Syria's Sharaa Heads to UAE for Second Visit to a Gulf Country as Leader

Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa will travel to the United Arab Emirates for his second visit to a Gulf state as president on Sunday, Syria's official news agency reported, as the country's Islamist rulers seek to reassure foreign partners that they will create an inclusive political system.

Sharaa will be accompanied by foreign minister Assad al-Shibani, who visited the UAE earlier this year.

They are expected to discuss issues of mutual interest, the SANA state news agency reported, without giving details.

Sharaa visited Saudi Arabia in February on his first foreign trip since assuming the presidency in January.

His visit to the UAE comes as the new Syrian leadership attempts to strengthen ties with Arab and Western leaders following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December at the hands of Sharaa's Sunni Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Abu Dhabi has been a fierce opponent of Islamist groups across the region, including in Egypt, Sudan and Libya. It previously said that extremism and terrorism were a major concern in Syria following the fall of Assad.

The West is watching Syria's leaders closely to ensure they create an inclusive government with effective institutions, maintain order in a country fractured by civil war and prevent a resurgence of Islamic State or al Qaeda.

Syria is in desperate need of sanctions relief to revive its economy after 14 years of war, during which the United States and Europe imposed wide-ranging sanctions to squeeze Assad.