The first United Arab Emirates ambassador to Damascus in nearly 13 years took up his post on Tuesday.
Syrian state media said the country’s Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad received Ambassador Hassan Ahmad al-Shihi’s credentials.
The UAE embassy was reopened in Syria in late 2018 and a charge d’affaires has been in charge of the diplomatic mission since then.
Al-Shihi will be the first UAE ambassador to Syria since 2011.
Al-Shihi served as the UAE's ambassador to Iraq since 2015 and held a previous post as the ambassador to Sudan.
The reopening of the UAE embassy in Syria in December 2018 ended seven years of strained relations following the Arab League's decision to suspend Syria's membership and severe ties with the country.
The UAE is the first Arab country to restore ties with Damascus. In November 2021, Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed visited Damascus and met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
In March 2023, al-Assad arrived in the UAE for an official visit, accompanied by his wife. Assad held talks with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, during which they discussed on bilateral ties.
