Britain said on Saturday it was reestablishing diplomatic relations with Syria, as foreign minister David Lammy visited the Syrian capital Damascus.
"There is renewed hope for the Syrian people. The UK is reestablishing diplomatic relations because it is in our interests to support the new government to deliver their commitment to build a stable, more secure and prosperous future for all Syrians," Lammy said in a statement.
Global shift on Syria
The move follows a number of other countries which reestablished connections with Damascus following the fall of the Assad regime.
The United States lifted sanctions on Syria, paving the way for international relations with the Middle Eastern nation, according to The Jerusalem Post's Seth Frantzman.
US President Donald Trump spoke highly of Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa following their meeting in May.
Lammy's visit, the first by a British minister in 14 years, comes days after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order terminating a US sanctions program on Syria, ending its isolation from the international financial system and helping it rebuild after the war.
Britain also eased its sanctions in April, unfreezing the assets of Syria's central bank and 23 other entities, including banks and oil companies to encourage investments, though it kept in place those targeting members of the former regime.
The financial support package announced on Saturday will provide urgent humanitarian aid to Syria and support the country's longer-term recovery through developing areas such as education, the government statement said.
There have also been a number of reports indicating that the interim government is interested in joining the Abraham Accords.
This is a developing story.