LONDON: Ahmad Al-Sharaa, the interim president of the Syrian Arab Republic, met on Tuesday with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE, to discuss bilateral relations.

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani attended the meeting held during the 2026 Arab Media Summit, which will run until Sept. 17 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Al-Sharaa, who spoke at the summit’s “Syria of the Future” event, also met with Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Dubai’s crown prince, and Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Dubai’s second deputy ruler, who is also the chairman of the Dubai Media Council, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.

Al-Sharaa outlined Syria’s reconstruction efforts during the summit, highlighting the country’s economic potential, and discussed regional stability and the role of the media.

“Syria went through six decades of administrative corruption and poor planning. Today, it is rebuilding itself and its institutions. This phase has its own unique circumstances, and we are seeking to draw on all available experiences despite the challenges,” he said.

Al-Sharaa said that support from Arab and Muslim countries for Syria after the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime in late 2024 made Syrians feel a “deep sense of pride.

“Among the most genuine expressions of these sentiments were the words of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, who said days after the liberation of Damascus: ‘The Syrian people hold a special place in the heart, and Damascus has always been loved — before and after,’” Al-Sharaa said.