Palestine’s new ambassador to North Korea has taken up his post in Pyongyang, heralding the resumption of a decades-long friendship as prospects for a return of Western nations to the DPRK remain bleak.

In a press release published on Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang confirmed that Omar al-Faqih is now serving as Palestine’s ambassador, though it is unclear when he arrived in Pyongyang or whether he has already presented his credentials to the DPRK government.