Syria's Foreign Minister holds talks with Saudi officials in Riyadh during first overseas trip

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani held talks with his counterpart in Saudi Arabia and the kingdom's defence minister during the Syrian interim government's first international trip, as it seeks to build alliances and bolster its regional standing during a crucial transition period.

Countries in the region and beyond have reached out to the administration led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham chief Ahmad Al Shara since the group, once affiliated with Al Qaeda, led a rebel offensive that toppled president Bashar Al Assad on December 8.

“Through this first visit in the history of Free Syria, we aspire to open a new, bright page in Syrian-Saudi relations that befits the long shared history between the two countries,” Mr Al Shibani said on X as the Syrian delegation arrived in Riyadh on Thursday. He was accompanied by the Minister of Defence Murhaf Abu Qasra and the head of the General Intelligence Service, Anas Khattab.

Saudi Arabia severed ties with the Assad regime in 2012, as did other Arab states. But Riyadh restored relations last year and was instrumental in Syria's return to the Arab League, ending its regional isolation before the regime was toppled by the rebels last month.

Gulf countries had sought assurance from Mr Al Assad that Damascus would stop the flow of the drug Captagon from Syria. The amphetamine-like narcotic was Syria's most valuable export in the final years of his rule, with the value of the trade estimated at billions of dollars.

Syrian state media said Mr Al Shibani's visit to Saudi Arabia was at the invitation of Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. The delegation was received at Riyadh airport by Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed El Khereiji.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud meets Syria's newly appointed Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al Shibani, in Riyadh. Reuters

Prince Faisal assured Mr Al Shibani of the kingdom's support to ensure security and stability in Syria during their meeting, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said.

Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said in a post on X that he had discussed with Mr Al Shibani how best to support Syria's political transition.

Last week, Mr Al Shara told the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV channel that the kingdom “will certainly have a large role in Syria's future”, pointing to “a big investment opportunity for all neighbouring countries”.

Syria's economy and infrastructure have been devastated by more than 13 years of civil war that began with a crackdown on pro-democracy protests by Mr Al Assad's forces in 2011.

The foreign ministers of Egypt and Oman pledged support for Syria in phone calls with Mr Al Shibani this week, and the charge d'affaires of the EU mission, Michael Ohnmacht, held talks with the Foreign Minister in Damascus.

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al Khereiji and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani in Riyadh. AFP

Meanwhile, preparations for Syria’s National Dialogue Conference are continuing and a date for the dialogue has yet to be set, three sources from Syria’s interim government told The National on Thursday. It was previously reported that the conference was set to take place between January 4 and 5.

“The announcement that the national dialogue conference was on that date was just talk,” Mohammad Al Faisal, a political affairs official in the interim government, clarified. “In reality, we have never officially announced a date.

“Preparations are still ongoing, but it’s a big conference that brings together various facets of Syrian society, so it will take time to put them together,” he added. “It will be sooner rather than later. It’s not clear when yet, but hopefully soon.”

Another political source hinted that the conference was likely to take place towards the end of January but declined to provide a date, saying only “preparations are ongoing and procedures must be put in place”.

The announcement of the conference last week followed statements by Syria's de facto leader, who said elections in Syria could take up to four years, and drafting a new constitution might take three years.

Local media reported that 1,200 Syrians would attend the event in personal capacities rather than as representatives of any political group. Additionally, 70 to 100 people from each governorate, representing all segments of society – including women and young people – will be invited to participate.

The conference could be the first pan-national gathering of Syria's political and sectarian groups after years of civil war. It will be a critical test of whether the new regime can fulfil its promise to unite the country in the post-Assad era.

In Homs city, Syrian security forces are conducting an operation, state media reported, with a monitor saying it focused on two districts that are home to the Alawite minority.

"The Ministry of Interior, in co-operation with the Military Operations Department, begins a wide-scale combing operation in the neighbourhoods of Homs city," state news agency Sana said, quoting a security official. It added that the targets were "war criminals and those involved in crimes who refused to hand over their weapons and go to the settlement centres", as well as "hidden ammunition and weapons".

The bio

Favourite book: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer

Favourite quote: “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist

Favourite Authors: Arab poet Abu At-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi

Favourite Emirati food: Luqaimat, a deep-fried dough soaked in date syrup

Hobbies: Reading and drawing

On Women's Day

Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality

The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021?

Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin

War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

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Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

'The worst thing you can eat'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer