US envoy travels to UAE, Jordan to discuss Syria conflict

The United States’ Special Envoy to Syria Joel Rayburn is set to travel to the United Arab Emirates and Jordan for discussions on the ongoing Syrian conflict, a statement by the US State Department announced yesterday.

During his visit to the two countries, which begins today and ends on Thursday, Rayburn will be meeting with government officials and civil society leaders to highlight the US and its allies’ efforts to achieve a permanent, peaceful and political solution to the Syrian conflict in accordance with the United Nations’ Security Council resolution 2254.

He will also aim to discuss the economic and political measures against the Syrian regime of President Bashar Al-Assad and its affiliates, reaffirming the US’ commitment to work with its partners abroad in implementing and maintaining that pressure.

US’ Mike Pompeo sued for selling arms to the UAE

Rayburn’s visit comes a week after a special briefing he gave to reporters on the conflict and political situation on Syria, commemorating the anniversary of the Caesar Act and sanctions’ signing into law in December 2019.

The US envoy’s trip to the UAE is seen by some as counter-productive with regards to the Syrian conflict and its resolution as Abu Dhabi was discovered earlier last year to have attempted to persuade Al-Assad to relaunch his offensive against the opposition in Idlib in exchange for $3 billion.

It has also re-established relations with the regime over the past few years, conducting training programmes for the Syrian intelligence. Such actions could be seen by the US as support for and affiliation with Al-Assad, which prompted it to warn the Emirates that it could be included in the Caesar sanctions last year.