[DAMASCUS] Saudi Arabia has appointed diplomat Ghazi bin Rafea Al-Enezi as its new ambassador to Syria, succeeding Faisal Al-Mujfel, in the latest step in the restoration of relations between Riyadh and Damascus. The process formally began in 2023 and gained further momentum following the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in December 2024.
Al-Enezi took the oath of office before Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, on behalf of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, during a ceremony held in Jeddah on Tuesday. The ceremony included several newly appointed Saudi ambassadors to other countries.
Faisal Al-Mujfel, the outgoing ambassador, oversaw the initial phase of the restoration of Saudi diplomatic representation in Damascus before being appointed the Kingdom’s ambassador to France. Earlier this month, Al-Mujfel presented a copy of his credentials to the French Foreign Ministry.
Al-Enezi is regarded as one of Saudi Arabia’s leading experts on Syrian affairs. He previously served as director-general of the Saudi Foreign Ministry’s Department of Arab Countries and participated in several official visits and meetings concerning Syria.
In May 2023, while holding the rank of minister plenipotentiary, Al-Enezi led a Saudi technical delegation to Damascus to discuss the technical and logistical arrangements for reopening the Kingdom’s embassy and resuming the diplomatic mission’s operations.
Saudi Arabia closed its embassy in Damascus and withdrew its diplomats in 2012 in response to the Assad government’s violent crackdown on protests.
After more than 11 years of suspended relations, Riyadh and Damascus agreed in May 2023 to resume operations at their diplomatic missions as Syria was readmitted to the Arab League.
Saudi Arabia officially reopened its embassy in Damascus in September 2024, approximately three months before the fall of the Assad regime. Riyadh subsequently expanded its contacts with Syria’s new leadership while supporting efforts to restore stability and strengthen political and economic cooperation with Damascus.
The selection of Al-Enezi, who was directly involved in the initial arrangements to reopen the embassy, reflects Riyadh’s desire to maintain continuity in its handling of the Syrian portfolio as relations between the two countries move from restoring diplomatic representation toward broader bilateral cooperation.
