prosperity. He reaffirmed the UAE’s unwavering stance on Syria’s independence and territorial integrity, stressing the need for unity among the Syrian people to build a stable and secure nation free from terrorism and exclusion.

Support for UN-led political process

He praised the efforts of UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and underscored the necessity of fully supporting the UN envoy’s leadership in the political process, which seeks to fulfill the aspirations of the Syrian people.

Sheikh Abdullah also thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting the crucial meeting and expressed appreciation to all participating nations.

Attendees from the UAE

Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Sheikh Nahyan bin Saif bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, UAE Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, were also present at the meeting.