Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa to visit Saudi Arabia on Sunday

Syria’s leader will be in Saudi Arabia for two days and is expected to discuss bolstering relations between the two countries.

Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was named president of the transitional government earlier this week, is set to visit Saudi Arabia for his first foreign trip after taking office.

Sources in Syria told Al Jazeera on Saturday that al-Sharaa will be in Saudi Arabia for two days and is expected to discuss bolstering relations between the two countries.

Al-Sharaa’s appointment came after opposition forces led an offensive against Bashar al-Assad last December and ended his rule.

As president, al-Sharaa has also been authorised to form a temporary legislative council for the transitional phase which will carry out its task until a new constitution is adopted.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent congratulatory messages to al-Sharaa after his appointment as president and wished him success.

Last month, al-Sharaa told Al Arabiya TV that Saudi Arabia “will certainly have a large role in Syria’s future”, pointing to “a big investment opportunity for all neighbouring countries”.

Last week, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan visited Damascus, promising help to secure the lifting of international sanctions imposed during al-Assad’s rule.

During a news conference after his meeting with al-Sharaa, Prince Faisal added that Riyadh is engaged in “active dialogue with all relevant countries, whether the United States or the European Union, and we are hearing positive messages.”

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani also travelled to Riyadh last month.