Saudi Arabia has announced the "resumption of the activity of its diplomatic mission in Syria" The rapprochement comes at a time when Syria is in dire need of investors for the country's massive reconstruction project. The Syrian opposition and the United States have denounced the ongoing normalization of Arab countries, with the exception of Qatar, under the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
Almost half of Syrians are now refugees or internally displaced persons, and parts of the territory are still outside government control.