United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set to visit Syria on Saturday, marking the first visit by a serving U.N. chief since the outbreak of the country’s nearly 14-year civil war, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
The visit is another significant step in Syria’s post-war transition following the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad by rebel forces in late 2024. Assad’s removal brought an end to the conflict that began in 2011 and ushered in a transitional government led by an Islamist-backed administration.
Following Assad’s fall, Guterres described “the end of the Syrian dictatorship” as a hopeful development for both Syria and the wider region.
During his visit, Guterres is expected to hold talks with President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former leader of al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, who remained under U.N. Security Council terrorism-related sanctions until November 2025.
According to U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, the Secretary-General will also meet Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, senior government officials and members of Syrian civil society.
Dujarric said Guterres will stress that Syria now has an opportunity “not only to recover from conflict, but also to lay the foundations for a future for Syria that will be more stable, more inclusive, and more prosperous for all Syrians.”
The U.N. chief is expected to remain in Damascus for several days, although his office has not released the full itinerary.
His trip comes just weeks after two bombs exploded near a Damascus hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron had stayed overnight, overshadowing the first visit to Syria by a European Union head of state since Assad’s removal.
Syria Returns to the Global Stage
The government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa is working to restore Syria’s international standing and revive its economy after almost 14 years of conflict and decades of isolation under the Assad family’s rule.
However, the country’s transition has faced serious challenges, including two major incidents of sectarian violence that have tested Sharaa’s repeated promises to safeguard Syria’s religious minorities.
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Last year, nearly 1,500 Alawites—the sect to which Assad belongs—were reportedly killed in Syria’s coastal region by government-aligned factions. Months later, hundreds of members of the Druze minority also lost their lives during violence in southern Syria.
Guterres voiced concern over both incidents and has called for those responsible to be held accountable.
Sharaa, who severed ties with al Qaeda in 2016, led the coalition of Islamist rebel groups that removed Assad from power during a swift offensive in December 2024.
Since assuming office, his administration has sought to rebuild Syria’s diplomatic relationships beyond its longtime allies, Russia and Iran.
In another landmark development, Sharaa became the first Syrian president since 1967 to attend the U.N. General Assembly in New York last year.
The United States has since eased most of its broad sanctions on Syria. Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump also informed Sharaa of his intention to remove Syria from Washington’s list of state sponsors of terrorism.
As part of his visit, Guterres is expected to address Syria’s newly established parliament on Monday. He will also visit the U.N. peacekeeping mission responsible for monitoring the buffer zone between Israeli and Syrian forces, a role it has maintained for decades, Dujarric said.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces have expanded their presence in parts of southern Syria following Assad’s ousting. The Syrian government has called on Israel to withdraw its troops and return to the terms of the 1974 disengagement agreement.
