United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited Damascus on Saturday, marking the first time a sitting UN chief has traveled to Syria since 2009. The visit comes nearly two years after the end of Syria’s civil war in late 2024, a conflict that resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and displaced millions.
Guterres met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace in Damascus. State media reported the meeting but provided limited details. Speaking at a joint press conference alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Guterres emphasized the importance of international support for Syria’s reconstruction efforts. “No country emerges from a very severe conflict and rebuilds itself on its own,” he said, highlighting the need for collaborative assistance in the country’s recovery.
Foreign Minister al-Shaibani reiterated Syria’s call for increased support from the global community, particularly from the European Union. He said discussions during the visit focused on expanding UN aid for reconstruction and advancing a government plan aimed at closing displacement camps. Al-Sharaa, the current president and former leader of an al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, was removed last November from UN Security Council terrorism-related sanctions.
Guterres’ trip follows the historic overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad in 2024 by rebel forces, which ushered in a transitional period led by an Islamist-led administration. Guterres previously described Assad’s ousting as “the end of the Syrian dictatorship” and a hopeful development for regional stability. In remarks posted on the social media platform X, the UN chief characterized his visit as one of “solidarity,” asserting that the United Nations stands with Syria at this “pivotal moment.”
During his stay, which is expected to last several days, Guterres plans to meet other government officials, engage with representatives of Syrian civil society, and address the country’s parliament on Monday, according to UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. The secretary-general intends to stress that Syria has a unique opportunity not only to recover from years of conflict, but to build a more stable, inclusive, and prosperous future.
The visit coincides with Syria’s gradual reintegration into the international arena, occurring shortly after bomb attacks near a Damascus hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying. Macron’s visit was the first by a European head of state since Assad’s departure.
Sharaa’s government is seeking to restore Syria’s foreign relations and economy following nearly 14 years of warfare and decades of isolation under the Assad family’s rule. However, the transitional period has been marked by episodes of sectarian violence, challenging Sharaa’s assurances of protecting religious minorities. Last year, approximately 1,500 Alawites were killed in Syria’s coastal region by factions aligned with the government, followed months later by the deaths of hundreds from the Druze minority in the south. Guterres has condemned these outbreaks of violence and called for accountability.