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The Arab League readmitted Syria after a nearly 12-year absence this week, a move many observers suggested could rehabilitate the international image of Syrian President Bashir al-Assad, CNN reported.

The league suspended Syria’s membership in 2011 after Assad launched a brutal crackdown against anti-government protests that year.

But as the Syrian leader held onto power during the years-long civil war, a number of Arab nations have been seeking rapprochement with Damascus.

On Sunday, the Arab League members agreed to reinstate Syria’s membership following a meeting over the weekend. The organization’s Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit added that Assad can now participate in any meeting of the league, including next week’s summit in Saudi Arabia.

But the regional organization also noted that it will need to take “practical and effective steps” to resolve Syria’s ongoing crisis.

Western sanctions, including the US 2019 Caesar Act, have severely affected Syria’s economy, rendering it untouchable. The United Nations has warned that poverty and food insecurity in the country are at unprecedented levels, with over 12 million Syrians – or more than half the population – estimated to be food insecure, according to the World Food Program.

Analysts and officials explained that Syria’s re-admission, although symbolic, could boost Assad’s international standing and potentially allow the removal of sanctions against his regime.