UN Chief Guterres Makes First Syria Visit by a Sitting Secretary-General Since Before Civil War

UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived at Damascus International Airport on Saturday, marking the first visit to Syria by a sitting UN secretary-general since before the outbreak of the country's civil war.

According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani welcomed Guterres and the accompanying delegation upon their arrival.

The visit aims to demonstrate the United Nations' support for Syria during its transitional period, following more than 13 years of conflict that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions.

It is the first visit by a UN secretary-general to Syria since Ban Ki-moon traveled to the country in 2009, two years before the conflict began in 2011.

The visit also marks another milestone since opposition forces overthrew former President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, ending the war and ushering in a transitional period under a new Islamist-led administration. At the time, Guterres described the end of Assad's rule as "a ray of hope" for the region.

During his visit, Guterres is scheduled to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who previously led al-Qaeda's former affiliate in Syria and remained under UN Security Council terrorism-related sanctions until November 2025.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the secretary-general will also hold talks with Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, other government officials and representatives 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 more stable, inclusive and prosperous future for all Syrians."

The visit comes only weeks after two bombs exploded near a hotel in Damascus where French President Emmanuel Macron had stayed overnight during the first visit to Syria by a European Union head of state since Assad's removal.

Guterres is expected to remain in Damascus for several days, although the United Nations has not yet released the full schedule of his visit.