The Arab League is on the verge of voting to restore Syria's membership after being suspended for more than a decade. This development comes ahead of the Arab League Summit, scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia on May 19. Many have anticipated a partial or complete reinstatement of Syria due to its rapid rapprochement with regional governments since February.
In addition, this decision follows meetings between top diplomats from the region in Jordan, where they discussed outlining a roadmap for reintegrating Syria into the Arab fold as conflict deescalation continues. Although no official statement has been released by the Arab League regarding conditions for Syria's return, it is believed that Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region have prioritized issues such as stalled political talks with opposition groups, illicit drug smuggling and refugees.
Last week, Jordan hosted regional discussions which included representatives from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt and Syria. The parties agreed upon a framework that would gradually bring Damascus back into the Arab fold. However, there remains no clear consensus among all member nations about whether or not to allow Syria back into their midst; notably Qatar has expressed resistance against normalization efforts.
Dr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League stated: "While we are aware that some member states continue to express concerns about welcoming Syria back into our organization at this time given ongoing conflicts within their borders we also recognize progress made towards resolution."
Despite some lingering reservations amongst members nations like Qatar who remain wary over normalizing relations with President Bashar al-Assad’s government in Damascus - others see potential benefits arising out reintegration effort including fostering peace stability throughout Middle East region