Key facts
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres visited Damascus for the first time since 2009.
- Guterres urged international support for Syria's recovery and transition following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
- He met with interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
- Guterres described Israeli actions in the Golan Heights as 'unacceptable' and called them violations of Syrian territory.
- Millions of Syrians remain displaced, and many require humanitarian assistance.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Damascus on Saturday for his first visit to Syria since 2009, two years before the country's civil war began. Guterres appealed to the international community to support the Syrian people during this 'pivotal moment' following the fall of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
During his visit, Guterres met with Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and held talks with Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. He also toured the old quarter of Damascus and the Umayyad Mosque. Guterres stated that the UN stands with Syria and urged 'no effort to support the people of Syria.'
The visit comes as Syria recovers from years of conflict and the effects of Western sanctions. While many sanctions have been lifted, their impact remains limited. The international community is urging the new Islamist authorities to establish inclusive governance. Guterres is scheduled to meet with civil society representatives and visit a UN peacekeeping force in the Golan Heights, an area he described as 'totally unacceptable' due to Israeli incursions.
According to the UN, since al-Assad's ousting, approximately 1.9 million internally displaced people and 1.7 million refugees have returned, though 5.5 million remain displaced internally and six million are overseas. An estimated 15.6 million people require humanitarian assistance.