Guterres visits Damascus in first trip by serving UN chief since 2009
UN secretary-general urged international support for Syria’s transition after meeting President Ahmed al-Sharaa
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Damascus on Saturday, becoming the first serving UN chief to visit Syria since before the country’s civil war began in 2011.
Guterres described the trip as a show of solidarity and called on the international community to support Syria as it moved through a political transition following the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
“The United Nations stands with Syria at this pivotal moment,” Guterres wrote on X, urging countries to spare no effort in assisting the Syrian people.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa received Guterres at the presidential palace, according to state media. Sharaa, a former leader of al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, had remained under UN terrorism-related sanctions until November 2025.
The visit marked another step in Syria’s return to international diplomacy after nearly 14 years of war, during which hundreds of thousands were killed and millions displaced.
Guterres's office said he would emphasize the opportunity for Syria not only to rebuild after the conflict, but also to establish a more stable, inclusive and prosperous political order.
The trip came weeks after two bombs exploded near a Damascus hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying during the first visit to Syria by an EU head of state since Assad’s fall.
Syria’s new authorities have sought to restore foreign ties and revive an economy battered by years of war, sanctions and isolation under the Assad family’s rule.