The prospect of Saudi Arabia and Syria resuming diplomatic ties has been a source of hope for many observing the political dynamics in the Middle East. Syria and Saudi Arabia are two major regional powers and being on opposite sides of the Syrian Civil War has caused tensions to run high. Coming from a historical rift, the move to restore ties between both countries could be a major milestone for Middle Eastern politics.
Background on Tensions Between Saudi Arabia and Syria
Syria’s internal struggles have been closely linked to Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy ambitions in the region. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, along with some of his allies, were traditionally financially supported by the Saudis while the latter had been seeking to counter the influence of Iran. Therefore, when the Arab Spring started and the Syrian Civil War began in 2011, it hit a seismic shockwave in the Middle East as both countries found themselves divided by their backing of different factions, leading to a diplomatic rupture.
Signs of Change
Though the rift between Riyadh and Damascus was especially visible, there have been signs of a potential reconciliation. For instance, in June 2018, during the World Cup, Syria’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Saud al-Khalaf, was the first Syrian foreign representative to attend an event in Riyadh. Even more recently, in 2019, Syria proudly displayed the picture of King Salman of Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on billboards in Damascus on the occasion of King Salman’s birthday. In addition, both countries’ leaders have expressed a firm commitment to fostering improved ties.
Restoring Mutual Diplomacy
The final step in mending the rift between both countries’ relations could be exchanging ambassadors and embassies. In particular, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, which had all three broken diplomatic ties with Damascus after the breakout of the Civil War, had resumed ties with Syria in the last year or so. That’s why experts suggest that the existence of a “neighborhood grouping” of countries that are friends of both Syria and Saudi Arabia could sshorten the path for flow of negotiations and increase prospects for an agreement.
Success With Other Countries: A Precedent for Success
The way in which other Middle Eastern countries restored ties with Syria gives a positive indication for actual success in the diplomatic negotiations between Riyadh and Damascus. In addition, countries who have found a successful resolution of diplomatic relations, such as U.A.E. and Egypt, are go-betweens who could serve as mediators to open channels of communication and accelerate the process.
Possible Benefits of Better Relations
The resumption of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Syria could have a long list of benefits, both political and economic.
Political Benefits:
•Strengthened Middle East Power Balance: Improving the ties between Damascus and Riyadh could recalibrate the balance of power in the region.
•Improved Regional Cooperation: Resuming ties between Syria and Saudi Arabia could lead to more regional cooperation in order to battle regional adversaries, such as Iran and Turkey.
•Mutual Respect Between Subjects: Having mutual diplomatic ties could foster improved respect for the other countries’ diplomatic interests, paving the way for a more normalized relationship.
•Rise of Tolerance of Cultural and Political Differences: Mutual diplomatic ties could eventually result in increases in tolerance of cultural and political differences leading to peaceful coexistence in the region.
Economic Benefits:
•Boost in Regional Trade: Mutual diplomatic ties between Riyadh and Damascus could open new doors of regional trade opportunities.
•Fuel Investment Flow to Syria: Saudi Arabia and other countries could become an influx point of international investments for Syria.
•Open the Door to New Job Opportunities: Restoration of ties could yield job opportunities in Saudi Arabia – which is a major economy – to citizens of Syria.
After seven years of severed ties, the prospects of Syria and Saudi Arabia restoring diplomatic ties marks an important moment in Middle Eastern politics. Leveraging off of successful ties restored by other Middle Eastern countries could provide an essential milestone in the reconciliatory process. Both politically and economically, the resumption of ties is a transformative moment that holds optimism for a more stabilized Middle East.
