Does Syria’s Road Back to the Arab Family Go Through the UAE?

... the need to be less dependent on the West and to pursue more independent policies. This is evident in the decision of the UAE and Bahrain to reopen embassies in Damascus in 2018, their ongoing efforts to foster economic cooperation with Syria, and the GCC states’ decision in 2022 not to join anti-Russian sanctions. So far, such pragmatism gives hope that the UAE will not backtrack on its recent decisions. Rising role of regional powers Increasing autonomy of the Gulf states gives more room for positive policy change and more space to secure their own role in the MENA region. Besides, Sunni leaderships of ...