Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani said on Friday he will make official visits to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Jordan this week, days after travelling to Saudi Arabia on his first trip in office.

The new government in Syria is seeking investment and improved relations with countries in the region as it embarks on the task of rebuilding the country’s economy and infrastructure, devastated by more than a decade of war.

“This week, I will represent my country, Syria, on an official visit to our brothers in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,” Mr Al Shibani said in a statement on X.

“We look forward to these visits contributing to support stability, security, economic recovery, and building distinguished partnerships,” he added.

No further details about the visit were revealed and there was no comment from the Arab states.

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, took power. Last week, Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al Yahya and Jassim Mohammed Al Badawi, Secretary General of the Gulf Co-operation Council, visited Damascus.

In the latest sign of foreign support, France‘s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and his German counterpart Anna Baerbock met Mr Al Shara in Damascus on Friday, but few details were made public.

Earlier, Mr Shibani led a high-ranking delegation to Riyadh, marking the first visit by Syria’s new rulers since they ousted Bashar Al Assad last month.

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.

Before the visit, 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”.

Last week, during an extraordinary meeting for the ministers of foreign affairs of the Gulf Co-operation Council in Kuwait, the diplomats urged the lifting of international sanctions on Syria. The US, the EU, Canada and other countries imposed severe sanctions against the Assad regime.

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he had discussed relations between Beirut and Damascus in a phone call with Mr Al Shara on Friday, and that he had received an invitation to visit Syria. Mr Al Shara also affirmed that authorities had taken measures to restore calm along the border, Mr Mikati added on X.

The Lebanese army said in a statement on X that its soldiers had clashed with armed Syrians at the border after the armed forces tried to “close an illegal crossing”. It said five soldiers were wounded.