The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, will visit the Syrian capital Damascus on Thursday in the first visit by an Arab leader to Syria since the fall of the Assad regime. The Syrian Presidency confirmed that the Emir will meet with the head of the interim administration, Ahmad al-Sharaa, to discuss political developments and bilateral relations between the two countries.

Qatar welcomed the steps taken to restructure the Syrian state and promote national consensus, stressing its support for efforts to achieve stability and build state institutions on a legal and developmental basis. In a statement, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the importance of the state’s monopoly on arms under the umbrella of a national army representing all Syrians to preserve the unity and sovereignty of the country and pave the way for a comprehensive political transition.