Syria's new president invited to emergency Arab League summit in Cairo

24/2/2025 6:03

Syria's new President Ahmed al-Sharaa has received an

invitation from Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to

attend an emergency Arab League summit in Cairo on March 4, the

Syrian presidency said in a statement on Sunday, marking a major

step in rebuilding ties with the Arab world after the downfall

of Bashar al-Assad.



Sharaa, whose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group

spearheaded the offensive that toppled autocratic leader Assad

in December, was declared president for a transitional phase



last month.



Since assuming power, Sharaa has sought to strengthen ties

with Arab nations, pledging a political transition that includes

the formation of an inclusive government and eventual elections,

which he has said could take up to four years to organise.



Egypt, which views Islamists as an existential threat,

has treaded with caution after Sharaa took office, with

officials saying Syria's new administration needed to adopt an

inclusive political transition free from "external

interventions".



While Sisi congratulated Sharaa upon his appointment,

their first face-to-face meeting is expected to take place

during the Arab League summit.



The upcoming Cairo summit is set to focus primarily on

Arab efforts to counter U.S. President



Donald Trump's



plan to redevelop war-torn Gaza into an international beach

resort and his calls for Egypt and Jordan to resettle displaced

Gazans.