Arab League Resumes Activities In Damascus, Mauritanian Ambassador Begins Duties

A beekeeper showcasing his honey production at a festival in Damascus last month (EPA)
A beekeeper showcasing his honey production at a festival in Damascus last month (EPA)
TT

Arab League Resumes Activities In Damascus, Mauritanian Ambassador Begins Duties

A beekeeper showcasing his honey production at a festival in Damascus last month (EPA)
A beekeeper showcasing his honey production at a festival in Damascus last month (EPA)

The Arab League resumed some of its activities in Damascus for the first time since Nov. 2011, when Arab foreign ministers decided to suspend Syria’s membership in the Arab organization.

On Sunday, the Arab Union for Productive Families and Traditional and Developed Industries launched its regional office in Damascus, during a ceremony held at the Opera House, under the auspices of the Syrian Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.

The Union is affiliated with the Council of Arab Economic Unity, and aims to promote social and solidarity economy, assist productive families and workers in small occupations and crafts, in addition to traditional industries. The Union also works to help the unemployed, empower them socially and economically and improve their living standard.

During a meeting in Cairo in Nov. 11, the Arab foreign ministers decided to suspend Syria’s participation in the Arab League Council and all affiliated organizations and agencies until it fully implements its pledges and provides protection for Syrian civilians. The decision was followed by the closure of Arab embassies in Damascus or the reduction of their diplomatic representation.

However, sources in Damascus told Asharq Al-Awsat that the activities of some of the organizations and agencies affiliated to the Arab League in Damascus have not stopped over the past years, such as the Radio and TV Training Center, the Arab Academy for E-Business and others.

As the Syrian regime regained control of the capital and most of the Syrian territory in 2018, with the support of Russia, the country resumed its efforts, through delegations and informal contacts, to return to the Arab League.

During a press conference in Moscow with Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in mid-January, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov revealed that his country and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have agreed on several points related to Syria, including “its return to the Arab family (the League of Arab States).”

In this context, a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Damascus said that Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Al-Meqdad received, on Sunday, the credentials of Ahmed Adi Muhammad Al-Razi, the new ambassador of Mauritania in Damascus.

The Mauritanian embassy is the third Arab country to resume its diplomatic work in Damascus, following the UAE and Bahrain, which re-opened their embassies there in 2018 without appointing an ambassador.



Trump Victory Fuels Fears of Netanyahu’s Increased Freedom in Lebanon

Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
TT

Trump Victory Fuels Fears of Netanyahu’s Increased Freedom in Lebanon

Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)

Lebanese are watching closely after Donald Trump’s election as US president, hoping his policies might bring solutions to regional crises and possibly halt wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Observers caution, however, that change won’t be immediate or at Israel’s expense; instead, they expect Israel could have more military leeway before peace efforts begin.

Trump didn’t outline his plans to end conflicts during his victory speech, only briefly mentioning the issue.

Fares Soeid, a former Lebanese MP, called Trump’s win a potential global turning point, particularly in conflict zones like Ukraine and the Middle East. Soeid believes Trump’s support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s far-right may intensify.

Soeid told Asharq Al-Awsat that Trump’s election could hasten military actions on the Lebanese-Israeli border, allowing Netanyahu more freedom to secure military objectives and strengthen Israel’s negotiating position.

He suggested key UN resolutions intended to control arms in Lebanon may lose focus, with the goal shifting to place all weapons under state control.

There is concern in Lebanon over any change to Resolution 1701, which maintains the ceasefire with Israel.

Soeid clarified that Trump might not scrap these resolutions outright but could push for tighter arms restrictions, ensuring only Lebanon’s government holds power over weapons.

He believes the US may aim to create a cohesive Lebanese leadership to enforce these measures, essentially enabling Netanyahu more flexibility in regional matters.

The US election drew intense interest in Lebanon, with citizens and officials closely tracking the campaigns and vote results, hoping for a positive shift.

Lebanese politician Khaldoun Sharif noted that Trump reached out to Lebanese Americans during his campaign, promising to bring peace to Lebanon quickly.

He sees Trump’s advisor, Lebanese-born Massad Boulos, as potentially instrumental in highlighting Lebanon’s needs to the new administration.

Sharif criticized the outgoing Democratic administration’s handling of conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, saying it failed to curb Netanyahu’s plans despite multiple ceasefire proposals.

As Trump prepares to take office on January 20, Sharif emphasized that Lebanon is eager for a complete ceasefire, adherence to Resolution 1701, a consensus-backed president, and a transparent, reform-oriented government to rebuild trust with Arab nations and the international community.

Sharif voiced disappointment that past US administrations have often overlooked Lebanon’s significance.

Now, amid a severe conflict, he hopes Trump will act swiftly to end the violence, support reconstruction, and restore Lebanon’s standing on the regional stage.