United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Damascus on Saturday, marking the first visit by a UN chief to Syria in over 15 years. The trip represents a significant diplomatic step as Syria remains largely isolated following years of civil conflict.

Guterres described his visit as a “solidarity visit” on the social media platform X, emphasizing his support for the Syrian people amid ongoing challenges. During his stay, he is scheduled to meet with interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, as well as other Syrian political officials and representatives from women’s organizations. His itinerary also includes a visit to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) stationed in the Syrian Golan Heights. The peacekeeping mission supervises a buffer zone of approximately 235 square kilometers separating Israeli and Syrian forces.

This marks the first time a UN secretary-general has traveled to Syria since Ban Ki-moon’s visit in 2009. Guterres last visited the country in 2010 in his former capacity as UN high commissioner for refugees. At a press conference on Saturday, Guterres explained that he had deliberately refrained from visiting Syria since the start of the government’s violent crackdown on civilians in 2011, which triggered the country’s prolonged civil war.

The conflict has left Syria politically and diplomatically isolated for much of the past decade. However, the situation shifted in late 2024 when a rebel alliance led by the Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized control, toppling the government of President Bashar Al-Assad. Since then, former HTS leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa has assumed the role of interim president. The new authorities have made efforts to rebuild diplomatic relations with the broader international community.

Most recently, French President Emmanuel Macron became the first European Union head of state to visit Syria in several years, signaling a cautious reopening of diplomatic channels. Guterres’s visit is expected to further assess the humanitarian situation and explore opportunities for renewed engagement with the Syrian authorities under their current leadership.