At a closed-door meeting at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Arab foreign ministers agreed to reinstate the Syrian regime in the organization after it was suspended in 2011 due to the brutal repression of a popular uprising that turned into a long and violent war. According to a statement issued by the Arab League, Syrian Arab Republic government delegations will once again participate in the organization’s meetings.
In November 2011, the Arab League suspended Syria after the Damascus government used violent measures to suppress peaceful protests that erupted earlier that year. The conflict escalated into a protracted civil war that claimed the lives of more than 500,000 people, displaced millions, and devastated the country’s economy and infrastructure.
Although the situation in Syria has improved in some respects, particularly in the western region, where the government of Bashar al-Assad has regained control, many parts of the country, especially the north, remain unstable and beyond the control of the central government. Despite international efforts to reach a political solution, the conflict remains unresolved after 12 years.
The decision to reintegrate Syria into the Arab League has been widely criticized by several countries and international groups, which believe that the move could further legitimize the Assad regime and its repressive behavior. However, some Arab League member states have argued that the move could be a step towards resolving the conflict in Syria.