Media: Egypt delays approval of new Syrian ambassador to Cairo

Egyptian authorities have yet to approve the appointment of Syria’s new ambassador to Cairo and are reportedly obstructing the reception of some members of the Syrian diplomatic mission, according to Asharq Al-Awsat, citing an informed source.

The outlet said that, after the relative stabilisation of the situation in Syria in mid-2025, Damascus began reviewing the composition of its diplomatic missions in several key countries, including Egypt.

As part of the process, the Syrian government proposed appointing Mohammad Taha al-Ahmad as head of its diplomatic mission in Cairo. The newspaper noted that the diplomat previously studied at Cairo University and personally put forward his candidacy to the Syrian foreign minister.

The source claimed that Egyptian authorities have not officially informed Damascus of a rejection but have conveyed through unofficial channels that they are unwilling to approve the appointment due to concerns related to the candidate’s political background.

“The Egyptian government has still not directly informed the Syrian side of a refusal, but it has sent unofficial signals indicating that it does not accept his candidacy. Cairo considers him an unsuitable figure because of his political background. Nevertheless, the Syrian government continued insisting on his nomination, which has significantly slowed many issues related to the status of the Syrian diplomatic mission in Egypt,” the source noted.

The source added that while the appointment of diplomatic staff and chargés d’affaires does not require approval from the host country, unlike ambassadorial appointments, Egypt has still not issued visas to most members of the Syrian diplomatic delegation without providing explanations.

Mohammad Taha al-Ahmad currently serves as director of the Department for Arab Affairs at Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov