The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia made an announcement on Sunday, marking a pivotal moment since 2012: the appointment of a new ambassador in Damascus. Dr. Faisal bin Saud al-Mujaffal has been chosen to serve as Riyadh’s ambassador to Syria, as reported by the Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat.
Expressing his gratitude to King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their trust in him, Mujaffal articulated his commitment to his new role. “I am deeply honored by the royal trust bestowed upon me,” he stated, “and I pray for divine guidance and success in fulfilling my duties to advance the Kingdom’s interests and strengthen the ties between our two nations.”
Mujaffal brings a wealth of experience to his new position, with a distinguished military background, having attained the rank of major general in the Saudi armed forces in 2019. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Kingdom’s Ambassador to Cameroon in Africa.
Speculations about the opening of the Saudi embassy in Damascus surfaced earlier this year, especially since Saudi Arabia restored diplomatic relations with the Syrian regime in March 2023, ending over a decade of severed ties due to the regime’s handling of the 2011 popular uprising.
This reconciliation led to a series of developments, including Syria’s readmission to the Arab League and President Bashar al-Assad’s participation in regional summits, such as the Arab summit in Jeddah and the Manama summit in Bahrain, albeit without speaking in the latter.
In a reciprocal move, the Syrian regime appointed Ayman Soussan, its Deputy Foreign Minister, as ambassador to Saudi Arabia in December 2023.
Recent reports suggest progress towards resuming flights between Syria and Saudi Arabia, indicating a further thaw in bilateral relations between the two countries.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
