On December 12, Inal Ardzinba, the de-facto Abkhaz Foreign Minister, arrived in the Syrian Arab Republic to discuss international and bilateral Abkhaz-Syrian agenda issues.

On the same day, Inal Ardzinba and Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad discussed issues of international and bilateral agenda. They condemned Israeli airstrikes on civilian infrastructure in Syria. The need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was noted. The foreign ministers called on the international community to pay attention to the humanitarian catastrophe in the region. The illegitimacy of the Western sanctions regime against Syria was noted. 

Mekdad noted that according to the Memorandum between the two countries' foreign ministries, he assists in expanding Abkhazia's contacts in the Middle East. Faisal Mekdad supported the decision to ban USAID projects in the de-facto Republic of Abkhazia. The Consulate of Abkhazia will soon start working in Syria. Abkhazian specialists and diplomats will be able to take advanced training courses at the Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Syria. 

Syria has officially invited Abkhazia to participate in a large Damascus International Fair, which will be held in August-September next year. The Syrian Foreign Minister expressed support for the activation of contacts between the universities of Abkhazia and Syria. Ardzinba and Mekdad discussed the role of Abkhazia as an intermediary in establishing investment contacts between Syria and Russia, with the possibility of holding meetings in a trilateral format.