Syria (Washington Insider Magazine) – In a new Syria update, Syria has now been reinstated to the influential Arab League after a decade of absence.
Syria was reinstated to improve relations between Syria and Arab Governments. However, the move has been criticized by the UK and US governments.
The UK’s Minister of State Foreign Commonwealth & Development Affairs, Lord Ahmad, spoke out about the decision saying that they were against Syria’s engagement with the Arab League which continues to attack innocent Syrian citizens.
A US state spokesman echoed similar views to Lord Ahmad but this will not impact the nation’s goal to resolve the civil war.
Syria’s foreign ministry continues to back the decision in the hopes that the partnership will lead to better communication between Syria and Arab governments after tensions.
The meeting to reinstate Syria into the Arab League took place in Cairo, Egypt, and was attended by 13 foreign ministers out of the 22 in the Arab League.
What Does This Syria Update Mean For The Ongoing Syrian Crisis?
The Syrian crisis was discussed throughout the meeting and all ministers shared the need to tackle the civil war in Syria which has led to numerous war crimes.
The civil war, which has been ongoing since 2011, is responsible for the refugee and drug smuggling crisis in the nation.
Studies show that the rise in poverty is the leading cause of the drug crisis.
A committee has been established to support Syria during a time of internal conflict. The committee consists of leaders from Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.
The Arab League’s secretary general, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, has said that the partnership, which was started to help the nation solve the civil war, would be slow, and that the decision to help Syria would be up to each nation to contribute.
Syria Update: How Many Have Been Affected By The Syrian Crisis?
In the context of this new Syria update, the UN estimates suggest that over 300,000 civilians have been killed during the ongoing civil war and 10,0000 have been detained or reported missing.
Pre-war the nation had a population of over 21 million, but it’s estimated that over half of that original population has been misplaced across Syria or abroad.
The decision to rejoin the Arab League has been met with some opposition from Syrian citizens. Refugees in the North-west rebel areas have said that they are shocked by the president’s decision to rejoin the league.
