VIDEO: Safadi participates in Riyadh summit on Syria's stabilization

Foreign ministers from the Middle East and Europe arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday for a summit focused on stabilizing Syria after the fall of former President Bashar Al-Assad's regime.

Among the attendees is Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi.

This meeting is a continuation of the 'Aqaba Meetings' held in Jordan on Dec. 14, 2024, where Safadi is expected to meet with several of his counterparts.

A Saudi official informed Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the summit will consist of two sessions: the first will involve Arab officials, and the second will include broader participation from Turkey, France, the EU, and the UN.

This meeting coincides with efforts by Ahmed Al-Sharaa, head of the new Damascus administration, to ease sanctions following his forces' recent ousting of Assad.

Western nations, including the US and the EU, have imposed sanctions on Assad's government due to its violent crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011, which triggered a civil war.

The war in Syria resulted in over half a million deaths, devastated the economy, and displaced millions.

EU Foreign Minister Kaia Kallas stated that the bloc may begin lifting sanctions if Syria's new leaders form an inclusive government that protects minorities.

Saudi Arabia, like other Gulf states, severed diplomatic ties with Syria in February 2012, closing its embassy in response to the violent suppression of protests. However, in March 2023, Riyadh announced talks to resume consular services between the two countries. Saudi Arabia also played a key role in reinstating Syria's membership in the Arab League during the Jeddah summit attended by Assad in May.

Anna Jacobs, a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW), noted that the summit signals Saudi Arabia's desire to lead regional efforts to support Syria's recovery. However, she raised concerns about how much time and resources Riyadh would commit to this effort amid ongoing sanctions.