At an extraordinary meeting last week, Arab League foreign ministers agreed to readmit Damascus, which has been suspended since November 2011.
Damascus called on member states to invest in Syria at the first meeting of the Arab League, from which it was excluded 12 years ago after the outbreak of civil war in the country.
Finance and economic ministers from member states met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in preparation for the leaders’ summit on Friday.
Syrian Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Mohammed Samer al-Khalil said, “I call on you again to invest in Syria. There are important opportunities and possibilities in our country. “he said.
The Syrian minister thanked the aid provided in the aftermath of the earthquake.
The Associated Press reported that Western sanctions against Damascus have made it difficult for Arab countries to invest in Syria in the near future.
Expert observers in the Arab world say it will be difficult for Arab countries to invest in Syria until it completes efforts to end its civil war and find a solution to the migration problem.
Saudi Arabia formally invites Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to the Arab League summit
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadan said at the opening of a meeting to prepare for the summit, “Welcome to the Syrian minister, we look forward to working with you to achieve our common goals.”
Earlier this month, Syria participated in a ministerial-level meeting with representatives from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt and Amman to discuss a return to the Arab League.
Following Bahrain and the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt have decided to normalize relations with Syria.
Arab League agrees on ‘Syria’s return to the Union’
Qatar, Morocco, and Kuwait are opposed to a full normalization of relations with Syria at this stage.
At an extraordinary meeting last week, Arab League foreign ministers agreed to readmit Damascus, which has been suspended since November 2011.
Syria later confirmed in a statement that President Bashar al-Assad had received an invitation to Friday’s Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia, the first since the civil war.
Assad last attended the summit in Libya in 2010.
Syria talks with Arab countries on combating drug trafficking and return of refugees
At an extraordinary meeting on Sunday last week, Arab League foreign ministers agreed to readmit Damascus, whose membership was suspended following its violent crackdown on protests in November 2011.
