 | |
 Kuwait |  Syria |
|---|---|
Kuwait and Syria established diplomatic relations on 24 October 1963. [1] Syria has an embassy in Kuwait City. Kuwait has an embassy in Damascus. Both countries are members of the Arab League, Non-Aligned Movement and Group of 77.
| | |
Kuwait | Syria |
|---|---|
Kuwait and Syria established diplomatic relations on 24 October 1963. [1] Syria has an embassy in Kuwait City. Kuwait has an embassy in Damascus. Both countries are members of the Arab League, Non-Aligned Movement and Group of 77.
Syria was a major Coalition belligerent in the Gulf War and even participated in the Liberation of Kuwait which led to two decades of goodwill and warm relations between the two countries. However, after the death of Hafez al-Assad and the beginning of Bashar al-Assad's presidency, Syria and Iraq entered a short period of rapprochement, Syria also noticeably deeply against the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent Iraq War, however Kuwait was the only Arab country not to condemn the United States's war on Iraq.
Kuwait–Syria relations became somewhat strained due to the Syrian Civil War after Kuwait closed its embassies along with the rest of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf. Bilaterial relations have since come to focus on humanitarian efforts for Syria instead. For example, Kuwait hosted three international pledging conferences in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 raising 1.5bn, [2] 2.4bn, [3] 3.8bn, [4] and 10bn [5] respectively.
While countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have begun to normalize relations with Syria's Assad, Kuwait has remained weary. [6] In December 2018, Kuwaiti media obtained a list of terrorists and suspected financiers of terrorism in Syria, drafted by the Syrian government, which included Kuwaiti Islamic Salafi Alliance and Muslim Brotherhood politicians. [6] This included high level officials such as the Deputy Foreign Minister al-Jarallah and 30 Kuwaiti then-MPs. Kuwait was one of the countries who did not want Ba'athist Syria to join the Arab League, a position held by Qatar and Morocco. [7]
Following the fall of the Assad regime, Kuwait's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah Al Yahya, and GCC Secretary general, Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, in Damascus on 30 December 2024, in which they expressed support for Syria's independence, sovereignty, and unity. [8] Additionally, a plane carrying 20 million tonnes of relief goods was delivered to support the Syrian people. [9]
Since its independence in 1961, Kuwait has maintained strong international relations with most countries, especially nations within the Arab world. Its vast oil reserves give it a prominent voice at the global economic forums and organizations like the OPEC. Kuwait is also a major ally of ASEAN, a regional ally of China, and a major non-NATO ally.
Ensuring national security, increasing influence among its Arab neighbours and securing the return of the Golan Heights, have been the primary goals of the Syrian Arab Republic's foreign policy. At many points in its history, Syria has seen tension with its neighbours, such as Turkey, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon. Syria enjoyed an improvement in relations with several of the states in its region in the 21st century, prior to the Arab Spring and the Syrian civil war. Until 2018, due to the Syrian civil war, the Syrian Arab Republic's government was partially isolated from the countries in the region and the wider international community.
The dynamic between the League of Arab States and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been ambivalent, owing to the latter's varying bilateral conduct with each country of the former. Iran is located on the easternmost frontier of the Arab League, which consists of 22 Arab countries and spans the bulk of the Middle East and North Africa, of which Iran is also a part. The Arab League's population is dominated by ethnic Arabs, whereas Iran's population is dominated by ethnic Persians; and while both sides have Islam as a common religion, their sects differ, with Sunnis constituting the majority in the Arab League and Shias constituting the majority in Iran. Since Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979, the country's Shia theocracy has attempted to assert itself as the legitimate religious and political leadership of all Muslims, contesting a status that has generally been understood as belonging to Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia, where the cities of Mecca and Medina are located. This animosity, manifested in the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict, has greatly exacerbated the Shia–Sunni divide throughout the Muslim world.
Jordan–Syria relations are bilateral relations between the sovereign states of Jordan and Syria. Relations between neighbours have ancient roots as both countries are historically parts of the Levant or the region of Syria. The two states were created after the First World War from former Ottoman dominions by way of a secret bilateral agreement between Britain and France.
Iraq–Syria relations are the diplomatic relations between the sovereign states of Iraq and Syria. Both countries are neighbours and they share the Iraq–Syria border. Bilateral relations are marked by long-shared cultural and political links, as well as former regional rivalry. The two countries took their present form after the Sykes–Picot Agreement to dismember the Ottoman Empire into British and French spheres of influence after World War I.
Syria–United Arab Emirates relations refer to the relationship between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Syria. The UAE has an embassy in Damascus and Syria has an embassy in Abu Dhabi and a consulate-general in Dubai. Both countries are members of the Arab League, part of the Middle East region and share close cultural ties.
Armenian–Syrian relations are foreign relations between Armenia and Syria. Armenia has an embassy in Damascus and a consulate general in Aleppo. In 1997, Syria opened an embassy in Yerevan. Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa visited Armenia in March 1992.
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was the Emir of Kuwait from 24 January 2006 until his death in 2020.
International reactions to the Syrian civil war ranged from support for the government to calls for the government to dissolve. The Arab League, United Nations and Western governments in 2011 quickly condemned the Syrian government's response to the protests which later evolved into the Syrian civil war as overly heavy-handed and violent. Many Middle Eastern governments initially expressed support for the government and its "security measures", but as the death toll mounted, especially in Hama, they switched to a more balanced approach, criticizing violence from both government and protesters. Russia and China vetoed two attempts at United Nations Security Council sanctions against the Syrian government.
Egypt–Syria relations refers to the bilateral relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and Syria. Egypt has an embassy in Damascus. Syria has an embassy in Cairo. Both countries are members of the Arab League.
Saudi Arabia–Syria relations refer to bilateral and economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Syria. Diplomatic ties between these two countries of the Middle East have long been strained by the major events in the region. Saudi Arabia has an embassy in Damascus, and Syria has an embassy in Riyadh. Both countries are members of the Arab League and share close cultural ties.
Qatar’s international aid program has expanded dramatically since the beginning of 2010, and focuses heavily on the Arab world, most notably in the humanitarian crises in Syria and Gaza.
Oman–Syria relations refer to the relationship between the Sultanate of Oman and Syria. Oman has an embassy in Damascus; while Syria has an embassy in Muscat. Both are members of the Arab League, and despite the ongoing civil war occurring in Syria, Oman has not closed its embassy in Syria and both countries maintain diplomatic relations, in sharp contrast to other Arab states of the Persian Gulf who have cut off diplomatic ties with Syria and closed their embassies.
Abkhazia–Syria relations refers to the bilateral relationship between the Republic of Abkhazia and Syria.
Spain–Syria relations are the bilateral and diplomatic relations between these two countries. Syria has an embassy in Madrid. Spain has an embassy in Damascus. Both countries are charter members of the Union for the Mediterranean, although Syria suspended its membership in 2011.
International sanctions against Syria are a series of economic sanctions and restrictions imposed on Syria which was under the Ba'athist regime at that time by the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Switzerland, mainly as a result of the repression of civilians in the Syrian civil war from 2011 onwards. The US sanctions against Syria are the most severe, as they affect third-parties as well, and amount to an embargo. U.S. secondary sanctions were limited until 2020 when the Caesar Act entered into force. The intent is to prevent the Syrian government from employing violence against its citizens and to motivate political reforms that could solve the root causes of the conflict.
Germany–Syria relations are the bilateral relations between Germany and Syria. Germany closed its Damascus embassy and stopped its recognition of Bashar Al-Assad in 2012 because of the Syrian civil war, but did not cut relations with the former Ba'athist regime until its official collapse in late 2024.
Italy–Syria relations refer to bilateral relations between Italy and Syria. The Syrian embassy in Italy is located in Rome, whereas the consulate was located in Milan. In 2024, Rome made the decision to start a reaprochement with Syria and reopen its embassy in Damascus.
Qatar–Syria relations are the bilateral relations between Qatar and Syria. Qatar closed its Damascus embassy in 2011 until December 2024. Qatari government recognized National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces and gave it the Syrian embassy in Doha. The relationship between both countries has changed significantly over the past few years, largely as a result of the civil war in Syria.
Bahrain–Syria relations were established on 23 January 1975. Bahrain has an embassy in Damascus and Syria has an embassy in Manama. The two Arab nations share historical, cultural, and regional ties rooted in their membership in the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
| Africa |  | |
|---|---|---|
| America | ||
| Asia | ||
| Europe | ||
| Diplomatic missions | ||
 | This article about bilateral relations is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
