The Arab League has officially lifted the suspension of the Syrian government after more than a decade, signaling the return of President Bashar al-Assad to the Arab fold. The decision was made by the group’s foreign ministers in an anonymous vote and will allow the Syrian government to resume its participation in Arab League meetings starting from Sunday.
The ministers expressed their desire to play a leading role in resolving the Syria crisis and its humanitarian, security, and political consequences, emphasizing the need to provide aid to all those in need. They have also established a ministerial committee to continue a direct dialogue with the Syrian government in the hopes of achieving a comprehensive solution.
The suspension of Damascus’ participation in the Arab League was due to its actions against peaceful protests that started in 2011 and turned into a civil conflict resulting in over 500,000 deaths, displacement of millions, and significant damage to the country’s infrastructure and industry.
President Bashar al-Assad had been left politically isolated since the war began, but recent weeks have seen a flurry of diplomatic activity ahead of an Arab League summit in Jeddah on May 19.
At the start of the conflict, several Arab countries severed diplomatic relations with Syria and offered assistance to the Syrian opposition. However, President al-Assad “stubbornly held onto power” and even regained previously lost territory during the conflict.
This, along with vital support from Iran and Russia, facilitated his slow acceptance by regional capitals. The United Arab Emirates has reportedly been leading the recent push to reintegrate Syria into the Arab community, with an earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria on February 6th contributing to an Arab outreach to Assad’s government.
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