Arriving at Damascus International Airport, welcomed by the Syrian Foreign Minister, Assaad al-Chaibani, Antonio Guterres is to meet President Ahmad al-Charaa, senior Syrian officials, representatives of civil society, and members of the new Transitional Parliament.
This is the first visit by a United Nations secretary-general since Ban Ki-moon in 2009, two years before the start of the Syrian civil war.
The conflict has killed more than half a million people and displaced millions before the overthrow of the regime’s leader, Bashar al-Assad, in December 2024.
Support for the Syrian transition
The UN chief is expected to reaffirm the United Nations’ support for the political transition and reconstruction efforts in Syria, at a moment that the UN’s special envoy, Claudio Cordone, calls a “decisive period” in the country’s history.
In addition to talks with government officials, Antonio Guterres will meet civil society organizations as well as associations working to promote women’s rights, underscoring the UN’s involvement beyond state institutions alone.
Focus on regional security
Antonio Guterres should also travel to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on the Golan Heights plateau, occupied by Israel, where the blue helmets have monitored the ceasefire line between Syria and Israel since 1974.
This visit comes as Syria seeks to reconnect with the international community and stabilize the country after more than a decade of war and political upheaval.
