Syria’s new President Ahmed al-Sharaa has received an invitation from Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sissi to attend an emergency Arab League summit in Cairo on March 4, the Syrian presidency said Sunday in a statement, 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 organize.
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 Sissi 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 Palestinians from Gaza.