Guterres to become first UN chief to visit Syria since 2011 civil war

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to address Syria’s new Parliament on July 27, and will visit a U.N. peacekeeping force

Published: July 25, 2026 12:26 pm IST – Beirut Source: Reuters

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Syria on Saturday (July 25, 2026) in the first trip by a serving UN chief since the start of a nearly 14-year war that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions in the country.

The visit represents another milestone for Syria since rebels ousted former leader Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, ending the war that began in 2011 and launching a transitional period steered by an Islamist-led leadership. At the time, Mr. Guterres described "the end of the Syrian dictatorship" under Mr. Assad as a sign of hope for the region.

Meetings and Agenda

Mr. Guterres is set to meet President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former head of al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria who until November 2025 was under terrorism-related sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council. The UN chief will also meet:

• Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani
• Other government officials
• Representatives of Syrian civil society

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) that Mr. Guterres will underline that the country 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."

Mr. Guterres is expected to be in Damascus for several days, but the full schedule of his visit has not been released by his office.

Context of the Visit

He is visiting just weeks after two bombs exploded near a hotel in Damascus where French President Emmanuel Macron spent the night, overshadowing the first visit to Syria by a European Union head of state since Mr. Assad's government was toppled.

Syria Returns to Global Stage

Mr. Sharaa's government is seeking to rebuild Syria's international ties and economy after nearly 14 years of war and decades of isolation under the Assad family rule. The transition has been marred by two major episodes of sectarian bloodshed that have tested Mr. Sharaa's repeated pledges to protect Syria's religious minorities.

• Nearly 1,500 Alawites — the sect that Mr. Assad was from — were killed in Syria's coastal region last year by government-aligned factions.
• Hundreds of Syrians from the Druze minority were killed months later in the country's south.

Mr. Guterres expressed alarm over both bouts of violence and has called for accountability. Mr. Sharaa, who broke ties with al Qaeda in 2016, led an alliance of Islamist rebel factions that ousted Mr. Assad in a lightning offensive in December 2024. Since taking power, his government has sought to re-establish Syria's diplomatic ties to expand its international engagement.